Thread: who has a pilots license

Wullie, that's the most interesting story I've heard in a while. I got my private's certificate a couple of years ago and am just a checkride away from getting my instrument rating. I'd LOVE to get a heli rating, but, correct me if I'm wrong, don't ya' have to be under 210 lbs to be a student in a R22? I'm about 30 lbs away from that now and it'd be quite a loss in both fat AND muscle to get there. Also, once I've finished getting my commercial license and mult-rating, I'm planning on taking a little aerobatic course as a graduation present to myself BTW, I'm 38, married with 3 kids, work full time, and go to school full-time.....so don't any of the rest of ya' start going on about not having time!! $$ I'd understand, kinda', but not time!

I don't have the guts, but my wife does LOL! She's got hers.

She doesn't fly choppers but my kids were bugging her so she got buddy to take them up just the other day - she's, heck they have all been smiling ever since - gosh I hope this isn't going to be her next "thing."



Think my son was having fun lol? We had to give up trying to keep his headset on lol... sigh.

Originally Posted by Costabro

Wullie, that's the most interesting story I've heard in a while. I got my private's certificate a couple of years ago and am just a checkride away from getting my instrument rating. I'd LOVE to get a heli rating, but, correct me if I'm wrong, don't ya' have to be under 210 lbs to be a student in a R22? I'm about 30 lbs away from that now and it'd be quite a loss in both fat AND muscle to get there. Also, once I've finished getting my commercial license and mult-rating, I'm planning on taking a little aerobatic course as a graduation present to myself BTW, I'm 38, married with 3 kids, work full time, and go to school full-time.....so don't any of the rest of ya' start going on about not having time!! $$ I'd understand, kinda', but not time!

Man I have NO idea about the weight issues in an R22. I try to stay away from choppers every chance I get. LOL

Getting an instrument rating is quite an accomplishment. Congrats and well done. I used to apply IFR when I flew. I Follow Roads. Me and a buddy of mine did some REALLy stupid stupid scud running one afternoon in his Taylorcraft Chief. We flew about 20 miles up SH377 from Granbury, TX and across a county road to Spinks. What we did was ABSOLUTELY ignorant but I guess the Lord had other plans for us or he has his quota of fools and idiots that day. I drove that road a couple of days later and counted 27 lines across that road. We missed every damn one and we were looking at the telephone poles out of the side windows for most of the trip. To top it off we nearly had a head on crash with a Tarrant County Sheriff's car!

He got turned around and chased us back to the airport. The Chief had the old style HUGE N numbers on the bottom of the wings and that cop ALMOST got 'em right. We had the bird in the hanger when he showed up looked for an N number that was 2 digits off of ours and he wasn't smart enough to feel the cowl to see if it was warm.

Like I said, we did some REALLY crazy stuff and it's a damn wonder we aren't all dead.

Earcutter, you've got a FINE looking youngster and an AWESOME wife!! My wife is scared poopless of planes. I FINALLY got her to fly commercial and she can barely handle that. LOL

It's taken me a while to figure out how to upload pictures easily, so here's a few of me, my wife,sister, and son here in Tulsa.

VERY nice. "SPAM CANS" do have their upside for hauling the family the family in style.

My dad had a 182RG for close to to twenty years. Had a 2 axis auto pilot and full IFR panel. It was NICE to use to get somewhere. He lost his medical and the engine was past TBO but still passed all the inspections so he sold it for twice what he paid for it. THe gent that bought it ran it hard for a couple more years and finally had to have the engine rebuilt. The plane is still going strong.

I think for most dollars is the big impediment. I think that's why the aviation industry here in the U.S is pretty much being taken over. Once you figure out what it costs to learn and then what it costs to rent or buy a 30-40 year old plane and renovate it you have a very expensive hobby. Then if you really want to be able to go someplace and not have weather restricting you, you need an instrument rating. Then of course there's the fuel. Even if you go with a very light sport something like a katana or dynamic you be talking big bucks.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I think for most dollars is the big impediment. I think that's why the aviation industry here in the U.S is pretty much being taken over. Once you figure out what it costs to learn and then what it costs to rent or buy a 30-40 year old plane and renovate it you have a very expensive hobby. Then if you really want to be able to go someplace and not have weather restricting you, you need an instrument rating. Then of course there's the fuel. Even if you go with a very light sport something like a katana or dynamic you be talking big bucks.

Add to all that, tie down fees or hangar rent, annual inspections, maintenance, and insurance and the old adage of "if it flies, floats, or fornicates, it's cheaper to rent" becomes very apparent.

Originally Posted by Wullie

Add to all that, tie down fees or hangar rent, annual inspections, maintenance, and insurance and the old adage of "if it flies, floats, or fornicates, it's cheaper to rent" becomes very apparent.

Not these days!! Have you seen the price drops lately? My wife is telling me daily about this and that plane that's "on sale!" I am scared she's going to drop the cash and go for it. We did the math about five years ago and yes - renting was the way to go but here lately... Heck even hangar rents are coming down here in KS!

Well Ok - it might still be cheaper to rent but the disparity is becoming less - that's for sure.

Great looking photos Costabro - awesome looking family. And thanks for the compliment Wullie.

I think this might be the first thread ever that I'll be able to get my wife to read LOL .

Here is my little punk getting the wind on his face... later in the ride, he was trying to throw his shoe out of that lol!!

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I think for most dollars is the big impediment. I think that's why the aviation industry here in the U.S is pretty much being taken over. Once you figure out what it costs to learn and then what it costs to rent or buy a 30-40 year old plane and renovate it you have a very expensive hobby. Then if you really want to be able to go someplace and not have weather restricting you, you need an instrument rating. Then of course there's the fuel. Even if you go with a very light sport something like a katana or dynamic you be talking big bucks.

A buddy of ours who has the hands and time, fixed up one of these. Rumor has it, he made a bit of coin doing so?



It's a Fairey Swordfish. I understand they were so slow, the Germans shot so far ahead that they missed; and hence the craft had a pretty high rate of success lol.