OT: Pilots of the Scarlet Knights Roundtable- The LOVE of Flying Thread!

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

Any pilots in this forum? After a very long absence I am finally getting back to flying. Got my private in 1990 Flew some hours after I graduated college, marraige, kids, divorce took its toll on my bank account and there was nothing left to pursue my love of aviation. Finally after a long, long, long time away, last logged hours as PIC was in 1996, am getting my BFR done and immediately starting my instrument training. Hope to be able to use my privileges to fly to RU away games. Look forwards to hitting the midwest stadiums, and anywhere RU football is playing within 200- 600 NM of KMMU. Someday looking to purchase an aircraft and if things go really well getting a turbine powered one.
Anyone else on here actively fly? Would love to hear your stories and do some hanger flying.

 

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

No pilots on the board? Hmmm, I thought of the hundreds of people on the board there would be a handful. I don’t know at least 3-10. Anyone? Does anyone like airplanes and aviation? Not commercial flying I.e. American, United, etc.

 

[RUforester72]

Got my private license in 1982. Flew regularly up to 1992. My career took all my energy. I had set a personal standard to fly at least one hour a week in order to maintain my competence to fly with passengers ( friends ). When I became too busy to do that I gave it up. Still a great fan of all aviation. Attended the Reno Air Races for more than 30 years, including the disastrous 2011 event where the “ Gray Ghost” a highly modified P51 crashed less than 100’ in front of us killing 11 people and injuring 71. Never forget that!

 

[rutgersal_rivals139582]

Would really love to get my pilots license. What would it involve. Any idea how much it would cost?

 

[RU848789]

Would really love to get my pilots license. What would it involve. Any idea how much it would cost?

Don't sweat it - just tell them you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express...

 

[RuNutz]

No pilots on the board? Hmmm, I thought of the hundreds of people on the board there would be a handful. I don’t know at least 3-10. Anyone? Does anyone like airplanes and aviation? Not commercial flying I.e. American, United, etc.

Might be the avatar, bud. Pilots tend to land on the intelligent side... pun intended.

 

[Postman_1]

Might be the avatar, bud. Pilots tend to land on the intelligent side... pun intended.

TDS^

 

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

Got my private license in 1982. Flew regularly up to 1992. My career took all my energy. I had set a personal standard to fly at least one hour a week in order to maintain my competence to fly with passengers ( friends ). When I became too busy to do that I gave it up. Still a great fan of all aviation. Attended the Reno Air Races for more than 30 years, including the disastrous 2011 event where the “ Gray Ghost” a highly modified P51 crashed less than 100’ in front of us killing 11 people and injuring 71. Never forget that!

Wow! RUforester72 thats crazy! Were you alright? Hurt? I have got to hear your story about that when you have time. Youtube, & instagram are loaded with videos of crashes and aviation videos. That crash if probably somewhere on the internet. I have always wanted to go to the Reno air races, EAA, Oshkosh, Sun & Fun and others but never had the time or resources. finally I am there and look forwards to doing all those things. I encourage you to get back into it. Your license never expires but it is going to take some work to get back into it.
Right when I got my PPL was just the start of the transition from "steam" gauges to digital. Digital is a game changer. Way better, more info, and more reliable but way more to know. Another big change from when I got my PPL is the primary form of Xcountry navigation were VOR's and now its GPS. Again, more to know.
I would love to hear some of your good stories and even the lesson learned stories.

 

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

Would really love to get my pilots license. What would it involve. Any idea how much it would cost?

Al, roughly to get your PPL it will cost you between $10-15k. The reason for the big gap between the two is every person advances at their own pace. Also it can go substantially higher depending on how quickly you get the concepts of flying. I know you live in the city so the closest airport to you where you can learn to fly is probably Teterboro (KTEB). I am currently training at Essex County Airport(KCDW) but will be based out of Morristown(KMMU) when I am done with my training. I encourage you to do it. It is a hell of alot of fun and practical too.
I got my wife on board, by explaining that we can be at her best friends house in an hour and half flying to Delaware versus three hours by car without traffic. I can also get up to cape cod in 90 minutes versus five hours by car or mathas vinyard in about the same time.
I really want to use it to go see all the stadiums in the BIG out in the midwest. yes it is more expensive than driving but the experience is so much better than driving out to state college in 4 hours when I can be there in 2. let me know if you decide to move forwards.

 

[rutgersal_rivals139582]

Al, roughly to get your PPL it will cost you between $10-15k. The reason for the big gap between the two is every person advances at their own pace. Also it can go substantially higher depending on how quickly you get the concepts of flying. I know you live in the city so the closest airport to you where you can learn to fly is probably Teterboro (KTEB). I am currently training at Essex County Airport(KCDW) but will be based out of Morristown(KMMU) when I am done with my training. I encourage you to do it. It is a hell of alot of fun and practical too.
I got my wife on board, by explaining that we can be at her best friends house in an hour and half flying to Delaware versus three hours by car without traffic. I can also get up to cape cod in 90 minutes versus five hours by car or mathas vinyard in about the same time.
I really want to use it to go see all the stadiums in the BIG out in the midwest. yes it is more expensive than driving but the experience is so much better than driving out to state college in 4 hours when I can be there in 2. let me know if you decide to move forwards.

Thx, I would l probably do it out of Princeton airport as I visit my mom on weekends, and she lives nearby. They’re always advertising to get your pilot’s license.

 

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

Thx, I would l probably do it out of Princeton airport as I visit my mom on weekends, and she lives nearby. They’re always advertising to get your pilot’s license.

Princeton Airport is good. They have a really good flight school there. The only disadvantage that Princeton has is it is an uncontrolled airport meaning no tower. One of the biggest fears of pilots is talking on the radio to tower and ATC. Princeton is just outside both NY and Philly Class B airspace. I learned at an uncontrolled airport in the middle of PA. Just something to be aware of but regardless you should do it. Other than having my children it is the best thing I have ever done!

 

[MURF87]

Any pilots in this forum? After a very long absence I am finally getting back to flying. Got my private in 1990 Flew some hours after I graduated college, marraige, kids, divorce took its toll on my bank account and there was nothing left to pursue my love of aviation. Finally after a long, long, long time away, last logged hours as PIC was in 1996, am getting my BFR done and immediately starting my instrument training. Hope to be able to use my privileges to fly to RU away games. Look forwards to hitting the midwest stadiums, and anywhere RU football is playing within 200- 600 NM of KMMU. Someday looking to purchase an aircraft and if things go really well getting a turbine powered one.
Anyone else on here actively fly? Would love to hear your stories and do some hanger flying.

Been interested in flying since I was a teenager. Couldn't do it while in the service as my eyesight didn't make the cut. I finally got around to taking some lessons two summers ago out at Leesburg, VA airport. Got to about 15 hours in a Cessna 172, but stopped when during the process I did my medical and was told i needed to get records for a condition from nearly 20 years ago. Those records are probably stored with the Ark of the Covenant, so I decided to stop pursuing. Would love to get back into it, but at 59 I may have to settle for getting my fix another way. There is a CAP squadron at that airport, so I'm exploring to get an observer qual so that I can get into the air. I'm sure some of the pilots are CFIs, so while up they might give me a chance to "steer" for a bit.

Best time I had during those 15 or so hours was doing touch and go's after a small thunderstorm came through the area. Was surprised when my instructor said we could go up (I figured the weather and low ceiling would prevent the training), but it turns out the air was dead still and we could stay just under the broken ceiling. Did about six or seven T&Gs and was really able to learn slow flight processes without other factors (ie, wind). Wish I could replicate that day a few times over again.

 

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

Been interested in flying since I was a teenager. Couldn't do it while in the service as my eyesight didn't make the cut. I finally got around to taking some lessons two summers ago out at Leesburg, VA airport. Got to about 15 hours in a Cessna 172, but stopped when during the process I did my medical and was told i needed to get records for a condition from nearly 20 years ago. Those records are probably stored with the Ark of the Covenant, so I decided to stop pursuing. Would love to get back into it, but at 59 I may have to settle for getting my fix another way. There is a CAP squadron at that airport, so I'm exploring to get an observer qual so that I can get into the air. I'm sure some of the pilots are CFIs, so while up they might give me a chance to "steer" for a bit.

Best time I had during those 15 or so hours was doing touch and go's after a small thunderstorm came through the area. Was surprised when my instructor said we could go up (I figured the weather and low ceiling would prevent the training), but it turns out the air was dead still and we could stay just under the broken ceiling. Did about six or seven T&Gs and was really able to learn slow flight processes without other factors (ie, wind). Wish I could replicate that day a few times over again.

Sorry to hear about your med condition keeping you from getting in the air. The FAA can be a real pain on certain conditions but I hear they are getting better. A few suggestions if you want to get up in the air. In high sight seeing places there are usually flight schools that give sight seeing flights as a side gig. I did one in the Florida keys last year. The guy who flew us around was a CFI and while we were doing a "Sunset" flight we were talking and he told me if I brought my log book(I didn't) he would have let me log the hours and would have signed off on them. Or you can just go for the flight, which is what I did. he let me fly the majority of the flight except takeoff and landing.
Where ever you are there is usually a small airport with flight school. You can just call them up tell them what you want to do and they will most likely say yes. It is just more revenue for them.

 

[ashokan]

I've always been moderately interested in planes and rockets but never wanted to fly because along with the adventures comes a lot of tedium. Many skills, checklists, protocols, procedures etc involved in flying. I remember watching NASA rockets go off and then becoming pretty bored with them. I see SpaceX has polished some of the edges off the mundane with things like orchestrated cheering, launching cars into space, having spectacular video recordings etc.

Speaking of flying, I was reading about airline having issues with exploding cans. They are blaming the heat but I know firsthand the problem is made worse by how thin the can metal is now. Just dropping a can on the ground will make it burst. Then the edges are like razors.

https://webcache.googleusercontent....2024/07/18/southwest-airlines-soda-cans-heat/

 

[RUforester72]

Wow! RUforester72 thats crazy! Were you alright? Hurt? I have got to hear your story about that when you have time. Youtube, & instagram are loaded with videos of crashes and aviation videos. That crash if probably somewhere on the internet. I have always wanted to go to the Reno air races, EAA, Oshkosh, Sun & Fun and others but never had the time or resources. finally I am there and look forwards to doing all those things. I encourage you to get back into it. Your license never expires but it is going to take some work to get back into it.
Right when I got my PPL was just the start of the transition from "steam" gauges to digital. Digital is a game changer. Way better, more info, and more reliable but way more to know. Another big change from when I got my PPL is the primary form of Xcountry navigation were VOR's and now its GPS. Again, more to know.
I would love to hear some of your good stories and even the lesson learned stories.

When I realized the plane was going to come down near us, after a second or two of disbelief that I was about to die, I threw myself down onto the bleacher floor. Tore my rotater cuff and cracked a rib. Fortunately for our group, but not for others, it hit about 100' in front of us.

Some of my most memorable flights: Calm summer evening over Hell's Canyon from Enterprise to Grangeville and return. Flying over the Oregon Coast on a cool summer evening. In my friend's 450 hp Stearman (open cockpit biplane) doing aerobatics over the Willamette Valley. With others in their floatplanes, including the Waco that was featured in "Raiders of the Lost Ark", doing splash and goes on the Willamette river!

Had a few blunders as well, nothing that turned out badly other than momentary fear: doing a go-around at my local airport due to crosswind, forgot to take off the carb heat and headed toward a hanger but fixed the problem with a shaking hand. In time. Etc. Etc.

 

[FRA10Thunderbolt]

When I realized the plane was going to come down near us, after a second or two of disbelief that I was about to die, I threw myself down onto the bleacher floor. Tore my rotater cuff and cracked a rib. Fortunately for our group, but not for others, it hit about 100' in front of us.

Some of my most memorable flights: Calm summer evening over Hell's Canyon from Enterprise to Grangeville and return. Flying over the Oregon Coast on a cool summer evening. In my friend's 450 hp Stearman (open cockpit biplane) doing aerobatics over the Willamette Valley. With others in their floatplanes, including the Waco that was featured in "Raiders of the Lost Ark", doing splash and goes on the Willamette river!

Had a few blunders as well, nothing that turned out badly other than momentary fear: doing a go-around at my local airport due to crosswind, forgot to take off the carb heat and headed toward a hanger but fixed the problem with a shaking hand. In time. Etc. Etc.

That's Crazy! Sorry to hear you got injured. Obviously it could have turned out a lot for you.

 

[Extra Point_rivals157299]

If you are reasonably physical fit you can fly a paramotor without needing a license. But paramotors aren't practical for traveling far distances, they are for fun.