How much GA flying do you do?

[ECCM]

Just curious about how much flying you do in your spare time now that you fly for the airlines.

Do you get enough time to enjoy a relaxing flight at weekends in a light aircraft, or after a busy schedule is it the last thing you want to be doing?

[Checkboard]

I fly some aeros about every six weeks from the local GA field, but I am very much in the minority.

I would be surprised if 5% of airline pilots ever get in a light aircraft after snagging an airline job. Most that I have asked have never flown light aircraft after flying for the airlines.

[Night Las Palmas]

I love to do some GA flying from time to time but can't afford it!. Wife, kids and flying loans to maintain.

However if I win the lottery a super cub will be on the shopping list for sure.

[Speedbird252]

I fly with a couple of three guys that are with regionals, they are back quite alot, just to keep there instructor ratings up to date. Im not sure how much they have to do, to remain current as a f/i, but its always good to see them back where they cut there teeth!!

[Floppy Link]

12 hours last year ( to renew the SEP CofE )
plus 2.5 hours R22 to remember how to hover.

Not enough!

[Mr moto]

Just enough to keep the licence current, unfortunately. Wife and kids, you see, and paying the bank off!

Have recently rediscovered the joys of gliding after a 14 year break.
I'm hoping to get checked out as a tug pilot soon. Anything to keep my backside in the air!

Airline pilots who fly for fun seem to be quite rare.

[ECCM]

Thanks for the replies. Yes it kind of confirms my thoughts so far.

I am a recently qualified PPL (still haven't got licence back from CAA), and really love flying. I am almost certain I want to pursue the commercial route, however, it occured to me that maybe if I was flying for a living, I wouldn't be as keen on the GA stuff.

I used to teach motorcycling every weekend, and after a few years, the last thing I wanted to do on a weekend off was to jump on the bike and go off somewhere.

Anyway, I think if the desire is strong enough, I will continue to enjoy the flying no matter. I guess it's like anything, you'll have periods where you don't want to fly, but then after a while you feel if you don't fly soon, you'll crack up. (At least I do at the moment). ;)

Hopefully the weather will stay fine for this afternoon, as I'm doing a conversion on to the Warrior from always flying the 152.
Mmmmmmm, those avionics look the biz :)

[fly4fud]

Did about 50 hours private flying last year. Would have done at least twice that, but lack of the green $$$

I guess private flying is the dividing line between real aviator and pretenders (time to get my umbrella out ;) ). What we do every day in the airline is NOT what I call FLYING!! I call it managing. In the airline I'm a manager, not a pilot. Yes Sir! We do manage an aircraft to have it fly from A to B, in a as safe as possible environment, following precise routes and altitudes. The only moment you really fly is T/O and initial climb until you get tired of it (or have a handful. Most of these jets are not made for hand flying. Use of the A/P is recommended most of the time) and ask for the A/P to be switched on, and the landing. So count on about 3-5 minutes flying for one of the pilots on every leg. It is a stressful environment, getting bumped around in any kind of weather.
Don't misread me. It is fun. It is challenging. It is rewarding. But flying? Naaaa ;)

Flying is choosing your day. Driving out to the grass field to preflight and refuel, havin'a chat with other club members. Prime and start the engine. Then take off in the blues, heading to the closest mountains (I'm so lucky!) or puffy clouds and play with them. Observe nature (at least what remains of it (: ), jump valleys, rivers, roads and cities. Thousands of things to look at, in the air aound and above, on the ground below. If you and your craft can, do some aerobatics, look at the whole planet revolving, feel and hear the air against the fuselage, feel the accelarations.
Enough of this? Head for the next field where you try set up the nicest approach, to pull off the best greaser you ever made. Park you aeroplane and head for y cool drink choosing a place from where you can observe the beehive activity.

Etc, etc, etc, I could just keep on going to describe what flying is to me (and I have started in 1978, last century :) )


Back to what I see amongst my colleagues at work, I would guess about 5% keep flying outside their airline activities. But those who keep flying love doing it and fly quite a lot, quite a few being aeroplane owners.

So, if you are an aviator, you fly your guts out your life long. If not, you just brag around, holding your ATPL and pretending :) :)

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... cut my wings and I'll die ...

[ECCM]

fly4fud:

I think that about sums up my exact thoughts about airline flying, although not having experienced the real thing, it's good to get a feel from the horses mouth so to speak.

It doesn't put me off in the slightest, just confirms to me what I'm getting myself into.
I think in reality the £££s will play a major factor in keeping the GA flying going once in the business, but I would like to think I could keep some currency in the small ones.

Thanks for your thoughts, and happy flying.

[Mr moto]

Yep, ECCM. Its the £££ that limit the flying and fly4fud is right on the money with his distinction between the two camps.

This is where gliding is so powerful. Its pure, its cheap, and you can spend the whole day there, lying in the grass, discussing technique and getting a little exercise into the deal.

But there is still nothing better than strapping on a Stampe on a summer afternoon.

Happy landings.

[Speedbird252]

fly4fud......

Nuff said........!

[Spooler]

152 hours in the last year. Local airport here in Majorca is cheap and a PA28 is 70 quid ph. Landing (or TO) fees are a pitance and due to current job its all I can manage. I do feel for those paying 100quid for a rustbucket 150.

[4Screwaircrew]

I manage about 40-50 hours a year most as an instructor in fixed wing and hope to get about 25 hour rotary I qualified PPL(H) last year. After some 13 years flying airline machinery I still find every time I get in the air it makes me smile, even my first passenger charters after all this time hauling boxes put a smile on my face.

[WOK]

300hrs p.a. Used to feel hard done-by but having read this I've changed my mind. :)