Different to what I expected
Firstly, contrary to others opinions I believe that getting a PPL and then never using it is not a waste of time or money. It’s a challenge you should enjoy in own right regardless of what happens afterwards.
Diclaimer – the following is my experience and may not reflect the experience of other pilots.
I expected you load up the plane with a bunch of passengers for weekends away. It turns out that was never going to work for me.
• It may only take an hour to fly to the destination but the drive to the airport and prepping the plane takes longer than you think.
• Don’t underestimate the time you spend getting airborne and landing
• A lot of people don’t actually like light planes (hard to believe I know). Some may be happy for a 45m scenic flight on a nice day. But turbulence on a cross country is different. I have seen my wife look really scared, it isn’t fun.
• Weather means you can’t be guaranteed to get anywhere so you can’t book accommodation or plan to fly to a wedding. Unless you live in the USA where flying is dirt cheap and the weather is perfect everyday or so I’m told.
• You need transport to and from the airport at your destination. Often I am more comfortable when I can keep an eye on the aircraft.
• Cost share passengers, the internet assures me they exist but I haven’t ever seen one.
• The keener some is to fly with you the heavier they are. And when you weigh 100kg you are already behind. That skinny vegan mate, too scared, your body-building BIL, he’s up for it. Let me do the Weight and Balance..hmm..
So what actually happened.
I do cross countries on average about once every 3 months, but I might do 1 a month for a couple months then none for a while. Often I may cancel because of the weather. I may be alone, or will friends who wants a ride, but it is more just about taking the plane for a fly than the destination. I find 2-2.5 hours of flying with a couple stops on the way is a whole day away from home for me.
I need to fly reasonably regularly to keep my flying mojo, so often I may be back in the circuit to refine my skills after a couple months away, as other things compete for my time. This is probably my greatest frustration when I feel my flying has degraded slightly. And recently it has become less about the money and more about time.
Although I have a PPL I think I am a student forever, even alone I am constantly coaching myself. "Watch your height", “Maintain straight and level”, ”Set an attitude”.
I have flown a few different types and I like them all including the 152!!. This also means I have done a bit of dual since my PPL. I actually really enjoy learning and flying with instructors especially those who have a another day job and instruct just because they love flying. Career instructors are also great to learn from (but can be demanding). I found young airline wanabees competent but a mixed bag, some don’t seem to be having fun. I think perhaps it is just a different attitude.
I still want to do a night rating, learn some aerobatics, go to USA/Canada and do a float rating. I want to try out a Nanchang/Yak and a Harvard one day and perhaps even a jet or spitfire. I want to own my own plane and/or build one. I was watching Ice Pilots a few months ago and found myself googling DC3 type ratings. “Put the computer down, walk away from the internet..”
Club events can be fun, throwing a flour bomb at 200ft is good for a laugh. Sometimes you do feel like you are hanging out at an old-folks home especially tail wheel / home build events but that might be different in the UK. Those old guys can outfly me anyway. I went to a beach fly in that was cool.
Then there is the low level pass to chase the sheep off the strip, or maybe that is a NZ thing.
And as my wife says if it wasn’t for flying you and your Dad would have nothing to talk about.