Why did you learn to fly?
PPRuNe FirstOfficer
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My interest in flying comes from yearly ages when my parents use to take me to the airport to see the aeroplanes at the weekends. I had a couple of family members within the aviation industry, it also helped to develop the interest in flying.
Started doing the PPL many years ago, but then wife came along, then the little one and the PPL was forgotten. Son is now a little bit older and at school, wife is working and I have a little bit more free time and decided to go back to flying, and gosh how I missed flying!!!!
My plan was to go all the way, but for now I will concentrate in doing the PPL and then once it is done I will evaluate how the market and the industry is before making any decisions with regards to further training.
I am learning from the gorgeous Redhill Aerodrome, just next to Gatwick Airport, on a PA28. So if anyone is close by and would like to meet up at the aerodrome please drop me a private message, it would be nice to me some fellow flying buddies.
Started doing the PPL many years ago, but then wife came along, then the little one and the PPL was forgotten. Son is now a little bit older and at school, wife is working and I have a little bit more free time and decided to go back to flying, and gosh how I missed flying!!!!
My plan was to go all the way, but for now I will concentrate in doing the PPL and then once it is done I will evaluate how the market and the industry is before making any decisions with regards to further training.
I am learning from the gorgeous Redhill Aerodrome, just next to Gatwick Airport, on a PA28. So if anyone is close by and would like to meet up at the aerodrome please drop me a private message, it would be nice to me some fellow flying buddies.
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Funny enough nobody in my family had any interest in aviation nor did we fly at all, only used the train or car to get to our vacation spots. Always wanted to fly anyway though. So i started to draw planes around age 3, build paperplanes around 5, competed in paperplane competitions around 7 or so, then went on to build RC gliders, but never got the hang of that. Finally started to fly glider planes around 14 when i finally was able to save up some money, was solo after 28 starts, during a 2 week summer gliding camp with my club in southern france.
Stayed with gliding for a long time, i wanted to become an airline pilot but at the time i finished my A levels (Abitur over here) it was '92 and lufthansa just fired its first course of student pilots, not a good time. So i did my social service and studied computer science until i got into the lufthansa school in 98 (although i had to pay myself). During my gliding time i was able to pull my elder brother into flying as well and he was actually the first of us both to learn powered flight by getting is touring motorglider licence (back then that was still a standalone PPL).
Stayed with gliding for a long time, i wanted to become an airline pilot but at the time i finished my A levels (Abitur over here) it was '92 and lufthansa just fired its first course of student pilots, not a good time. So i did my social service and studied computer science until i got into the lufthansa school in 98 (although i had to pay myself). During my gliding time i was able to pull my elder brother into flying as well and he was actually the first of us both to learn powered flight by getting is touring motorglider licence (back then that was still a standalone PPL).
I wanted to join the mile high club in style. The grotty interiors of the club aircraft I used to rent soon made me give up on the "in style" part of the plan 
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Peter, Peter, it must just be my natural charm and charisma then
It's relatively easy these days, you know.... not like when I was young, in the 1970s, having to jump up and down in discos and all that crap
Did you see the new thread that there's a TV programme based on Propellorhead on TV next Monday ?
It was a fun book, though completely unsuprising. A Ł20 tent from Millets would be more comfy - as well as probably faster
I wanted to join the mile high club in style. The grotty interiors of the club aircraft I used to rent soon made me give up on the "in style" part of the plan
So... did you join the MHC without style, or did you skip that part completely?
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For me it probably started because of living under the approach to RWY31 at Turnhouse Airport.
Becoming a spotter (11 Years old) and regularly cycling the five miles to the airport when rugby internationals were on to see the less common types such as Caravelles.
Pestering the captains as they came through the terminal to let us on to the flight deck. Bless them, they regularly did.
Aeromodelling from gliders through to competition aeros in self designed aircraft.
One flight in a Cessna 150 in 1968 courtesy of a work colleague who was a part time instructor. However at Ł8 per hour it was way out of my league.
Finally started working for a boss who was an instructor and owned aircraft he leased to local clubs. This was the opportunity to learn at a discounted price I could not refuse.
I often think how much more money I would have if I didn't fly. I am however much richer now in a wider sense having seen things, flown to places and met people I would otherwise have missed.
D.O.
Becoming a spotter (11 Years old) and regularly cycling the five miles to the airport when rugby internationals were on to see the less common types such as Caravelles.
Pestering the captains as they came through the terminal to let us on to the flight deck. Bless them, they regularly did.
Aeromodelling from gliders through to competition aeros in self designed aircraft.
One flight in a Cessna 150 in 1968 courtesy of a work colleague who was a part time instructor. However at Ł8 per hour it was way out of my league.
Finally started working for a boss who was an instructor and owned aircraft he leased to local clubs. This was the opportunity to learn at a discounted price I could not refuse.
I often think how much more money I would have if I didn't fly. I am however much richer now in a wider sense having seen things, flown to places and met people I would otherwise have missed.
D.O.
A good thread - I've enjoyed reading all the responses so far.
My first flight was in a hot air balloon when I was about 8. A friend of my parents invited us to watch them set up, and I went in the basket as additional ballast to hold the balloon down as it was being inflated. My parents were as surprised as I was when I was whisked away. The next half-hour seemed to pass in 5 minutes and I remember afterwards being almost as fascinated by the warping of time as I had been by the flight - watching butterflies and birds flying a few hundred feet below. I also got a tour of the balloon factory and got to see Richard Branson's capsule hanging from the ceiling.
I also grew up watching the RAF bombing down the local valleys and listening to the occasional sonic booms from out to sea. I would have certainly applied to be a fighter pilot if I'd not needed glasses.
At university I started hang-gliding, then finally powered flying. I'm not sure quite what the attraction was then or now - lots of new things to learn, not least decision-making and learning to think about risk. But I think a big part of it is still simply a somewhat naive delight in flight - seeing something stay in the air and not immediately fall to the ground.
My first flight was in a hot air balloon when I was about 8. A friend of my parents invited us to watch them set up, and I went in the basket as additional ballast to hold the balloon down as it was being inflated. My parents were as surprised as I was when I was whisked away. The next half-hour seemed to pass in 5 minutes and I remember afterwards being almost as fascinated by the warping of time as I had been by the flight - watching butterflies and birds flying a few hundred feet below. I also got a tour of the balloon factory and got to see Richard Branson's capsule hanging from the ceiling.
I also grew up watching the RAF bombing down the local valleys and listening to the occasional sonic booms from out to sea. I would have certainly applied to be a fighter pilot if I'd not needed glasses.
At university I started hang-gliding, then finally powered flying. I'm not sure quite what the attraction was then or now - lots of new things to learn, not least decision-making and learning to think about risk. But I think a big part of it is still simply a somewhat naive delight in flight - seeing something stay in the air and not immediately fall to the ground.
Pompey till I die
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Dungeons and dragons
Was really into computers and role playing games but the geeks weren't geeky enough. Met some aviation geeks who were far more geeky and decided they were more my type of geeks.
Haven't looked back since. Aviation geeks are the geekiest geeks out there. Welcome one and geek.
Haven't looked back since. Aviation geeks are the geekiest geeks out there. Welcome one and geek.
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In order that I could pull the lady in the Office with the best legs and other large desirable attributes and me being a seasoned Divorcee and the object of my desires being a good few years younger and also looking it! I decided I was in need of a serious leg up or over as the case may be! Anyway Licence gained and she was soon mine!
Now after 5 years she still flies with me and falls asleep after a glass of red wine after visiting some suitable aviation venue when she should be looking out of the window for other aircraft! However she is forgiven as she never complains about my Aviation expenditure or the fact that she is still working whilst I am retired with even more time for Aviation!
Now after 5 years she still flies with me and falls asleep after a glass of red wine after visiting some suitable aviation venue when she should be looking out of the window for other aircraft! However she is forgiven as she never complains about my Aviation expenditure or the fact that she is still working whilst I am retired with even more time for Aviation!
From watching Gloster Javelins blast skywards at Akrotiri as an earliest memory in the 1960s.
My mother in law has the theory that all little boys want to be train drivers and pilots. The ones who don't grow up actually become train drivers and pilots!
My mother in law has the theory that all little boys want to be train drivers and pilots. The ones who don't grow up actually become train drivers and pilots!
Join Date: Oct 2011
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A visit to a cockpit enroute to france when i was 7 although i was wearing my pilots shirt so must have had the desire before that flight...
A serious motorcycle crash being told id never walk again and my grandparents and parents telling me i was too stupid and to think of something different.....
Well.... I can walk.. And i can fly!
In your face doubters... Tell me i cant do something and i will do it satnd tall knowing it
A serious motorcycle crash being told id never walk again and my grandparents and parents telling me i was too stupid and to think of something different.....
Well.... I can walk.. And i can fly!
In your face doubters... Tell me i cant do something and i will do it satnd tall knowing it
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and my grandparents and parents telling me i was too stupid and to think of something different.....
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None taken... Pretty cr*p upbringing!
Out of three im the only one with drive and determination... Brother and sister are both eternally messed up from it.
I learnt karate and kungfu when i was 8 through to bike crash (28) and that showed me focus and determination creates results.
We all can do whatever we put our minds too.... As long as we have the physical ability of course... Severed nerves puts a stop to that comment though
Out of three im the only one with drive and determination... Brother and sister are both eternally messed up from it.
I learnt karate and kungfu when i was 8 through to bike crash (28) and that showed me focus and determination creates results.
We all can do whatever we put our minds too.... As long as we have the physical ability of course... Severed nerves puts a stop to that comment though
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a/From about 5 yrs old I wanted to be a service pilot.
b/Learnt to fly at a University Air Squadron
c/Became a service pilot - RN variety
So I learnt to fly at b/ as part of achieving c/
Understand b/ & c/ opportunities are somewhat limited in number these days.
b/Learnt to fly at a University Air Squadron
c/Became a service pilot - RN variety
So I learnt to fly at b/ as part of achieving c/
Understand b/ & c/ opportunities are somewhat limited in number these days.
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Understand b/ & c/ opportunities are somewhat limited in number these days.
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To learn something new
Having reached my mid-thirties and feeling that I needed to learn something new, it seemed like a good idea. My girlfriend at that time was going to do her PPL at the same time and then we would have something we could do together. Needless to say it didn’t work out like that and she departed for pastures new. Well, she was in to horse riding.
The easiest way of getting around the social / domestic side of things is to find a partner who already has her own aeroplane. I’ve been very lucky in that respect.
It does turn the domestic finance discussions around a bit: “Would you like your aeroplane’s engine zero-timed for your birthday present this year?”
The easiest way of getting around the social / domestic side of things is to find a partner who already has her own aeroplane. I’ve been very lucky in that respect.
It does turn the domestic finance discussions around a bit: “Would you like your aeroplane’s engine zero-timed for your birthday present this year?”