Why I (may) quit flying
Hi Paul,
All your points are valid.
What is there for you to do next after all the ratings and 180 hours ? Renting is expensive.
I see you are at Guildford and not that far from Lasham Gliding Society (nr Basingstoke). Lasham is child and partner friendly and have a child play area (over £1,000 spent on games and toys this year alone), good bar and restaurant. All this week there is a competition with 100 pilots racing against each other for 5 hours a day, except today when its raining, if you have time off pop up and watch. 200 movements in one hour is a spectacle worth watching!!
Converting to gliding is relatively easy if you find the right instructor and with some gliding experience you should be able to fly towplanes. A winch launch cost £10, soaring is cheap. Glider pilots do some interesting and challenging flights in UK and abroad.
In gliding you can local soar or go cross country, fly fast plastic gliders or enjoy the Vintage scene. Vintage is big at Lasham with old gliders being rebuilt and displayed in the purpose built Heritage centre, and regularly flown. http://www.glidingheritage.org.uk
There are times when lots of kids are around for your to play with and the teenagers learn to glide a low cost on Saturday evenings and solo @ 14 years old. There are sometimes 10- 20 youngsters having fun on a Saturday evening.
Owning a 1/3 share in a basic glass glider can cost around £3,000 and cost £700 per year for all the flying you want, just add launches, club membership and beer for a fun year.
Some UK flights from Lasham have exceeded 750 kms this year (click on the link to see a map of the flights Daily Scores ), returning safely to base while others enjoy much shorter local flights in open cockpit vintage gliders.
Worth a try before you hang up your headset?
bb
All your points are valid.
What is there for you to do next after all the ratings and 180 hours ? Renting is expensive.
I see you are at Guildford and not that far from Lasham Gliding Society (nr Basingstoke). Lasham is child and partner friendly and have a child play area (over £1,000 spent on games and toys this year alone), good bar and restaurant. All this week there is a competition with 100 pilots racing against each other for 5 hours a day, except today when its raining, if you have time off pop up and watch. 200 movements in one hour is a spectacle worth watching!!
Converting to gliding is relatively easy if you find the right instructor and with some gliding experience you should be able to fly towplanes. A winch launch cost £10, soaring is cheap. Glider pilots do some interesting and challenging flights in UK and abroad.
In gliding you can local soar or go cross country, fly fast plastic gliders or enjoy the Vintage scene. Vintage is big at Lasham with old gliders being rebuilt and displayed in the purpose built Heritage centre, and regularly flown. http://www.glidingheritage.org.uk
There are times when lots of kids are around for your to play with and the teenagers learn to glide a low cost on Saturday evenings and solo @ 14 years old. There are sometimes 10- 20 youngsters having fun on a Saturday evening.
Owning a 1/3 share in a basic glass glider can cost around £3,000 and cost £700 per year for all the flying you want, just add launches, club membership and beer for a fun year.
Some UK flights from Lasham have exceeded 750 kms this year (click on the link to see a map of the flights Daily Scores ), returning safely to base while others enjoy much shorter local flights in open cockpit vintage gliders.
Worth a try before you hang up your headset?
bb
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Hi Paul
I think I'm the same as you insofar as you feel that flying has lost any PURPOSE.
You've done all you set out to achieve - in 180 hours whereas it might take many several years or a lifetime in private flying to visit the places you have flown to.
Maybe you're easily bored and constantly need new experiences rather than repeat that which has gone before?
If you take away the 'airline route' and finances are limited then maybe microlights and gliding are an option, as suggested by others.
Not just gliding - but maybe the 'excitement' of achieving badges would provide a new purpose - silver, gold, diamonds?
When I had 180 hours and an PPL/RT/Night/IMC I was about to embark on my airline career through the 'self-improver' route - MEP/BCPL/FI/IR/CPL/ATPL/FE on pistons, turboprops and jets.
Now it's over and I feel like you - no purpose.
I don't think you have the passion, so unless you can find a purpose through further training and achievement it's probably time to move on.
All the best in any event.
I think I'm the same as you insofar as you feel that flying has lost any PURPOSE.
You've done all you set out to achieve - in 180 hours whereas it might take many several years or a lifetime in private flying to visit the places you have flown to.
Maybe you're easily bored and constantly need new experiences rather than repeat that which has gone before?
If you take away the 'airline route' and finances are limited then maybe microlights and gliding are an option, as suggested by others.
Not just gliding - but maybe the 'excitement' of achieving badges would provide a new purpose - silver, gold, diamonds?
When I had 180 hours and an PPL/RT/Night/IMC I was about to embark on my airline career through the 'self-improver' route - MEP/BCPL/FI/IR/CPL/ATPL/FE on pistons, turboprops and jets.
Now it's over and I feel like you - no purpose.
I don't think you have the passion, so unless you can find a purpose through further training and achievement it's probably time to move on.
All the best in any event.
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Hi Paul.It would be a shame to waste what you have achieved. Have you thought about the LAA route? Either share or outright at ~£10K or thereabouts.
Gliding is fine if you can spare the time, it is usually a whole day job, mucking in as a team etc. renting club a/c would be a financial killer.
Gliding is fine if you can spare the time, it is usually a whole day job, mucking in as a team etc. renting club a/c would be a financial killer.
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I got bored after my initial PPL. I also couldn't afford to fly in my 20's, so that was part of the reason. Didn't even look up into the sky when an airplane passed. Then one day, about 15 years later I just woke up and wanted to fly again. Ever since that day the passion has not only stayed, but become stronger. I love it more than ever. Big part of it for me was becoming an airplane owner. Just the thought of my own plane sitting there, always ready to take me at a moment's notice anywhere, is exhilarating. I don't want to share it, rent it. I want it to be all mine.
So, take a break, concentrate on other things, family, business. One day you'll wake up and feel the urge again. Might take 2 years or 20. And then, ownership is a great way to get excited again.
So, take a break, concentrate on other things, family, business. One day you'll wake up and feel the urge again. Might take 2 years or 20. And then, ownership is a great way to get excited again.
The Original Whirly
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I've given up flying, for the moment. Not a lot of people on here know that, even those who remember me, and I'm not here very often these days although at one time I just about lived on PPRuNe (when I wasn't flying).
It's actually over 2 years since I last flew, and just about everything has lapsed - licences, ratings, you name it. I couldn't be bothered to try to keep them when I didn't want to use them. And that's after PPL(A), CPL(H), FI(H), about 1,300 hours, instructing jobs, lots of foreign flying, over 30 helicopter types, winning the Dawn to Dusk...I could go on, but you get the picture.
So what happened? Well in no particular order...loss of well paid non-flying job, health problems/temporary loss of medical, loss of instructing job and little chance of new one, a few flying scares, a new relationship, other interests. But mainly...I just didn't want to do it any more; I don't really know why. It's been absolutely great, it was a wonderful 15 years, and I don't regret a single moment of it. But all good things come to a natural end, and this feels like a natural end for my flying career.
I haven't lost interest altogether. I come on here now and then. I still write about aviation for pleasure and profit, and I have the knowledge and anecdotes to do so for many more years. But actual flying...nah, been there, done that, it's time to move on. There was a time when I thought I'd never feel that way, but now I do. Things change, and I don't have a problem with that.
As for trying something new like gliding, new types etc - I could, but I really don't want to do that either. Someday, maybe, I might decide that I want to fly again; life is long, and I certainly don't rule it out. I may have a bit of a hassle getting licences back etc, but so what; I got them in the first place, so I can get them again.
So do what's right for you, and if it feels like that is giving up flying, then....go for it! And enjoy whatever comes next....
It's actually over 2 years since I last flew, and just about everything has lapsed - licences, ratings, you name it. I couldn't be bothered to try to keep them when I didn't want to use them. And that's after PPL(A), CPL(H), FI(H), about 1,300 hours, instructing jobs, lots of foreign flying, over 30 helicopter types, winning the Dawn to Dusk...I could go on, but you get the picture.
So what happened? Well in no particular order...loss of well paid non-flying job, health problems/temporary loss of medical, loss of instructing job and little chance of new one, a few flying scares, a new relationship, other interests. But mainly...I just didn't want to do it any more; I don't really know why. It's been absolutely great, it was a wonderful 15 years, and I don't regret a single moment of it. But all good things come to a natural end, and this feels like a natural end for my flying career.
I haven't lost interest altogether. I come on here now and then. I still write about aviation for pleasure and profit, and I have the knowledge and anecdotes to do so for many more years. But actual flying...nah, been there, done that, it's time to move on. There was a time when I thought I'd never feel that way, but now I do. Things change, and I don't have a problem with that.
As for trying something new like gliding, new types etc - I could, but I really don't want to do that either. Someday, maybe, I might decide that I want to fly again; life is long, and I certainly don't rule it out. I may have a bit of a hassle getting licences back etc, but so what; I got them in the first place, so I can get them again.
So do what's right for you, and if it feels like that is giving up flying, then....go for it! And enjoy whatever comes next....
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Mine's a similar tale to Whirly's. About 2 years since I last flew. But in my case after 34 years of fabulous fun in many many types, mostly tailwheel, very long term Chipmunk share, shorter term Yak52, Citabria, and 172 shares (OK, the 172 came with the Citab in the same group, that's how that one got in!). Even did a spell as a meat bomber pilot. But I sense it's time to hang up the headset because quite honestly it's a lot more 'controlled' and therefore less fun than it was.
I feel the best years for me were the first 20 - late 70s to late 90s. After that increased security, yellow-jacketitis, and a generally less tolerant attitude from authority have taken the edge off grass tailwheel fun flying. When someone made me an offer for my beloved Chippy share, I reluctantly decided it was time to take it. I treasure the memories which are simply amazing, especially the stuff we used to do in the early days.
I suspect a lot of the fun that we enjoyed 'messing around in small aeroplanes' is today to be found in microlighting. I might look at that... but like Whirly I have other interests now so don't really miss flying like I thought I would.
Wouldn't have missed any of it for the world, though. Second only to raising a family, getting a PPL relatively early in life while there was fun flying to be had messing about and stripping in a vintage taildragger, and of course aeros taken further with the Yak, was the best thing I ever did.
Don't give up until 'the time is right'.
I feel the best years for me were the first 20 - late 70s to late 90s. After that increased security, yellow-jacketitis, and a generally less tolerant attitude from authority have taken the edge off grass tailwheel fun flying. When someone made me an offer for my beloved Chippy share, I reluctantly decided it was time to take it. I treasure the memories which are simply amazing, especially the stuff we used to do in the early days.
I suspect a lot of the fun that we enjoyed 'messing around in small aeroplanes' is today to be found in microlighting. I might look at that... but like Whirly I have other interests now so don't really miss flying like I thought I would.
Wouldn't have missed any of it for the world, though. Second only to raising a family, getting a PPL relatively early in life while there was fun flying to be had messing about and stripping in a vintage taildragger, and of course aeros taken further with the Yak, was the best thing I ever did.
Don't give up until 'the time is right'.
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SSD
I can remember when me and some friends would take a PA28 to Manchester park amidst the big jets on the apron. Walk up into the main terminal and get a coffee!
You have a good point it is all becoming too much hassle now and the costs horrendous!
I now have to consider what will be required of me to convert my FAA ATP to an EASA equivalent to fly an N reg jet in Europe!
If it's far off a straight swap I too might just chuck it in!
When I started flying in the 80s a C150 was £23 Per hour !!!
Pace
I can remember when me and some friends would take a PA28 to Manchester park amidst the big jets on the apron. Walk up into the main terminal and get a coffee!
You have a good point it is all becoming too much hassle now and the costs horrendous!
I now have to consider what will be required of me to convert my FAA ATP to an EASA equivalent to fly an N reg jet in Europe!
If it's far off a straight swap I too might just chuck it in!
When I started flying in the 80s a C150 was £23 Per hour !!!
Pace
I had to give up flying for over 20 years when renting a Chipmunk or C150 went over £6. (The Government stopped giving a fuel rebate for flying.)
I've now been flying regularly for over 27 years, and would have flown more than the 6.5 tach hours so far this month, if the weather had been better.
The important thing is enjoying flying you can afford, rather than looking for some more training for something you'll not use.
I've now been flying regularly for over 27 years, and would have flown more than the 6.5 tach hours so far this month, if the weather had been better.
The important thing is enjoying flying you can afford, rather than looking for some more training for something you'll not use.
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I'm not going to publish on here some of the stuff we did... but now everyone has a video camera on their phone and will stick the results on social media... Different times!
Hi Paul,
I understand where you're coming from. We've got a 2 1/2 year old and although for the first year and a half maybe it was a bit more difficult, it's a lot easier now.
Re following Pompey (commiserations, firstly
), I would have thought that going away to somewhere up north for an away game is as long a day as flying to Belgium or somewhere.
For me the weekends are a toss-up between following Tottenham and flying (weather permitting). The disillusionment for me has come with my football club, so that always gives way to any flying that occurs. I can't fly and go football on the same weekend (agreement with the Fuhrer). Having said that I only have about 100 hours and haven't been abroad yet so I still have a wide range of airfields to land away at.
But I also get your 'what else is there to do?' point. You hire, fly somewhere, maybe get a bite to eat and fly back. Great. Then what? It does feel as though there's little other purpose sometimes and once you've done it you feel like there should be something else to it, and doing the same thing will quickly become a bit dull. Have you considered getting a CPL and doing some ferry flying or supplementing your job with some part time paid flying work? That could provide some interest to you.
Whatever you do you can come back to flying so if you feel the time is right to take a break then do it, raise your child, then who knows, you might want to get back to flying sooner than you think.
It's like missing a home game after a bad run of results, you think, 'sod it I can't be bothered with this', then when you miss it, you wish you were there...
Good luck
I understand where you're coming from. We've got a 2 1/2 year old and although for the first year and a half maybe it was a bit more difficult, it's a lot easier now.
Re following Pompey (commiserations, firstly
), I would have thought that going away to somewhere up north for an away game is as long a day as flying to Belgium or somewhere.For me the weekends are a toss-up between following Tottenham and flying (weather permitting). The disillusionment for me has come with my football club, so that always gives way to any flying that occurs. I can't fly and go football on the same weekend (agreement with the Fuhrer). Having said that I only have about 100 hours and haven't been abroad yet so I still have a wide range of airfields to land away at.
But I also get your 'what else is there to do?' point. You hire, fly somewhere, maybe get a bite to eat and fly back. Great. Then what? It does feel as though there's little other purpose sometimes and once you've done it you feel like there should be something else to it, and doing the same thing will quickly become a bit dull. Have you considered getting a CPL and doing some ferry flying or supplementing your job with some part time paid flying work? That could provide some interest to you.
Whatever you do you can come back to flying so if you feel the time is right to take a break then do it, raise your child, then who knows, you might want to get back to flying sooner than you think.
It's like missing a home game after a bad run of results, you think, 'sod it I can't be bothered with this', then when you miss it, you wish you were there...
Good luck
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The important thing is enjoying flying you can afford, rather than looking for some more training for something you'll not use.
Very wise words, keep it simple and low cost, then the guilt goes away so does the hassle.
Paul when you said you had spent a fortune I was thinking PPL + IMC plus lets say 120 hrs, can't be that bad, but today that would cost I guess the best part of £30K !! Cricky the Mrs would have to be understanding !!
I spent 20K on all my ratings and over 10 years earned that back part - time with a bit to spare, at £20 - £25 ph, so as a cost exercise ok, time wise not good, but some of my students are now still instructing for free, having spent fortunes on ratings.
This thread got me thinking what else would I do, classic car maybe, but looking on net a good one of those is 30K or so, but I guess in 10 years if you have had enough you sell it and maybe make a profit. I was looking at single engine training for IR £320.00 dual PH on south coast, its probably time to move on !!
Very wise words, keep it simple and low cost, then the guilt goes away so does the hassle.
Paul when you said you had spent a fortune I was thinking PPL + IMC plus lets say 120 hrs, can't be that bad, but today that would cost I guess the best part of £30K !! Cricky the Mrs would have to be understanding !!
I spent 20K on all my ratings and over 10 years earned that back part - time with a bit to spare, at £20 - £25 ph, so as a cost exercise ok, time wise not good, but some of my students are now still instructing for free, having spent fortunes on ratings.
This thread got me thinking what else would I do, classic car maybe, but looking on net a good one of those is 30K or so, but I guess in 10 years if you have had enough you sell it and maybe make a profit. I was looking at single engine training for IR £320.00 dual PH on south coast, its probably time to move on !!
Paul
1. take your son with you, you can fit the car seat he uses to mots (if not all) 4 seat types that I'm aware of
2. flying in France (and other places too) isn't about how far you can go but the places you can land (mostly free) and what you can do/see/eat when you get there
3. Don't give up unless you really have to. I did, through financial reasons, and now regret it so I'm looking at starting again
all that said, when you get round to making the decision, don't look back.
1. take your son with you, you can fit the car seat he uses to mots (if not all) 4 seat types that I'm aware of
2. flying in France (and other places too) isn't about how far you can go but the places you can land (mostly free) and what you can do/see/eat when you get there
3. Don't give up unless you really have to. I did, through financial reasons, and now regret it so I'm looking at starting again
all that said, when you get round to making the decision, don't look back.
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The thing I most regret in my flying career is the 4 year stop I did. Got my PPL back and 270 hours later I am still enjoying it, even when I got 2 daughters in the meantime. Of course the wife doesn't want to fly with me as she used to do before the kids, but in the end it's my hobby, not hers. The oldest daughter now shows some interest in aircraft, although I never pushed her into it.
It is expensive, but the weather will act as a money saver from time to time.
Most important is to find a few flying buddies (difficult, not all pilots are compatible with each other), and to do some things from time to time that attracted you into flying in the first place (for me that's flying oldtimers).
If you can't find yourself in this, it's really time quit flying, it's not a shame to do that and you will not be the first one nor the last.
It is expensive, but the weather will act as a money saver from time to time.
Most important is to find a few flying buddies (difficult, not all pilots are compatible with each other), and to do some things from time to time that attracted you into flying in the first place (for me that's flying oldtimers).
If you can't find yourself in this, it's really time quit flying, it's not a shame to do that and you will not be the first one nor the last.
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There are guys as well, this is not in any way a criticism by the way, that enjoy the challenge of doing something new and once it's achieved have no other reason for doing it. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
On the other hand, a friend of mine at my club who isn't a commercial pilot summed it up perfectly when we were talking about reasons for flying the other day. He said 'I don't fly because I want to, I fly because I have to.' If you fall into that category then aviation is in your blood for ever.
On the other hand, a friend of mine at my club who isn't a commercial pilot summed it up perfectly when we were talking about reasons for flying the other day. He said 'I don't fly because I want to, I fly because I have to.' If you fall into that category then aviation is in your blood for ever.
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Tired at 180hs already? This sounds like you chose the lady to crawl on her back, or something went terribly unpredictable in your life. I remember, when I was in the 180hs, it started to feel like really get to know the machine, not only flying it.
My most interesting adventures began after 200hs, when I strolled over the airfields nearby and still today, I get to learn new place astonishing near I never visited. Even more, starting after that I got real friends - the ones who where frequent airborne as I was.
The old rule 'o pilots - if you start to dislike, end it, before it kills you!
My most interesting adventures began after 200hs, when I strolled over the airfields nearby and still today, I get to learn new place astonishing near I never visited. Even more, starting after that I got real friends - the ones who where frequent airborne as I was.
The old rule 'o pilots - if you start to dislike, end it, before it kills you!
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PPaul
I am sad to say but I agree with a lot of what you have had to say. The private flying world attracts a wide range of people most of which are great and one can have a lot in common with however, it also can attract quite a few competitive egomaniacs who can nearly always be found at flying clubs holding court on gin clear weekends. With commercial airspace taking over, VFR corridors and sectors being ever squeezed and nice little strips closing down private flying is getting ever worse - especially on the South coast. I can see how these things would defiantly drive to to think twice about flying, especially if you have ticked off all the major PPL training boxes and flown to a variety of places, the challenge and fun have sadly gone.
I would agree with the sentiments of a few others and put powered flying on the back burner for a while. If you keep flying while not fully enjoying it you will only end up seeing it as a money drain and end up resenting it. Where as if you stop flying for a couple of years you could always go back to it with only a few hours as a refresher. Enjoy a few holiday in the car to Reims and hopefully you will come back to flying and enjoy it all the more so.
Cracking advice about a new challange Fwings, I would defiantly give soaring a go, great fun and hones the skills.
All the best.
I am sad to say but I agree with a lot of what you have had to say. The private flying world attracts a wide range of people most of which are great and one can have a lot in common with however, it also can attract quite a few competitive egomaniacs who can nearly always be found at flying clubs holding court on gin clear weekends. With commercial airspace taking over, VFR corridors and sectors being ever squeezed and nice little strips closing down private flying is getting ever worse - especially on the South coast. I can see how these things would defiantly drive to to think twice about flying, especially if you have ticked off all the major PPL training boxes and flown to a variety of places, the challenge and fun have sadly gone.
I would agree with the sentiments of a few others and put powered flying on the back burner for a while. If you keep flying while not fully enjoying it you will only end up seeing it as a money drain and end up resenting it. Where as if you stop flying for a couple of years you could always go back to it with only a few hours as a refresher. Enjoy a few holiday in the car to Reims and hopefully you will come back to flying and enjoy it all the more so.
Cracking advice about a new challange Fwings, I would defiantly give soaring a go, great fun and hones the skills.
All the best.
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The real question if you leave aside the affordability of private flying, is why any of us carry on with it.
Lots of points have been raised including cost, risk assessment, family and work responsibilities etc
It can be an unforgiving hobby if you make a mistake and it comes with increasing red tape.
If you have an all consuming job it can be difficult to make the time. I have thought long and hard about this at times.
Do you fly to achieve qualifications, tour, visit new places or just to get airborne ?
I have wrestled with all the above. I have done about 650 hours and Sep, night, mep, taildragger, Imc, most of jaa ir theory and practical. But then I thought, what do I really want to do with this. Do I have to always do something new ? All of these qualifications were really about raising my game and making my flying safer.
I have now reached a point where I am totally happy with what I do when flying. It's all too easy to forget how much work it took to get to the point where a 1 hour flight might not seem challenging enough. I am not likely to fly for work, do regular long tours (though I have done a few) or be a professional.
I now fly, knowing that I am totally addicted to the view of the uk coast from the air.
I don't want to fly jets, be a sky god or airline pilot. I just want, as long as health and finance allows, to go flying on whatever routes weather allows, to experience being airborne.
I only have to see a plane or smell the avgas and I am wish to get up there.
My flights and routes might be similar but the wind the weather or other factors always change. I learn something new every flight.
If it's not the costs, but the loss of that passion for flying however you maintain it, then maybe a break is the right thing.
I know when I am past it all and sit on the verandah in my rocking chair as an old man, that my flying will be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable achievements of my life.
Lots of points have been raised including cost, risk assessment, family and work responsibilities etc
It can be an unforgiving hobby if you make a mistake and it comes with increasing red tape.
If you have an all consuming job it can be difficult to make the time. I have thought long and hard about this at times.
Do you fly to achieve qualifications, tour, visit new places or just to get airborne ?
I have wrestled with all the above. I have done about 650 hours and Sep, night, mep, taildragger, Imc, most of jaa ir theory and practical. But then I thought, what do I really want to do with this. Do I have to always do something new ? All of these qualifications were really about raising my game and making my flying safer.
I have now reached a point where I am totally happy with what I do when flying. It's all too easy to forget how much work it took to get to the point where a 1 hour flight might not seem challenging enough. I am not likely to fly for work, do regular long tours (though I have done a few) or be a professional.
I now fly, knowing that I am totally addicted to the view of the uk coast from the air.
I don't want to fly jets, be a sky god or airline pilot. I just want, as long as health and finance allows, to go flying on whatever routes weather allows, to experience being airborne.
I only have to see a plane or smell the avgas and I am wish to get up there.
My flights and routes might be similar but the wind the weather or other factors always change. I learn something new every flight.
If it's not the costs, but the loss of that passion for flying however you maintain it, then maybe a break is the right thing.
I know when I am past it all and sit on the verandah in my rocking chair as an old man, that my flying will be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable achievements of my life.