Haha, its not the actual plane I'm going in. It came off google.com just to give those "non-flyers" and idea what a 150 looks like.

Thanks Merc, I thought about that too. I found a nice big 4" decal that says "Licensed FAA Private Pilot" that is going on my sliding rear window

Can't wait until its all over and I can take up pax.

I'm no stranger to aviation. My dad, uncle, and grandpa are all pilots. I have a Flight Simulator on my computer with USB Flight Yoke, throttle quadrant, and rudder pedals and well over 500 simulated hours in everything from a Cherokee to a 747. I know its nothing compared to the real thing, but I know instruments like my trucks VIN number (I know it by heart) and all I really need is actual flight time. Can't wait, my first lesson is Monday. I'll bring my cam and see if I cant get any pics (from the ground, I'll be too busy to take pics from the air)



Edit: Beckerjs, good thing that post was there. I get AOPA mags every month and in them they have maybe 4 or 5 FAA accident database profiles to teach pilots, and one of them was a 1966 Piper Comanche 250. Starter wasnt working, so the pilot got out while the pax in the right seat did the mixture. Pilot fired the prop, engine sputtered, came to life, and started forward. Hit the pilot, fatally injuring him on the spot, then continued into a hangar where it chewed through a hangar door, hit a Cessna 310, and the wing caught the support beam and brought down half of the building. All because the pilot didn't chock the wheels. Passenger was mentally scarred for the rest of his/her life

 

Make a prediction.
How many hours till solo is your goal?
The answer really don't matter. I just wanted to know what your goal is.
Have you though about and ploted your cross country.

 

Haha, sure have. my x-country is going to be from Jacksonville Intl (KJAX) to Gainesville Reg'l (KGNV) back to home base (24J). My solo prediction....ehh...maybe 20 hours at the very least? Am I being to optimistic here? My dad learned to fly the family Cherokee at 16 and on his 16th b-day my grandpa (unofficially) let him solo. A month later he did his official solo. But yeah, he was talking to me today saying he should've been dead 3 times. Twice were near-miss mid-airs and once when the rod on my g-pa's Mooney went out and they almost stalled trying to glide to the airport.

 

I think your solo, maybe 8 to 10 hours.
You seem to have plenty of time on the rightseat.

 

That rightseat has seen more hours than my truck's left seat, and I drive A LOT for a teen

 

I think that a good goal to solo is about 6-8 hours. I soloed at about that. This is of course if you are holding to a regular training schedule. If you fly an hour here, a half hour there, and spread out by weeks, it will take a lot longer (and you'll waste money).

BTW, shouldn't that window sticker say "FAA licensed STUDENT pilot?" Jumping the gun a little there

I'm envious of you, in that you are still young enough to look forward to flying as a career. I fly for a living now, and I'm freakin tired of it (sometimes... mood changes week to week). If I would have been smart, I would have been an accountant or something so that I could afford to fly on the weekends, and not be forced to fly mon-fri to pay the bills.

 

The hardest point for me to get past is the transition 1 dementional to a 3 dementional world. I had alot of RC fligh time so flying just came natural, even a good slow stall on landing is easy. My toughest obstical was always final leg.
The guy instructing me said it's kinda common, but I did better after just riding a few touch and goes with him all was well.

 

Ha. With it at $100 a lesson, I still need $150 for gas (I get paid bi-weekly, so $150 covers two weeks worth of driving) so far I'm at $250 plus I pay my bank account $50, now we're up to $300 plus insurance and occassional pocket money lands me flat out at my regular paycheck amount of $350. So I'm thinking the max I'll be able to do is an hours lesson every two weeks. Stretched, I know, but at least I'll be able to boast that I paid for it by myself and still drive a full-size truck.

Getting ready for the first flight, already reading flight books while on the john, and tomorrow I'm hopping over to the airport to borrow the "Green Domes" (DC H10-13.4 stereos) and buy an updated Jacksonville sectional chart. Also in the plans are my Mooney hat and Mooney sunglasses and my FAA (Flying Addicts Anonymous) shirt

Dad also got me this for my 16th B-day. Going to be making my first entry soon. Can't wait:

 

Believe me, you'll do well. during that two week wait you'll know every tiny mistake you made. This stuff gets in your blood.
When I get kids out of school maybe I'll buy something like a 172 or equivelent. At least for a year or two. They never depreciate in value if you do it right. The upkeep and hanger fees are what hurt. When I buy one it will be one that has always been hangerd.

 

Please for the love of god don't get a mooney hat or anything... Mooney pilots don't exactly have the best reputations at a GA airport...

There's a joke about that... What's the difference between a Mooney and a Porcupine?

On a Porcupine, the ****** are on the outside.


When I was a kid, I worked at an FBO at my local regional airport... I'd get Gulfstream G-V's in, with the owners and pilots being really cool, and some Mooney would show up, and think his ***** don't stink, and treat us like crap. What is it about a Mooney that turns people immediately to ******.... I think it's just like guys with little peckers who drive ferraris.

 

When you get your License, you can always get employed up in ALASKA, where there is a huge demand for Pilots, to get people where they need to go to over the harsh terrain!.............Maybe I will see you on "ICE AIRLINE PLOTS", from ALASKA!.................

 

I'm not ashamed to get in a VW and fly off. I know several pilots. I even taught one rc when he was about 16. He's a little arogant now, I have to take him down a peg or two when he visits.

He's flying 737's now. I'm kinda proud of him , he went through alot of adversity getting where he is now.
Poor guy even flew chickens in a beach 18 pinokio
just to get enough hours.

 

Well, Mooney's do kinda have a rep for being able to do 230 mph on 4 cylinders. STOCK. (Let's see a Civic do that) Around here, almost ALL the pilots are arrogant ******. I hope I never turn into one of them.

 

your buddy flies 737's at what age? Where did he log all his flight time? Just a little curious.

And I too fly, kinda fell out of it lately but had about 15 hrs logged or so. SO DAMN HOT RIGHT NOW. Flew a Piper Tomahawk (aka traumahawk)

 

He is in his late 30s now. He got his time in taking any crappy flying job he could find. As i mentioned up the thread, he even had a job one time flying an old WW2 airplane flying baby chickens from hatcheries to Mexico.
He made it the hard way.