Since I just turned 17 (which is the legal minimum age to obtain a private pilots license) I will be starting my first flight training lesson on monday with my new instructor. I will be learning to fly in a 1961 Cessna 150B. A little cramped for a 150-lb, 6'2" teenager, but I only have to suffer for 4 months until I get my license and then I can fly the bigger and better Piper Cherokee. With lessons at $95/hr (including fuel, which is $5.10 a gal for 100LL) its going to require me to slow down on my driving and no more mods for quite a while. But I'm happy, cause I plan to make a career outta this. Here's a pic of the rinky-dink I'll be putting around in for a while:



Anyone else 'round here fly? My local airport is so quiet. We see maybe one or two takeoffs a day at most.

 

Haha, my parents pick on me for being so damned skinny. Doctor says I'm shy on the BMI index, but "according to him, it will catch up to me around 30-ish"

It's going to be an expensive hobby, flying has been known as being a "rich mans sport" Just hope that $0.10/hr raise I got last week will help

 

I've wanted to take lessons for a long time, but not enough money to do it. And it just gets more expensive.



And you both need to eat something!

 

Crazed, do you know what kind? All my friends down here didn't know we even had an airport let alone fly a plane, so one of these days I'm just going to form a line and take them all up one by one. Maybe someone else will catch the "flying bug" like me. All it takes is a short flight before you realize your hooked.

 

Thats awsome....I would love to learn to fly a plane. Most likely I will just stick to riding on the commercial jets though

 

I personaly would rather not fly. We were meant to stay on land. I fly about once every two weeks on a commerical plane and I hate it


I believe that everyone on every plane out to have a parachute.

 

Don't let airliners scare you away. I've flown commerically from FL-MA and I'd rather walk than ride in one of those again. GA flying is totally different. Meant to stay on land? What about boats? And we were also meant not to go faster than a walking pace but as you can see automobile manufacturers broke that rule, didnt they

 

$100 an hour is a very good price. Enjoy it. There is nothing else like it.
Although a 150 is like riding in a VW it's still fun.

 

My neighbors airplane can beat up your airplane. We trade boat rides for plane rides... haha.

 

It takes at least 40 hrs to qualify for your private pilot license, hope you're up to it. Long hot summer days coming up, thunder storms and hurricanes, and student pilots pissing off those controllers. Sounds like fun. I've got 18 years as a general aviation mechanic, any maintenance questions feel free to ask. Keep your head on a swivel, we don't need any more mid-air's.

Check the registration on that bird, its not from your area!!!!!!!!

N-number Database Search Result
Last Database Update: Mon Jul 21 16:00:35 2008
To print registration information, check the checkbox for each registration to be printed and click on "Retrieve Selected Entries" at the bottom of the list.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check for printing
N-number : N63277
Aircraft Serial Number : 15077225
Aircraft Manufacturer : CESSNA
Model : 150M
Engine Manufacturer : CONT MOTOR
Model : 0-200 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1975
Owner Name : FISCHER LARRY G
Owner Address : 38069 120TH ST
WASECA, MN, 56093-4105
Type of Owner : Individual
Registration Date : 15-Nov-1996
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Approved Operations : Utility

 

My dad was a pilot. He started taking lessons when he was in his thirties, and he eventually got a commercial rating.

I spent many hours in Cessna 150s and 172s with him back in the 1970s, just playing around. We flew Piper Cherokees, Arrows and a few others, too.

One of my friends became an instructor and then onto a career as an airline pilot. He took me up a few times to practice his teaching techniques on me, but I never stuck with it.

It's a great (but expensive) hobby.

 

It started out at the Self service Avgas pump.

A guy fueled his Cherokee, but knew he had a dead battery. Pushed the plane back, hopped in, primed the engine, left the throttle half open, mags on, and got back out.

Gave the prop a swift swing, and the engine fired right up. Right up to around 1800rpm I guess. The plane took off, straight for the fuel farm.


Fortunately, the prop hit this concrete filled steel post, designed for this very situation: to keep from running into the fuel tanks



Here's what happened next: Prop hit the post, and the crankshaft sheared right of the engine, sending the prop, hub and spinner flying like you only see in cartoons, landing on the roof of a hangar, about 150 yards away


Here it is:

Aftermath

 

And no, this did not buff right out. Plane was sold for $400 on the spot, parted out and sold on eBay.

With today's medical expertise and knowledge, we can fix a lot of things. Stupid is not one of them. Guy had no insurance, and was under scrutiny of the FAA for running another plane out of fuel, and landing it on highway 41 in Ft Myers I believe.

 

No one is safe !!!!

HA ! Just fawkin with ya Raptor ! Good for you. Thats awesome. Not something I'm into, but definately a "cool" notch on the belt.
Wana make it a career huh ? Commercial Pilot ?


Bigman: You say its not natural to fly ?

You think its natural to stay alive til 80 ? AND still be able to get it up ?
How about go 75mph... clearly we weren't meant to do that either ...

 

Bigman is right, we were never meant to ever experience such a thing as controlled flight, or speeds like 50mph. Its amazing how we can do it everyday tho likes its nothing.