I'm back...really.

More than a year has passed since I posted to this blog. I was attempting, quite unsuccessfully to chronical my journey from defeatist Procrastinator to Licensed Pilot. I have spent my life making every possible excuse why not to pursue this life long dream and I've justified my procrastination along the way, assuming I'll have time. From starting this blog to date, I've seen more than two years fly by and not only have I not soloed yet, I've only flown twice. INEXCUSIBLE, sort of.

A lot has happened in that 15 months that passed since my last update. Medical issues have arisen that may prevent me from being able to become a private Pilot, I'm still researching how the FAA might respond to my condition, so my focus is almost exclusively Sport Pilot now, though it's my intention to train in non LSA compliant aircraft as much as I can. I've also launched a small business, and that has resulted in a gradual career change and the need to be two places at once while I transition, so that has accounted for most of my distance from aviation, and yet, I will not be deterred. I'm officially back. Really.

After a great deal of self study, taking discovery flights, talking to pilots, A&Ps and airport personnel at the local airport, I know I'm ready to proceed. This is something that just won't go away. Flying the simulator doesn't meet the need any more. Reading anything I can get my hands on and listening to podcasts offers little relief. It only makes my "fever" worse. There's little I can do about it so my response to this desire is to go for it. No more procrastination. I took vacation and I have a week of dual instruction scheduled in two weeks. I plan to fly as much as I can in that week, then settle into a twice a week schedule of flight instruction. Hopefully, I'll know by then if I can continue with my PPL or if I have to transition to an LSA and Sport Pilot certificate. I WILL GET THIS DONE EITHER WAY and love every minute of it.

I also have a greater understanding of what it takes to own an aircraft and while I won't rule it out, my training will take precedent over everything aviation related. I would love to own and train in my own aircraft, but the many considerations and expenses could stifle my dream of being a Pilot. That's most important right now. So I'll keep dreaming about owning a Zodiac 601HD or a Cessna 172 one day, but for now, I'm officially a student Pilot and I have to admit, I really like the sound of that.

I am a procrastinator, true enough but defeatist no more. I believe this can and will happen because it's up to me. I've been through a lot and I still want this. I will not be denied, so brace yourselves, cause now I have legitimate excuses, but even they won't stop me.

What hibernation has taught me

Old man Winter is making his exit but not without some good lessons for me.

I have spent much of the Winter months impatiently anticipating the arrival of Spring so I can finally pursue my dream to learn to fly. I’ve diligently studied my flight lesson materials and read everything I could get my hands on relating to general aviation. I flew X Plane 9 “simulator” versions of the specific models  of aircraft that I plan to train in and have aquainted myself as much as possible with flight maneuvers and procedures  that I will be required to execute someday during my checkride. I researched flight schools and compared rates, and I even bought aircraft renter’s insurance.  I did everything I could to suppress or delay the onset of cabin fever that I usually experience in Winter, but because I am out of excuses and completely prepared to learn to fly,  I knew this bout with the fever would be one of the worse.

 I did some “research” on aircraft ownership and the costs associated. I was astounded at just how expensive it can be to acquire, store and maintain an airplane. Don’t get me wrong, there is an abundance of beautiful used planes for sale at great prices so acquisition is not where my frustration lies. It’s everything else. The idea that replacing a powerplant in a used aircraft can actually exceed the cost of the aircraft itself nearly knocked me off my feet, and, depending on where you live, the annual cost to store the aircraft can be as much as 1/3 of the price you paid for it. It was probably just my imagination but as I was coming into this knowledge I felt as though I was literally experiencing the smell of money burning. This revelation, heightened by the frustration that often accompanies my cabin fever left me somewhat depressed. (Not suicidal depressed, more like fast food eating binge depressed.) Depressed, but motivated.

I’m not shy about being money conscious. Truth be told, I can’t even enjoy the tour of a large house without agonizing over what I fear the utility bills would be monthly. Even still, I’m closer to artful budgeteer than I am to skinflint and the cost of experiencing a life long dream doesn’t bug me so as long as I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.  I know the majority of the cost of my flight lessons is aircraft rental fees and though ownership  would probably cost me a little more than I’ll pay to get my license renting, it would be a worthwhile investment to own because of the savings I would experience not as a student but as a licensed Pilot. The trick, of course, is making the absolute best purchase that will justify the upfront expense and pay dividends once I’m licensed.  As I pondered the possibilities of aircraft ownership, I realized what I needed was a veritable “perfect storm” of circumstances and the skinflint in me accepted the challenge.  

So I thought to myself, I need an aircraft that the FAA would allow me to maintain and annually inspect myself, that can be stored at my home for free that won’t run me six figures. I’m thinking like the high winged Just Aircraft Highlander, with foldable wings that could fit in my garage(to my wife’s dismay) but could be built from a kit so that I could do the maintenance. Of course, I would have to scratch build it to keep the cost down and with my work schedule, it would probably take me years to complete. Okay, so it looks like I’ll be renting for a while still but I’m certainly on the right track.

This exercise in critical thrifty thinking has caused me to come to two conclusions:

1.      Because of the cost, the sport of Aviaton is a privilege and frankly, not for everybody.

2.       It is definitely for me, no matter the cost.

There are creative ways to save on operating costs of aircraft ownership and the skinflint in me will continue to seek them out. Until I discover that “perfect storm,” I will rent and train until my dream is achieved. After all, it’s Spring and I’m fresh out of excuses. 

New focus

I originally came to this process with very specific goals in mind. I had decided to train for a sport pilot certificate but was having trouble finding aircraft that could accommodate me. I was very impressed with a couple of folding wing light sport aircraft and the potential for savings they offered so my plan was to purchase an LSA that could be stored in a trailer in order to keep expenses down while I took flight lessons in it and paid it off, after which, I would hangar it. Just Aircraft’s “Highlander/Escapade” and the Aerotrek A240 appealed to me because of the folding wings and the potential for hangar savings. I was definitely putting the "cart before the horse", contemplating ownership as a means to save money. I was so stunned by the potential cost of owning an aircraft that I attempted, through creative thinking, to solve my issues of 1) wanting to have access to a new aircraft 2) with a generous useful load while 3) minimizing carrying costs. Even my pursuit of a sports Pilot certificate was strictly economic, thinking it would be the fastest, most cost effective way to be able to fly. My focus was more about becoming a licensed pilot in the least amount of time at the least cost to me.  Now, I’m asking myself, why is that important? Why hurry through this?

I hereby commit to learning to fly the old fashioned way....ONE LESSON AT A TIME. I'm going to focus on learning to fly and even if it takes me two freaking years to earn my PPL, so what. I'll be learning to fly along the way. So what if I can only afford one flight lesson a week. I'LL STILL BE FLYING ONCE A WEEK and more importantly, I will be well prepared to participate in this community safely and I owe that to General aviation, myself and my family. Another hurdle cleared.

Brace yourselves because I'm fresh out of excuses...

Learning to fly for three...

My focus has been single minded for the most part. The goal is to fulfill my dream of becoming a Pilot in the most cost effective way possible. Before you judge me consider my position. I admit I maybe a little more budget conscious than most, but it’s important to me that I get the best deal possible in everything I pursue. I regularly troll 2^nd hand stores, looking to save on items by paying pennies on the dollar. Case in point:  A brand new Fat Max tool bag that retails for $39.95 I recently nabbed at Goodwill for $5 bucks! I was so excited, I pretended to shop but I was secretly taking a victory lap around the store. It’s become a competition, really. I can’t enter a store without heading for the clearance area first to see what deals are there to be had. I won’t even stop at car dealerships that boast their “no haggle” policy. Where’s the fun in that? I have been conditioned to settle for nothing less than the lowest price for the highest value and it's landed me  some amazing deals, but it's also kept me from experiencing some things that are important to me, that is, until recently.

My family was having a typical Sunday when my wife called me at work and told me that she had just received the news that her dad had passed. My father in law, affectionately known as “TJ”, had transitioned in his sleep and although he had faced some health struggles recently, it was a shock to all of us. TJ had been a father to me from the time I asked his permission to marry his daughter and he had taken on a greater role in my life when my own father had passed twelve years ago.  As I drove home to be with my family all I thought about was the last conversation I had with TJ about a month ago. He was recovering from a surgical procedure and doing quite well. We chatted for a while and I shared with him my renewed interest in aviation and how it had always been something that I wanted to do, but had constantly talked myself out of, to which TJ abruptly replied, “live your dreams, man, don’t just dream them. You want to get to your last day with as little regret as possible.” We continued our conversation about aviation and my father-in-law blew my mind with his vast knowledge of gulfstream jets. His “dream” comments didn’t resonate at the time because there was no indication to me that TJ was at the end of his life. I certainly didn’t know these words would be the last advice I would get from a man I admired as much as my own father, who, toward the end of his own life, had expressed regret in his decision to give up playing the piano completely in order to focus greater on his career. And now here I am driving home, astounded by the unlikely possibility that the two most important men in my life, who at different stages in my life, had taught me to be a better man, father, husband and son, had essentially left me with the same lesson: 

Minimize the regrets.

So as I continue to pound this defeatist procrastinator into a licensed Pilot, digging for deals on flight lessons and finding ways to save, all the while, complaining about just how expensive this process is, I will accept no excuses not to continue because now I realize that the fulfillment of this dream is no longer just for me. I’m going to learn to fly as a tribute to you, Pops, who gave up something you loved so that I could one day pursue my dreams. I’ll also learn to fly as tribute to you, TJ, who reminded me that dreams are to be lived.

(PS. TJ, tell Pops to be sure to save me a seat…)

An entry level to flight

It has been a life long dream of mine to fly. Don't misunderstand me, though. I've never dreamed of joining the Air Force and becoming a decorated fighter Pilot. I've never wanted to be an Airline Pilot or even work in the Airline industry for that matter. You see, when I say I've always wanted to fly, I mean just that. I've wanted to learn to pilot a plane my entire life for no other reason than my inner desire to soar the skies.

As a kid, Pilots were always the coolest characters to me in movies and television. They dared to soar the skies and looked cool doing it most of the time. That image fueled my desire to express such a freedom. The irony of this desire, of course, is the fact that, although I've wanted to fly since I was a kid, I actually
went up in a single engine general aviation airplane for the first time this year. This may not seem so ironic to you until you discover that I'm soon to be 48 years old.

Some dream, huh?

Some of you may be asking yourselves, if this was a lifelong desire, why did I wait so late in life to pursue it? The short answer is simple.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

The longer answer includes the fact that the fear of flight has been passed through my family like some grand tradition, though there has never been any incident to cause any member of my family to harbour such a mistrust. My father traveled the world most of his career by flight and yet, when he retired, he too no longer "trusted" flight and would not board a plane, no matter the distance.

There was also the belief that Flying lessons were financially infeasable. How could I ever justify such an expense for a hobby? Early in my career I met  a co-worker who shared with me his love of flight. I remember being so excited when he told me he had his PPL. "How did you find the money to accomplish that?", I asked him and he replied, " I have this rich friend who helped me pay for lessons and lets me fly his plane." You could have knocked me over with a feather. Once again, I was discouraged by what had been my reality to that point. Learning to fly was yet unattainable. I had no rich friend. I had no "sponsor." I had once again found an excuse not to pursue my dream.

A few years ago, my wife gave me an Ipod for my birthday to help occupy my two hour commute each way to work and back so I didn't have to fish through a car full of CDs. Of course, I'm old school, so I resisted at first but when I discovered how convenient carrying 200 songs on my person was, I was sold. While sniffing around in the Itunes store, I discovered podcasts. Talk about a revelation! I started downloading French lessons, college lectures, discussions on Jazz, you name it, all sorts of subject matter that would occupy this four hours a day I was spending in my car. Being very interested in Aviation, I had purchased the X Plane flight simulator software on Ebay and had goofed around with it a bit so I decided to see if there were any podcasts about flight simulation or flight training. EUREKA! I had hit pay dirt! There were several so I'd grab a few every couple of days and listen on the way to work. I enjoyed a few, could do without a few more, but one in particular reminded me of just how cool I thought Pilots were back when I was a kid. It was the Uncontrolled Airspace podcast. This podcast literally gave aviation back to me. Not only has it been very inspirational to me, it has introduced me to the general aviation community. I have, through this and other podcasts, discovered a wealth of  educational information on the internet, not the least of which is the Sports Pilot Certificate course created and developed as sort of an entry level to pursuing a pilot's license. The cost can be considerably less than the PPL and frankly, this program satisfies all of my aviation desires, for now anyway. This blog will chronicle my journey from defeatist procrastinator to licensed Pilot. It will cover my evaluation, enrollment, education and completion of a Sports Pilot certificate course and beyond. This once considered "unattainable" dream is now literally within my grasp.


Brace yourselves, because I'm fresh out of excuses.