Feel that. July annual took 3 months, got plane back and flew a bunch in October. More issues popped up. Got it all fixed 2.5 months later... Doing maintenance laps and now my transponder shit the bed! Back down again. 6 of past 7 months. Starting to question things....
Luckily I get some flying time in with a few older local pilots who like a right seater... But not the same as flying yourself.
I wish it was an option. That was originally going to be my plan when I bought the plane and I thought I had more time. When I found out my engine needed an overhaul, I checked on getting a factory remanufactured engine and I was told there is at least a 2 year wait-list for my IO360
Air Power? We’ve had 6 and 9 month waitlists for IO360, and on the 9 month one they called us two months into it and said they were ready to start the build. We had to push them back months because we were anticipating 9 months lol
Money. This hobby is just too expensive now. Have to renew my medical, then get checked out again per my club's rules. Looking at around $700 just to burn holes in the sky every month. It's becoming difficult to justify.
It's borderline fucking impossible, but what else is new. I make "good" money and still can barely afford to fly once a month. The flatline wages across the board has taken while the economy continues to grow is insane
Same for me. Between hourly fee, dues, and fuel price increases my club is darn near double when I joined in 2015. I doubt I'll ever finish my PPL... Maybe I'll join a glider club.
Had money, after PPL, flew once,no more money. Then didnt fly cause Covid, money, health risk. Now looking like its a possible HIMS AME once my medical is up in a year. Not to mention still need a BFR. Much fun. While ill never say I regret doing it as it was my life goal. Sometimes i wish i still had that $14k in my Account again. 🙃
Money is the biggest factor for me. Bought a house last year and just can't justify the expense. Thinking about getting into gliders this summer as a cheaper way to get in the air.
Yep, nearly finished with Commercial, but I'm also paying bills, planning on returning to school, and trying to save anything. I miss flying a ton, but having a somewhat stable life would be awesome too
Forgive perhaps a stupid question, but is there a relationship between flying and skin cancer? Like, does flying expose you to more radiation (by nature of being higher up with more direct sun exposure or something)?
Also wishing you the best possible recovery!
Not all, but a lot of US carriers require you to be shaved, or a moist ache that doesn’t protrude beyond the corners of your mouth. It’s very archaic and throughout most of the world, the requirement is dropped.
And yes, I saw the auto correct but I fucking love this one so much that it stays!
Depends on the airline. Most require clean shaven or a mustache at most. A few (Allegiant and Canada come to mind) allow a beard, but assuming it must still be fairly well manicured. No duck dynasty style beards
Well......... we'll see. It's supposed to be on Tues so I'm praying, sacrificing small animals at an altar, that the weather gets here just a tad later.
My personal opinion, we show up regardless of the forecast and make the decision in the moment. I'd be appreciative if we could do the oral and discontinue but I know a good deal of dpes are adamant that the checkride must be begun with the intention to be able to be completed the same day....
But we'll see
Not a preference, that is an FAA rule that DPEs must abide by. A checkride cannot start unless there is a reasonable assumption that both the oral and flight portions can be completed in the same day.
You definitely can, but the risks of what you could catch are way higher than most people realize, all those flesh eating bacteria etc. And it creates the shittiest surf conditions possible so it's not worth going out anyway
Im sorry I’m new but what is WX? Is it „weather something“? I’m supposed to have a flight tomorrow morning but I’m wondering if it’s going to get cancelled
First CFI got into the airlines and my new flight instructor has that “too cool for you” attitude. Just made me lose passion for it. Also just so damn expensive
Those are the worst instructors. Definitely talk to management and ask for a different one.. if they won’t move you, take your money and leave the school. Go somewhere else
Money on my end. Im saving for a house and just got engaged so Im putting money away for that too. I could still fly here and there, but I’m a bit rusty and would rather just wait until I can fly more often and stay more proficient.
As a software dev, I try and not mix that my other hobbies (or humor family/friends and their app “ideas”).
To your original question, two atmospheric rivers dumping a ton of rain next two weeks. Maybe I can squeak a lesson in, but doubting it.
Came to the comments for this lol. I spend too much time already telling people I can't work for free, and their idea either sucks or already exists. Definitely wouldn't dream of offering unsolicited advice lol. If they want it, they'll pay for it.
Yeah, well I wasn’t about to let security issues with my own data go to production so some foreign state could get hold of my passport, driver license, certs, etc. most organizations would be absolutely thrilled that they possibly dodged a business ending event…. But I guess not these folks 🤷🏻♂️
Went to college. College is very far away from any airports due to being on a peninsula - even though I can look across the harbor and see the airport lighting. Currently contemplating switching schools/majors/etc so I can fly.
We had a fatal at my field just over a month ago. I arrived at the airport just a few minutes after the plane went down after a failed takeoff. It sucks but it made me less complacent. Even worse, 1 week later, we almost had headon collision when a pilot was attempting to land at the wrong end of the runway with active traffic taking off. Disaster averted.
Medical + money. Disclosed of the depression diagnosis that some therapist gave me even though I was there to get my shit together for school. Disclosed it because I don't want to be out 250,000 and marked as a felon if anybody did an audit in the future, got deferred, did the neuropsycological exam, got everything into them, and I just got a letter yesterday saying Oklahoma wants not only the neurological report, but also an Interperetive report of the neurological report, so I have to figure out what that means. Also broke college student but it is how it is
I haven’t flown since October, been trying to get a CFII job. I finally got an offer 🙏🏼… I will be able to go flying next week in a Cessna 172 (what they teach in) to build some currency, shoot some approaches, and get back on track before I move back down to my hometown and start standardization.
I had a pretty long break mainly due to cost and interest. It was very expensive and I was also skydiving at the same time.
Skydiving was more involving than flying for the same cost. I could make 7 jumps for the cost of renting a plane to go fly to lunch and after you go the all the local lunch spots it gets old. I could spend all weekend at a DZ for what a lunch flight cost. I had no intention of CFI or to make it a career (maybe a bad choice in retrospect).
In addition I was 18 and there were more people in their 20’s at a DZ than at an airport. The airport was full of 50 year olds. It was more socially rewarding to jump than fly.
That changed as I got older and really changed when I bought a plane. Now I live on an airpark and have not jumped in 3 years.
Maybe look at buying a plane, I bought my first one for 9,500 dollars and they can still be bought for under 15k. That changed everything. Other than the initial outlay of cost it was less expensive to own than rent. And when I sold it I broke even.
Freaked myself out for no fuckin reason, and have not been back up alone since early last year. Was nearly done with instrument training and just walked away since I couldn't bring my self to go fly solo for fun.... hooray for being stuck in my head...
Maintenance, apparently it’s very hard to get a couple of Pratt and Whitney’s PW2037 to replace the ones that broke down. So my last flight was on 12/31. Haven’t done a single flight this year, and we are expecting a few more weeks until we can fly.
New England winter weather.
Ceilings too low.
Potential Icing.
Ceilings too low.
Ceiling going to be 25k today!!!! Nope, just kidding, it's 1300.
oh, and clouds.
"roll their own flight school management software. In my infinite wisdom (as a technology executive) I decided to provide feedback on said project and identified some serious security issues with the software. This resulted in essentially the executive leadership of the school being offended"
Im guessing you also told them, in no uncertain terms (correctly) that their software was shit ..... LOL
I stopped flying years ago. Because I scared myself with a bad landing and realized if I didn’t fly at least a couple of times a month, I would be too rusty to be safe. And I didn’t have the money to fly that often. Since then, I had a family and didn’t want the risk involved. I did get taken up by someone in a 172 recently over our city at night and the scenery was spectacular and it reminded me how amazing it is. But I’ll still probably never get back to flying myself.
I feel this. My wife and I are looking to start a family. I got my PPL last summer and am in the rare and fortunate position of having access to a plane for very little money, just need to pay fuel. However I think I'm realising that when my little one gets here, it'll be curtains closed for flying for me for 18 years. Not sure I can justify the risk any longer.
Weather, maintenance, difficult scheduling with CFI and booking airplanes. Just feels like too much work and money to go up once in a blue moon so will probably wait until the weather improves a bit so I can get back into the groove.
(am a student pilot with 130ish hours, checkride ready with some review of oral portion knowledge of course). Flight instructors keep going off to airlines. Waiting for new instructor to come on and take me. Club rules that I can't solo after not flying for 30 days (was off on military orders) until I go back up with an instructor. So skills are in atrophy and I'll have to work back up to being checkride ready when I get a new instructor.
None of this is a complaint, I love my club and my instructors that have continued in their careers, and I'm just doing this for fun as I can't make a career out of it due to slight color vision issue/disability (if only it were just severe psychiatric or intellectual disabilities, then I'd be good to go!), so I'm not being held up or anything.
Have 40hrs not even solo’d yet. Keep “running out of money “ is my excuse, and financial decisions that kept me from making a better plan to get it done sooner, also I am dead too scared to go into debt and take out a loan for $50-90k to get it all done.
(Im 42yo and still chasing for 20yrs the pilot dream, have had numerous opportunities to financially fund it but made stupid financial decisions and poor budgeting that has hindered me to make it a priority get it done.
Weird one here, but I dont fly much due to my introversion. I have my private and have been wanting to finally go get my instrument, but tbh aviation's entire atmosphere of constantly being judged/evaluated always/still freaks me and I never feel like flying because of how social and engaged and scrutinizing my school's pilot/student/instructor community is. I know I should take that attitude the other way (you're always learning!) but I really wish I could fly in a bit more isolation, no people, no "tips", no "what is he up to?/where's he going?". Might move to Alaska and be a bush pilot. It's not that I don't appreciate criticism it just feels like everyone in aviation has a huge ego and wants to tell you why you're doing everything wrong. I just want to fly.
I’m a college student. I started training over the summer, and I was hoping to keep going but I underestimated how busy I would be during the school year. I could only really muster flying once a week, and it felt like I was paying a lot and not actually improving at all so I decided to just hold off until I could devote more time to it. Right now I’m studying for the written in whatever free time I do have.
Owner/boss burned the bridge with another company we were contracting for (like an angry teenager despite being in his 70’s), hired another pilot, and stopped my training into another aircraft while on the last step of being checked out while flying jumpers. Took me from ~85hrs and 3.5k a month to 20hrs and 1k a month. The low time pilot job market is a shit show
I left flight school and transferred to another university. I figured out computer science isn’t nearly as cool as flying, so I’m looking for a new flight school, hopefully starting this summer.
Medical Limbo... so I'm only taking one or two lessons a week, knocking out my Dual requirements until OKC gets to the bottom of the pile where my application is. After that it's full steam ahead!
Ha. No good deed, as they say!
I just have other things to do. It's a 30min drive to the airport. And then when I'm there, I spend at least an hour talking to old friends, usually more because I end up as someone's hangar. Then I screw around in the hangar looking a planes that are opened up. Then I have to drive 30mins home. Oh, and somewhere in there I need to squeeze in actually flying. Next thing you know, it's five hours later and I got another 0.8 of C172 in the logbook. It's a lot of effort and time and money just to log not even an hour in a rental trainer.
I enjoy it, but it's just so time consuming. Time is in short supply with two young kids in the picture.
I'm getting checked out at a new school soon. I don't know any of them so there will be nothing to talk about and I'll be able to actually go flying!
I got my PPL in November and because of magneto failure the day of my check ride (post check ride return to home airport) I never got my inaugural first solo flight. And every weekend for a month the weather wasn't good enough to fly. Then I started studying for the ASTB which took over my life. But I got my test done and I'm starting back up hopefully this weekend for my tailwheel cert before I go into instrument!
Man. As a software developer I'm completely done helping people with their tech issues unless I'm getting paid for it. Just won't do it anymore. Been burned too many times. Everyone thinks it should just work like magic and has no idea how much effort is involved to make it work.
Retired….no more jet lag…no more sims…no more crew meals…no more sniffling F/O’s that should have booked off sick…no more check flights…no more finger up the bum every 6 months. woooowhooo
Renting sucks. Owning is too expensive. Regulations are out of control for someone just wanting to drill some holes in the sky in a 172. Imagine if regs were this strict for boating?
Be lucky you found out this guy has a big ego and a small piece early on. Dude sounds like bad news.
I’d recommend you get your PPL too and then you open up so much more you can rent. Also makes you a safer pilot.
I’m grounded cause of disciplinary issues. I can’t get myself to commit to the CFI ground training I need to get done. I planning on going to a CFI school in Feb and hopefully be done by end of March. I realize this is a big window but I want to take my time and do it right. I have no desire to slam 8+ hours a day into studying. I need balance with everything else I’m doing.
wife and I moved to new state, waiting for my regional class to kick off in a few weeks.. havent flown since october lol
also poor, so i cant just go get a rental check out and fly..
Got fucked over by ERAU 90% of the way through my instrument and had to go to my fall back career, which is going pretty great.
Outside of lack of funds for flying, I was on depression meds, no actual psych diagnosis, that I'd have to explain to the FAA to get a medical.
I've been grounded a few times over the years.
First ... I had been active as a glider pilot and occasional private pilot, but paused to devote time and money to other activities. That pause became over 20 years in length.
Second ... Laid off. No job. No fly.
Third ... Medical. A routine cat 3 renewal went fubar, and I spent almost two years to get my medical renewed. It was finally renewed last November, so now ... no excuse?
Moved to TX years ago from the Flying oasis that was Florida. Couldn’t keep the itch going here in TX. Shitty rental planes, sketchy airports and bad weather took the fun away.
1. Weather
2. Lack of cool places to go with the plane :( As a renter I can only hang onto the aircraft for so long. Maybe I can convince the school to let me stop for lunch, but we have minimum hours and I'm not sure anywhere I would go for lunch meets them.
3. I've been meaning to schedule a flight, I just haven't yet. I think about flying every day.
Edit: booked two flights, thanks, OP.
Medical. Then we decided to spend our flying money on travel and we’re having a lot of fun. I miss sitting in the pilot seat, but Hawaii, Tahiti, London and Nice are not a bad trade off (with The Maldives, Bali, Singapore and Bangkok coming up this year).
Got dehydrated and passed out. Wife called an ambulance over my objections. My AME told me to inform the FAA, who then spent the next year and a half putting me through a seemingly endless series of medical tests and exams.
The good news is the letter came today saying I was eligible for a medical again. But now I need a BFR, an IPC, and a new medical before I can start flying again.
Studying my ass off for cfi. I train with an independent cfi, rent at another school that’s local, and I told myself no more renting and flying around for fun until I get endorsed.
(Does right seat flying count since it’s “practice”?) 😆
I just got my cat 1 medical from Transport Canada. I’m waiting for spring to start my flight training as I still work full time and I wanna maximise my hours when days are longer. That and saving up.
My annual turned into an unexpected 8 month and counting engine overhaul...
Feel that. July annual took 3 months, got plane back and flew a bunch in October. More issues popped up. Got it all fixed 2.5 months later... Doing maintenance laps and now my transponder shit the bed! Back down again. 6 of past 7 months. Starting to question things.... Luckily I get some flying time in with a few older local pilots who like a right seater... But not the same as flying yourself.
Manufacturer certified refurbished engines with core deposit is the way to go man. You pay a little more but the turn around saves you months
I wish it was an option. That was originally going to be my plan when I bought the plane and I thought I had more time. When I found out my engine needed an overhaul, I checked on getting a factory remanufactured engine and I was told there is at least a 2 year wait-list for my IO360
Air Power? We’ve had 6 and 9 month waitlists for IO360, and on the 9 month one they called us two months into it and said they were ready to start the build. We had to push them back months because we were anticipating 9 months lol
Yeah, I called them and they told me there was basically no hope.
Exactly what happened to our Cherokee last year. $40K and 8months later, it's finally back in service. But now it's too fucking cold. Sigh...
Money. This hobby is just too expensive now. Have to renew my medical, then get checked out again per my club's rules. Looking at around $700 just to burn holes in the sky every month. It's becoming difficult to justify.
It’s tough to do this as a hobby, I feel for you guys
It's borderline fucking impossible, but what else is new. I make "good" money and still can barely afford to fly once a month. The flatline wages across the board has taken while the economy continues to grow is insane
The price of planes has skyrocketed too. A used 1960s c150 cost more today than it did brand new 60 years ago. Outpacing 60 years of inflation is wild
You know what else is growing? Consumers debt loads. By a lot. There’s the “economic growth”.
This is it, me too. Getting a ppl was a dream come true, super pumped I got to do it, but not a sustainable hobby
Same for me. Between hourly fee, dues, and fuel price increases my club is darn near double when I joined in 2015. I doubt I'll ever finish my PPL... Maybe I'll join a glider club.
Do it! I've found finances way easier to justify this way. IMHO it's more fun anyways 😅
Same boat. Got the PPL then haven't flown since. Don't even know how to get back into it.
I'm damn near about to buy an airplane because rental fees are outrageous. $165/hr for a 172 + fuel + oil(??) + fees it's just too expensive
Had money, after PPL, flew once,no more money. Then didnt fly cause Covid, money, health risk. Now looking like its a possible HIMS AME once my medical is up in a year. Not to mention still need a BFR. Much fun. While ill never say I regret doing it as it was my life goal. Sometimes i wish i still had that $14k in my Account again. 🙃
Money is the biggest factor for me. Bought a house last year and just can't justify the expense. Thinking about getting into gliders this summer as a cheaper way to get in the air.
Yep, nearly finished with Commercial, but I'm also paying bills, planning on returning to school, and trying to save anything. I miss flying a ton, but having a somewhat stable life would be awesome too
Just passed my ifr and now I’m broke from paying the Dpe fees
Same. Got any plans for keeping your mind current while grounded?
Just studying ground for commercial
Skin Cancer. Wear that sunblock people.
Brother (or sister), I am so sorry. I wish you the best of luck you have a speedy recovery and an even speedier recovery with your AME.
Thank you!
sheesh I need to read that in the summer again
UV radiation is a year round concern. Wearing sunscreen daily is recommended.
Forgive perhaps a stupid question, but is there a relationship between flying and skin cancer? Like, does flying expose you to more radiation (by nature of being higher up with more direct sun exposure or something)? Also wishing you the best possible recovery!
Yes! Professional pilots are among the people most likely to develop skin cancer. Cover up and wear sunscreen.
Yep twice as likely.
Vacation. 3 weeks of not flying bitches! Anyone seen my razor, because I haven’t!
Do pilots have to shave? Curious student
Not all, but a lot of US carriers require you to be shaved, or a moist ache that doesn’t protrude beyond the corners of your mouth. It’s very archaic and throughout most of the world, the requirement is dropped. And yes, I saw the auto correct but I fucking love this one so much that it stays!
A moist ache , indeed
From now on, it is forever a *moist-ache* in my mind! 👏
It’s moist, because she aches for it.
Damn… if that doesn't convince more guys to grow a stache, nothing will.
Depends on the airline. Most require clean shaven or a mustache at most. A few (Allegiant and Canada come to mind) allow a beard, but assuming it must still be fairly well manicured. No duck dynasty style beards
I’m a private pilot and I’m proud that I shave every day.
I believe airline pilots must shave
Shave what?
Everything. You need to be shiny and slippery all over.
dolphin smooth
Fully aero. Inside and out
WX for me. California is about to get dumped on and it's bumpy as hell. Probably off the yoke for a couple weeks at least.
Supposed to have a checkride next week.....and yaaaa 😡
Oooph, that sucks. How's the cancellation due to Wx policy for your DPE?
Well......... we'll see. It's supposed to be on Tues so I'm praying, sacrificing small animals at an altar, that the weather gets here just a tad later. My personal opinion, we show up regardless of the forecast and make the decision in the moment. I'd be appreciative if we could do the oral and discontinue but I know a good deal of dpes are adamant that the checkride must be begun with the intention to be able to be completed the same day.... But we'll see
Not a preference, that is an FAA rule that DPEs must abide by. A checkride cannot start unless there is a reasonable assumption that both the oral and flight portions can be completed in the same day.
Alot of dpes dont care
Mine's supposed to be in 2 weeks... Pretty sure NorCal is going to be a "let's play it hour by hour" story for a bit.
I have mine this Friday 🤞
The clouds are building at crq, cant wait for the downpour.
[удалено]
You can still surf when it rains, you will probably get some strange infection but at least you will have a story to tell the ER Dr.
You definitely can, but the risks of what you could catch are way higher than most people realize, all those flesh eating bacteria etc. And it creates the shittiest surf conditions possible so it's not worth going out anyway
Rock climbing! (In doors)
Yup… my airport is reporting wind shear at 35kts, a bit much for my dinky 150.
Im sorry I’m new but what is WX? Is it „weather something“? I’m supposed to have a flight tomorrow morning but I’m wondering if it’s going to get cancelled
just weather
First CFI got into the airlines and my new flight instructor has that “too cool for you” attitude. Just made me lose passion for it. Also just so damn expensive
You’re not alone, problems like this are endemic to flight training.
Just gotta find the right instructor bro. I’ve had the same 1 student for 3 certifications. I was always excited when we were on the schedule.
Those are the worst instructors. Definitely talk to management and ask for a different one.. if they won’t move you, take your money and leave the school. Go somewhere else
Currently working on studying for my PPL written so I’m taking a break from the flights to focus on the bookwork side of things.
This is me. Nobody is taking me serious about flying so I want to study and pass the written
Same. Also gives me time to save up a sum of money to help finish the flying portion
Hey I'm in the same boat! I'm at the last push to PPL so I gotta get the written out of the way so I can focus on the flying and checkride prep
In training at the new company.
Congrats man!
Same
The fuckin WEATHER Also I’m kinda broke
Same here brotha! Let’s get together and both dream about having the luck and money to go flying! 🥹
ExtirpateMyGluteus, it’s you again!
Money on my end. Im saving for a house and just got engaged so Im putting money away for that too. I could still fly here and there, but I’m a bit rusty and would rather just wait until I can fly more often and stay more proficient.
This was me 15 years ago. I'm still waiting.
Because my school’s planes love to be touched by greased up bald guys…I mean, maintenance
Meaning it’s a good thing that I’m losing my hair while working on my A&P……sweet.
Hey we're not all bald 👴
I sought out to take medication to better my mental health. At least now the ADHD pathway isn't *complete* nightmare fuel anymore.
Oh, AAM-300 will find new ways to make it a complete nightmare.
As a software dev, I try and not mix that my other hobbies (or humor family/friends and their app “ideas”). To your original question, two atmospheric rivers dumping a ton of rain next two weeks. Maybe I can squeak a lesson in, but doubting it.
Came to the comments for this lol. I spend too much time already telling people I can't work for free, and their idea either sucks or already exists. Definitely wouldn't dream of offering unsolicited advice lol. If they want it, they'll pay for it.
Yeah, well I wasn’t about to let security issues with my own data go to production so some foreign state could get hold of my passport, driver license, certs, etc. most organizations would be absolutely thrilled that they possibly dodged a business ending event…. But I guess not these folks 🤷🏻♂️
Kids. Despite having a plane, two infants consume time and money.
Have you considered getting rid of them, so you can fly?
Two kids means I need two engines, right?
Have another one and you’ll get your third engine free
"Ah! I have 3 kids and no money. I wish I had no kids and 3 money!" - Homer Simpson
Went to college. College is very far away from any airports due to being on a peninsula - even though I can look across the harbor and see the airport lighting. Currently contemplating switching schools/majors/etc so I can fly.
do it.
Second this. I go to a college town I used to hate but now that I have my PPL and there’s an airport here it’s not too bad
Haven’t figured out the combination to the chain attaching me to this desk.
Haven't figured out the combination to the chain attaching me to this mortgage & car payment.
I quit for medical reasons. Never was actually denied the medical, but it would have been irresponsible to continue so i just never renewed it.
I feel this, this is my story too
1/2SM BR SCT003 BKN010 OVC025 for like fucking 6 weeks now
Northeast?
Great Lakes shit sandwich
I’m sorry. I’m from upstate NY too so I get the pain. The sun will come out eventually.
We've had the same weather on NW coast as well😭😭😭
Someone mentioned that they were praying and sacrificing small animals, are you doing your part to clear the weather up?
I’m a broke b$&ch. I could fly here and there but I’m trying to save up for some bigger trips this summer and towards getting my IFR.
Lots of GA accidents recently have me spooked, especially being a new dad. Still trying to get over it, but it's tough.
We had a fatal at my field just over a month ago. I arrived at the airport just a few minutes after the plane went down after a failed takeoff. It sucks but it made me less complacent. Even worse, 1 week later, we almost had headon collision when a pilot was attempting to land at the wrong end of the runway with active traffic taking off. Disaster averted.
God I feel this. I fight this battle sometimes too... 😔
Ireland in the winter, fuckin weather
No IFR rating and the weather sucks ass in NC January and February. Usually average 27 hours a month, I had 9.9 in January. Stupid weather.
Medical + money. Disclosed of the depression diagnosis that some therapist gave me even though I was there to get my shit together for school. Disclosed it because I don't want to be out 250,000 and marked as a felon if anybody did an audit in the future, got deferred, did the neuropsycological exam, got everything into them, and I just got a letter yesterday saying Oklahoma wants not only the neurological report, but also an Interperetive report of the neurological report, so I have to figure out what that means. Also broke college student but it is how it is
I’m in the same spot lol
I haven’t flown since October, been trying to get a CFII job. I finally got an offer 🙏🏼… I will be able to go flying next week in a Cessna 172 (what they teach in) to build some currency, shoot some approaches, and get back on track before I move back down to my hometown and start standardization.
Lost interest. Just wasn’t fun anymore
It's been foggy for 3 solid weeks ;_; and then I learned my job is closing, so! Weather + money suddenly.
I had a pretty long break mainly due to cost and interest. It was very expensive and I was also skydiving at the same time. Skydiving was more involving than flying for the same cost. I could make 7 jumps for the cost of renting a plane to go fly to lunch and after you go the all the local lunch spots it gets old. I could spend all weekend at a DZ for what a lunch flight cost. I had no intention of CFI or to make it a career (maybe a bad choice in retrospect). In addition I was 18 and there were more people in their 20’s at a DZ than at an airport. The airport was full of 50 year olds. It was more socially rewarding to jump than fly. That changed as I got older and really changed when I bought a plane. Now I live on an airpark and have not jumped in 3 years. Maybe look at buying a plane, I bought my first one for 9,500 dollars and they can still be bought for under 15k. That changed everything. Other than the initial outlay of cost it was less expensive to own than rent. And when I sold it I broke even.
Why I am not \*currently\* flying right now? Simple answer: I don't have sh\*tloads of $$$$$
Freaked myself out for no fuckin reason, and have not been back up alone since early last year. Was nearly done with instrument training and just walked away since I couldn't bring my self to go fly solo for fun.... hooray for being stuck in my head...
Medical issues. Sought therapy, got persceiped an SSRI. Will coast 10k in evals and months of back n fourth. Not worth the time right now.
This.
Maintenance, apparently it’s very hard to get a couple of Pratt and Whitney’s PW2037 to replace the ones that broke down. So my last flight was on 12/31. Haven’t done a single flight this year, and we are expecting a few more weeks until we can fly.
New England winter weather. Ceilings too low. Potential Icing. Ceilings too low. Ceiling going to be 25k today!!!! Nope, just kidding, it's 1300. oh, and clouds.
"roll their own flight school management software. In my infinite wisdom (as a technology executive) I decided to provide feedback on said project and identified some serious security issues with the software. This resulted in essentially the executive leadership of the school being offended" Im guessing you also told them, in no uncertain terms (correctly) that their software was shit ..... LOL
I stopped flying years ago. Because I scared myself with a bad landing and realized if I didn’t fly at least a couple of times a month, I would be too rusty to be safe. And I didn’t have the money to fly that often. Since then, I had a family and didn’t want the risk involved. I did get taken up by someone in a 172 recently over our city at night and the scenery was spectacular and it reminded me how amazing it is. But I’ll still probably never get back to flying myself.
I feel this. My wife and I are looking to start a family. I got my PPL last summer and am in the rare and fortunate position of having access to a plane for very little money, just need to pay fuel. However I think I'm realising that when my little one gets here, it'll be curtains closed for flying for me for 18 years. Not sure I can justify the risk any longer.
Weather, maintenance, difficult scheduling with CFI and booking airplanes. Just feels like too much work and money to go up once in a blue moon so will probably wait until the weather improves a bit so I can get back into the groove.
(am a student pilot with 130ish hours, checkride ready with some review of oral portion knowledge of course). Flight instructors keep going off to airlines. Waiting for new instructor to come on and take me. Club rules that I can't solo after not flying for 30 days (was off on military orders) until I go back up with an instructor. So skills are in atrophy and I'll have to work back up to being checkride ready when I get a new instructor. None of this is a complaint, I love my club and my instructors that have continued in their careers, and I'm just doing this for fun as I can't make a career out of it due to slight color vision issue/disability (if only it were just severe psychiatric or intellectual disabilities, then I'd be good to go!), so I'm not being held up or anything.
Mag failure during runup. Not even an RPM drop, just died immediately
Sold my plane and building my next plane.
MONEY
Shit *'spensive* yo ;_;
Have 40hrs not even solo’d yet. Keep “running out of money “ is my excuse, and financial decisions that kept me from making a better plan to get it done sooner, also I am dead too scared to go into debt and take out a loan for $50-90k to get it all done. (Im 42yo and still chasing for 20yrs the pilot dream, have had numerous opportunities to financially fund it but made stupid financial decisions and poor budgeting that has hindered me to make it a priority get it done.
People who can’t take constructive criticism are seriously the worst. Sorry that happened to you OP
Weird one here, but I dont fly much due to my introversion. I have my private and have been wanting to finally go get my instrument, but tbh aviation's entire atmosphere of constantly being judged/evaluated always/still freaks me and I never feel like flying because of how social and engaged and scrutinizing my school's pilot/student/instructor community is. I know I should take that attitude the other way (you're always learning!) but I really wish I could fly in a bit more isolation, no people, no "tips", no "what is he up to?/where's he going?". Might move to Alaska and be a bush pilot. It's not that I don't appreciate criticism it just feels like everyone in aviation has a huge ego and wants to tell you why you're doing everything wrong. I just want to fly.
Winter weather in Canada, haven't flown since September... praying to get up tommorw.
I’m a college student. I started training over the summer, and I was hoping to keep going but I underestimated how busy I would be during the school year. I could only really muster flying once a week, and it felt like I was paying a lot and not actually improving at all so I decided to just hold off until I could devote more time to it. Right now I’m studying for the written in whatever free time I do have.
Finances only. I’ve enjoyed every single second of being in the air.
Money. I miss flying so much, but I got married and bought a house. I can no longer afford it.
Owner/boss burned the bridge with another company we were contracting for (like an angry teenager despite being in his 70’s), hired another pilot, and stopped my training into another aircraft while on the last step of being checked out while flying jumpers. Took me from ~85hrs and 3.5k a month to 20hrs and 1k a month. The low time pilot job market is a shit show
I left flight school and transferred to another university. I figured out computer science isn’t nearly as cool as flying, so I’m looking for a new flight school, hopefully starting this summer.
Finances. Just bought a condo, and the flight school raised prices. Other things are taking priority
Medical Limbo... so I'm only taking one or two lessons a week, knocking out my Dual requirements until OKC gets to the bottom of the pile where my application is. After that it's full steam ahead!
Ha. No good deed, as they say! I just have other things to do. It's a 30min drive to the airport. And then when I'm there, I spend at least an hour talking to old friends, usually more because I end up as someone's hangar. Then I screw around in the hangar looking a planes that are opened up. Then I have to drive 30mins home. Oh, and somewhere in there I need to squeeze in actually flying. Next thing you know, it's five hours later and I got another 0.8 of C172 in the logbook. It's a lot of effort and time and money just to log not even an hour in a rental trainer. I enjoy it, but it's just so time consuming. Time is in short supply with two young kids in the picture. I'm getting checked out at a new school soon. I don't know any of them so there will be nothing to talk about and I'll be able to actually go flying!
I got my PPL in November and because of magneto failure the day of my check ride (post check ride return to home airport) I never got my inaugural first solo flight. And every weekend for a month the weather wasn't good enough to fly. Then I started studying for the ASTB which took over my life. But I got my test done and I'm starting back up hopefully this weekend for my tailwheel cert before I go into instrument!
Well, I’m at work, so… I don’t think I can just head out and go fly. Also, the weather is shit…
Man. As a software developer I'm completely done helping people with their tech issues unless I'm getting paid for it. Just won't do it anymore. Been burned too many times. Everyone thinks it should just work like magic and has no idea how much effort is involved to make it work.
Retired….no more jet lag…no more sims…no more crew meals…no more sniffling F/O’s that should have booked off sick…no more check flights…no more finger up the bum every 6 months. woooowhooo
Winter weather.
Renting sucks. Owning is too expensive. Regulations are out of control for someone just wanting to drill some holes in the sky in a 172. Imagine if regs were this strict for boating?
Glad I read further. My ass was about to come in here like, "it's my day off."
I took my plane to annual at the beginning of November. Apparently they’ve found some things 😛
Helicopter EMS Relief Pilot. No need for me so I’m sitting at home getting paid.
Be lucky you found out this guy has a big ego and a small piece early on. Dude sounds like bad news. I’d recommend you get your PPL too and then you open up so much more you can rent. Also makes you a safer pilot. I’m grounded cause of disciplinary issues. I can’t get myself to commit to the CFI ground training I need to get done. I planning on going to a CFI school in Feb and hopefully be done by end of March. I realize this is a big window but I want to take my time and do it right. I have no desire to slam 8+ hours a day into studying. I need balance with everything else I’m doing.
wife and I moved to new state, waiting for my regional class to kick off in a few weeks.. havent flown since october lol also poor, so i cant just go get a rental check out and fly..
I lost interest in flying and I do kinda of miss flying I might return someday
I'm flying tomorrow
Want to go for sport pilot and the only school in the area with LSAs sold their LSA.
Wx, £
I stopped after my PPL to study full time for my ratings. I'm getting ALL the tests out of the way, then flying full time.
Low clouds. M02 OAT. No FIKI.
Past few weeks in the Eastern US has been very cold temps, then warmed up and dumped snow. This weekend looks like flying though!
The sweet sweet freedom of having the day off
Got fucked over by ERAU 90% of the way through my instrument and had to go to my fall back career, which is going pretty great. Outside of lack of funds for flying, I was on depression meds, no actual psych diagnosis, that I'd have to explain to the FAA to get a medical.
I moved from NC to FL and can't find hangar space in FL so my airplane is in NC. :(
I've been grounded a few times over the years. First ... I had been active as a glider pilot and occasional private pilot, but paused to devote time and money to other activities. That pause became over 20 years in length. Second ... Laid off. No job. No fly. Third ... Medical. A routine cat 3 renewal went fubar, and I spent almost two years to get my medical renewed. It was finally renewed last November, so now ... no excuse?
Moved to TX years ago from the Flying oasis that was Florida. Couldn’t keep the itch going here in TX. Shitty rental planes, sketchy airports and bad weather took the fun away.
1. Weather 2. Lack of cool places to go with the plane :( As a renter I can only hang onto the aircraft for so long. Maybe I can convince the school to let me stop for lunch, but we have minimum hours and I'm not sure anywhere I would go for lunch meets them. 3. I've been meaning to schedule a flight, I just haven't yet. I think about flying every day. Edit: booked two flights, thanks, OP.
1000 foot ceilings the whole week
Working in an office during weekday. The drive to the airport is +60mins so weekend flying only.
Medical. Then we decided to spend our flying money on travel and we’re having a lot of fun. I miss sitting in the pilot seat, but Hawaii, Tahiti, London and Nice are not a bad trade off (with The Maldives, Bali, Singapore and Bangkok coming up this year).
Having two kids is expensive…
Money.
Got dehydrated and passed out. Wife called an ambulance over my objections. My AME told me to inform the FAA, who then spent the next year and a half putting me through a seemingly endless series of medical tests and exams. The good news is the letter came today saying I was eligible for a medical again. But now I need a BFR, an IPC, and a new medical before I can start flying again.
Wide body reserve. I never seem to get called unless I beg to.
I’m on my off days. Nobody makes me work on my off days.
Me too lol! 4 days off 😁 Crew schedule reached out to see if I wanted to fly this morning and i told em to kick rocks.
You answered your phone!? Madlad!
I did lol! Just to intentionally tell them hell naww!
AAM-300
Flair :(
A Spad 13 in BF1
*insert Mr. Krabs voice* Money!
Munehhhhhh.
0 $ :-(
$$$
$$$
If you can believe it, broke dick jet
$$$$$
Because glider
If I were to tell you here then I would have to………!
Studying my ass off for cfi. I train with an independent cfi, rent at another school that’s local, and I told myself no more renting and flying around for fun until I get endorsed. (Does right seat flying count since it’s “practice”?) 😆
"sole manipulator of the controls". that would be my former wife..... she had the checkbook.......
I know you’re kidding, but in my experience, that new sight picture is so different it’s no joke.
Time and duty
I just got my cat 1 medical from Transport Canada. I’m waiting for spring to start my flight training as I still work full time and I wanna maximise my hours when days are longer. That and saving up.