Originally Posted by tcm614ce
Hey Fellows. Thank you all for your thoughts. Flying has been my dream since 5 years old. My original plan was Air Force but for various reasons I decided on Plan B: make a lot of money and fly for fun. Now, 13 years later, I think that may have been poor planning. I am also 30 with a full family. I make enough money to fly but haven't found the time yet.
I was beginning to get the itch so bad that I was considering a career change but this little thread came up in my research and it seems that Plan B is now my best option and really, it's not that bad of an option. Thanks.
If you want to scratch the flying itch, check out ultralights or powered parachutes. No license required. No mechanic to pay, no FAA. Just pure plain and fun flying. Find an ultraligh instructor near you and take a few rides. In a big plane you can't buzz the top of a tree, or land in a grass field in the middle of nowhere. In order to touch down on water in a big plane you need a SES rating. Not so with an ultralight. Most can be carried around on a trailer. If you live on a farm, you already have your own airport.
Here are a couple of pages to look at:
http://www.loehle.com/FokkerKit.htm
http://www.loehle.com/SE5Kit.htm
http://www.loehle.com/SpadKit.htm
http://www.pilotfriend.com/experimental/acft3/39.htm