Originally Posted by Timbo

Different strokes for different folks and all that, but when I went through UPT (1983-4) there was a huge bias openly expressed by many of our senior instructors (Majors and up) against, "Those Dangerous Civilian Pilots!". They would quote accident statistics and tell horror stories about some idiot who flew his C172 into a cloud, got vertigo and crashed.

They didn't seem to mention the T38 that flew into the ground going super sonic doing the exact same thing, the week before we arrived.

I've flown with many, many military only trained guys at Delta who have told me straight up, they are afraid to fly little airplanes. I think it's due to this "Dangerous Civilians" thing that was being preached back then, and perhaps it still is in some places. But if you don't go out and experience the fun side of light airplane flying, well, you'll never know what you're missing.

I have no desire to own something like a Mooney, too expensive to maintain and if I want to go cross country fast, I'll non-rev on Delta with a beer in my hand. But I would love to own a Cub again. The most 'fun' flying I've ever done was always low and slow, into small grass strips or into a lake in an amphib. It's the complete opposite of military or airline type flying, no radios, no time constraints, do what you want, go where you want, just don't hit anything! True Freedom!

My neighbor is Phil Lockwood who manufactures the Air Cam. That is probably the most fun airplane I've ever flown. Check out his videos. He said most of his customers are airline guys who are sick and tired of going high and fast, straight and level. Yanking and banking down in the weeds is much more fun, in an open cockpit, more fun still! On floats? Even more fun!

Wait... let's do it in formation?? YES! More fun than you should be allowed to have!

Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maoHutUGv4U

Originally Posted by tomgoodman

In 1971, the first part of UPT was GA. We loaded up the blue bus at Webb and rattled through the dust out to Howard County Airport for T-41 (Cessna172) training with civilian instructors. My IP regaled us with stories of flying a Piper Cub along the Interstate, doing touch-and-go bounces on 18-wheelers. We asked how long it took a Cub to catch a truck, and he said: "Too long. I did it head on!"

Originally Posted by Albief15

By GA mentors, I meant people out there inspiring young people to get into aviation. Folks at the local airport, schools, and around that pull young people towards flying a a potential hobby, vocation, or opportunity to serve in the military.

GA is still my favorite kind of flying--the ultimate travel freedom. However, it is terribly unforgiving and with less redundancy and single pilot ops you can get yourself in trouble quickly.

If anyone is interested in buying my 62 Navion Rangemaster since I am oversees, I can show you many of the wonderful things about GA. At some point I will probably downgrade to a fixed gear two seat taildragger for Saturday fun and back country flying, and an IFR X-C machine won't be needed. But like I repeatedly have told my daughter, its actually more demanding in some respects than being a 767 captain. Respect it, prepare for it, and enjoy it...but its not a toy.

Don't want to fly on your days off? I get it. For me--its still a joy.

Originally Posted by Timbo

I know the rapid rise of the price of 100LL up to over $5/gallon since 9-11 killed off a lot of GA flying at my local airport. That and the lack of flying jobs to move into, the low pay of the RJ's, the bankruptcy cuts at mainline, age 65 etc. The local FBO used to have 5 airplanes for training and 3 full time IP's 17 years ago, now they are down to only 2 airplanes and 1 part time IP.

My son doesn't want to go the military route due to the 10 year commitment, he's thinking about the Guard or maybe the civilian route, but I don't think his heart is really in it. He doesn't even want to open the books I've bought him and study for the PPL test.

You can lead a horse to water but...

Originally Posted by Timbo

That is too funny!

I'm just glad I didn't think of trying that when I had the Cub, or I'd be out there tying to do it, no doubt!

I did get it to water ski on my lake one calm morning. Once is enough, it's always the second pass that gets you in trouble!

Originally Posted by hindsight2020

In my experience, the lack of popularity of GA among mil officers has more to do with the prevalence of single income household spousal arrangements and the dependents sheer disdain for any male centric discretion being placed above hers, than a face value snobbery on the part of turbine trained pilots for piston equipment. Don't shoot the messenger, that has been my observation as a airplane owner and mil pilot for 10 years.