Lowlevel

My sister gave me a bunch of Plane & Pilot magazines the other day and as I read the March 2009 issue "Learn to Fly", I wondered how many of you still fly general aviation aircraft. I happen to own my own aircraft, so I get to do quite a bit of GA flying. But, how many of you still love to fly? Or has it become just a job? I loved flying the CRJ (before I was furloughed), but to climb into a single engine plane, on a crisp spring morning, and just fly is the greatest feeling. It brings back all those memories of $100 hamburgers or grabbing some friends and taking off for someplace that was too far to drive just for one day.

On a recent morning:
Me - "*** tower, Cessna N1234 inbound with Whiskey"
Tower - "Cessna1234, wind 330 at 14, gust 20, runway your choice"
Me - "Cessna1234 will take rwy 24"

Avgas - $5.15 per gallon
Oil - $4.60 per qt
A 14 knot gusting 20 crosswind in a Cessna.....priceless

Pontius Pilot

I would honestly do it if I had the plane or the $$$ to rent one.

Purpleanga

Well, yes, now that some of us are furloughed, we have no choice. It takes time to get used to pt91 flying again, throttles and mixtures.... but still flying is flying.

dn_wisconsin

I learned what those things on floor do, after to many years of jet flying you forget what right rudder means!!!

Bond

I've been telling myself that I'm going to do it for years, but I never get around to it. Some of it has to do with money, for a while there it got out of hand with the gas prices; but in all honesty I get a kick out of flying the Embraer still even after going on 4 years now. It's one of those things, where we're fortunate to have lots of different flying here (Mexico, non-precision approaches, Canada, the Bahamas) so for me it's hard to get bored, I just adjust my bid and I do something different from time to time.

I would imagine that if I ever do decide to do it, it will most definitely have to be with another pilot that flies g.a., cause I can just see myself coming for the approach at 130kts redlining it, and starting the flare at 50ft....

coldpilot

I flew GA once after starting with the airlines. I did it with a friend/instructor. It was extremely fun yet interesting at the same time. I was afraid to slow below about 75 on final because I figured we would fall out of the sky. Haven't been up GA flying since but I would love to get back into it because it was REAL flying. It was always fun no matter what.

For the most part I miss the fun feeling and don't have it when I am at work. Every now and again I will get it. Today was one of those days. Thunderstorms rolled through DFW early today and this afternoon I did one turn and being between layers seeing the buildups and the sun come through the cloud formations reminded me of why I will never work in an office. It reminded me of why I love this job even with the disdain I have for it at times. It reminded me of why I am a pilot.

Seatownflyer

I just rented a 172 yesterday. Haven't flown GA in two years, it was fun! Now I'm all checked out and can take their 99 dollar an hour 172 out anytime i please. Summer is coming and I'm going to take advantage of the good weather up here in PDX.

Furloughee

I've flown GA twice since I was furloughed. It reminded me of how much fun flying used to be. Like many others, if I had the money I would fly every chance I got.

B317

I rent a Cub out of a grass strip during the summer months. Cruising along at 65 mph with the door and the window open, I still love it as much as I did 30 years ago. And at $55/hr it’s a bargain.

Salukipilot4590

Well I'm back to the right seat in the bug-smashers out here in LA...and its quite the difference from the E145.

All-in-all I missed it... I didn't miss students no-call/no-showing me but still...I missed my old groove...