After 14 Years, I Started Flying Again

[Darkwind]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

Does FSX count?

I want to get a license pretty bad, but time and dinero are interfering.

I hear that a sports license is doable though. I've had My eye on getting an A5 with a sports license.

 

[jon_berzerk]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

Does FSX count?

I want to get a license pretty bad, but time and dinero are interfering.

I hear that a sports license is doable though. I've had My eye on getting an A5 with a sports license.

indeed anything that gets you off the ground

just remember the rule

a good landing is one that you can walk a way from the plane

a great landing is one where you can fly the plane again

--LOL

 

[williepete]

a good landing is one that you can walk a way from the plane

a great landing is one where you can fly the plane again

 

[Geaux4it]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

I've used Microsoft Flight Simulator for the past 15 years and also was a member of an online squad that recreated WW2 missions in the Pacific. We used ded reckoning calculations in all our flights as the flight simulators we used were the entire world and used real latitudes and longitudes.

What are you flying now?

I am flying a C-172 but previously owned a 1970 Mooney M20C. Really enjoyed getting my taildragger endorsement years ago as well in a Citabria that was a blast to fly.

-Geaux

You are getting recertified? Do they still require you to understand and fly using VORs and ADF? Or is it all GPS now? And I imagine a C-172 is quite the step back from the jets.

I never flew jets per say, I was the idiot photo chase photographer in the back where the RIO used to ride when the F-4's were making hay. However, I do have about 3 hours left seat in a US Navy P3 Orion. They used to let me fly it (at cruise) when we were working on things around Wake Island and Kwajalein.

When I stopped flying in 03' GPS was just coming on line for GA aircraft. Now? Even the 172's have some glass. The one I'm flying has a nice moving map coupled to the Garmin 430. But the big change I see is the use of IPads. I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ? We use those for sun shades these days. The IPad provides all things needed. I used to have approach chart subscriptions that are today, only needed as a backup as the approach plates are now on the Ipad using an App called Foreflight. You can file your flight plan, view approach and en-route charts, and when coupled to a weather receiver, view weather overlay on the Ipad chart. Unless I decide to get an Instrument Proficiency Check I doubt I will get that involved again. Paper will be just fine. Yes, GPS rules the day but we still have the radios required for VOR nav. Not many planes with ADF anymore. If one does, its just an AM radio to listen to music or the game. lol. And yes, after a 14 year lapse, I was signed off by a CFI after 3.5/hrs of duel.

-Geaux

 

[Geaux4it]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

I've used Microsoft Flight Simulator for the past 15 years and also was a member of an online squad that recreated WW2 missions in the Pacific. We used ded reckoning calculations in all our flights as the flight simulators we used were the entire world and used real latitudes and longitudes.

What are you flying now?

I am flying a C-172 but previously owned a 1970 Mooney M20C. Really enjoyed getting my taildragger endorsement years ago as well in a Citabria that was a blast to fly.

-Geaux

i flew Cessna 150 170 172 172 XP and Piper warrior arrow and lance

with some twin time

i loved it

Very nice. Not a huge Piper fan but I have some time in my Dad's old Commache 180, Arrrow II and Dakota. My love is the Mooney I had. What a beauty. I'll never forget a departure from Laughlin NV, high noon at gross.

I learned about flying from that lol

-Geaux

 

[fncceo]

What a coincidence. I've been out of flying for 14 years because I moved to Singapore, where private flying is prohibitively complicated.

I've been thinking the past few months about getting started again.

I'd have to find a plane of my own when. Rental prices are stupid high these days.

 

[Geaux4it]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

Does FSX count?

I want to get a license pretty bad, but time and dinero are interfering.

I hear that a sports license is doable though. I've had My eye on getting an A5 with a sports license.

Keep making your plans and when the time is right, you'll know it and wont regret it

-Geaux

 

[Geaux4it]

What a coincidence. I've been out of flying for 14 years because I moved to Singapore, where private flying is prohibitively complicated.

I've been thinking the past few months about getting started again.

I'd have to find a plane of my own when. Rental prices are stupid high these days.

With fuel at ~$4.50 a gallon that is a cost factored in the rental rate. I'm burning about 8gph.

-Geaux

 

[fncceo]

What a coincidence. I've been out of flying for 14 years because I moved to Singapore, where private flying is prohibitively complicated.

I've been thinking the past few months about getting started again.

I'd have to find a plane of my own when. Rental prices are stupid high these days.

With fuel at ~$4.50 a gallon that is a cost factored in the rental rate. I'm burning about 8gph.

-Geaux

My Tomahawk burned 5.5 gph.

 

[williepete]

I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that"?

I was teaching a class on our electrical system earlier this year and was walking the class through our dual generator failure checklist. I mentioned that one option was to turn off the batteries and use dead reckoning to divert to a suitable field. Arriving at the divert field, turn the batteries back on so you could regain trim, flaps and gear for a normal landing. One "kid" in the class was looking at me like I had a third eye in the center of my forehead.

He asked mockingly, "What's this dead reckoning?" I thought he was joking and flippantly said, "You know, clock-to-map-to-compass. It's not where you are, it's when you are." He snorted and scoffed. Thought the concept was ridiculous. The next day was the last day of the class. On leaving, he approached me and told me matter-of-factly that there was no way you could navigate by this so called dead reckoning with merely a clock a map and a compass. And he was serious!

 

[Darkwind]

I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that"?

I was teaching a class on our electrical system earlier this year and was walking the class through our dual generator failure checklist. I mentioned that one option was to turn off the batteries and use dead reckoning to divert to a suitable field. Arriving at the divert field, turn the batteries back on so you could regain trim, flaps and gear for a normal landing. One "kid" in the class was looking at me like I had a third eye in the center of my forehead.

He asked mockingly, "What's this dead reckoning?" I thought he was joking and flippantly said, "You know, clock-to-map-to-compass. It's not where you are, it's when you are." He snorted and scoffed. Thought the concept was ridiculous. The next day was the last day of the class. On leaving, he approached me and told me matter-of-factly that there was no way you could navigate by this so called dead reckoning with merely a clock a map and a compass. And he was serious!

Wow. How does he think pilots navigated before modern instrumentation?

 

[IsaacNewton]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

I've used Microsoft Flight Simulator for the past 15 years and also was a member of an online squad that recreated WW2 missions in the Pacific. We used ded reckoning calculations in all our flights as the flight simulators we used were the entire world and used real latitudes and longitudes.

What are you flying now?

I am flying a C-172 but previously owned a 1970 Mooney M20C. Really enjoyed getting my taildragger endorsement years ago as well in a Citabria that was a blast to fly.

-Geaux

You are getting recertified? Do they still require you to understand and fly using VORs and ADF? Or is it all GPS now? And I imagine a C-172 is quite the step back from the jets.

I never flew jets per say, I was the idiot photo chase photographer in the back where the RIO used to ride when the F-4's were making hay. However, I do have about 3 hours left seat in a US Navy P3 Orion. They used to let me fly it (at cruise) when we were working on things around Wake Island and Kwajalein.

When I stopped flying in 03' GPS was just coming on line for GA aircraft. Now? Even the 172's have some glass. The one I'm flying has a nice moving map coupled to the Garmin 430. But the big change I see is the use of IPads. I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ? We use those for sun shades these days. The IPad provides all things needed. I used to have approach chart subscriptions that are today, only needed as a backup as the approach plates are now on the Ipad using an App called Foreflight. You can file your flight plan, view approach and en-route charts, and when coupled to a weather receiver, view weather overlay on the Ipad chart. Unless I decide to get an Instrument Proficiency Check I doubt I will get that involved again. Paper will be just fine. Yes, GPS rules the day but we still have the radios required for VOR nav. Not many planes with ADF anymore. If one does, its just an AM radio to listen to music or the game. lol. And yes, after a 14 year lapse, I was signed off by a CFI after 3.5/hrs of duel.

-Geaux

"I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ?" It has changed that much? That happened fast. I have also heard talk of VOR being phased out. I don't think it a good idea to get rid of all these older ways of navigating completely. We're talking about flying, there has to be a backup to GPS. No human mechanical system is foolproof and it will fail at some point. Having a tablet with a weather overlay has to be a huge plus for GA pilots I would think. Very interesting to hear how aviation is changing and how quickly it is happening.

 

[Geaux4it]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

I've used Microsoft Flight Simulator for the past 15 years and also was a member of an online squad that recreated WW2 missions in the Pacific. We used ded reckoning calculations in all our flights as the flight simulators we used were the entire world and used real latitudes and longitudes.

What are you flying now?

I am flying a C-172 but previously owned a 1970 Mooney M20C. Really enjoyed getting my taildragger endorsement years ago as well in a Citabria that was a blast to fly.

-Geaux

You are getting recertified? Do they still require you to understand and fly using VORs and ADF? Or is it all GPS now? And I imagine a C-172 is quite the step back from the jets.

I never flew jets per say, I was the idiot photo chase photographer in the back where the RIO used to ride when the F-4's were making hay. However, I do have about 3 hours left seat in a US Navy P3 Orion. They used to let me fly it (at cruise) when we were working on things around Wake Island and Kwajalein.

When I stopped flying in 03' GPS was just coming on line for GA aircraft. Now? Even the 172's have some glass. The one I'm flying has a nice moving map coupled to the Garmin 430. But the big change I see is the use of IPads. I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ? We use those for sun shades these days. The IPad provides all things needed. I used to have approach chart subscriptions that are today, only needed as a backup as the approach plates are now on the Ipad using an App called Foreflight. You can file your flight plan, view approach and en-route charts, and when coupled to a weather receiver, view weather overlay on the Ipad chart. Unless I decide to get an Instrument Proficiency Check I doubt I will get that involved again. Paper will be just fine. Yes, GPS rules the day but we still have the radios required for VOR nav. Not many planes with ADF anymore. If one does, its just an AM radio to listen to music or the game. lol. And yes, after a 14 year lapse, I was signed off by a CFI after 3.5/hrs of duel.

-Geaux

"I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ?" It has changed that much? That happened fast. I have also heard talk of VOR being phased out. I don't think it a good idea to get rid of all these older ways of navigating completely. We're talking about flying, there has to be a backup to GPS. No human mechanical system is foolproof and it will fail at some point. Having a tablet with a weather overlay has to be a huge plus for GA pilots I would think. Very interesting to hear how aviation is changing and how quickly it is happening.

Yes, the digital age I think can be dangerous. On this mornings flight, I departed John Tune airport in Nashville and flew north up the Cumberland river to buzz the old family farm. My uncles, mom et al, were out waving as I went over the top of their places. I learned to fly out West in So Cal and we were trained to keep radio chatter to a minimum. Down south here, many uncontrolled fields use the same frequency. As I was flying into Springfield (KM91) a couple planes up in Bowling Green were flying the VOR arc there and just talking endlessly about nothing. I finally got in to report I was on the 45 for the left downwind RWY 4 Springfield. I heard another aircraft call out on the freak that there was a Cessna coming in not talking on the radio.... Sigh.......... BTW, even though I was talking, it is not a requirement to do so at an uncontrolled field.

5 miles out of Nashville picked up some rain..

Reminded me of old times and my 68 mile drive back home must be what a good smoke is like after sex

-Geaux

 

[Geaux4it]

For anyone interested, I will be posting some videos I have from back seat of F-4J's years ago. The quality is poor for many reasons but it works. I'll post a link up when done. Of course, all UNCLAS

And then the time I went to Land Survival training prepping to fly backseat F-15's chasing Russian Bears off the Aleutian's before some Air Force official got a bur under his saddle about Navy types in back of his birds lol

-Geaux

 

[westwall]

Any other pilots out there?

Oh man, what a joy. Flying was very addictive for me and I had to put it down for 14 years. Being retired now, I spent a couple days driving into Nashville getting current again.

Life is good

-Geaux
========

Yup. I've had my ticket for over 40 years now. And yes, life is very good indeed when you can get up above the crowd!

 

[westwall]

I've used Microsoft Flight Simulator for the past 15 years and also was a member of an online squad that recreated WW2 missions in the Pacific. We used ded reckoning calculations in all our flights as the flight simulators we used were the entire world and used real latitudes and longitudes.

What are you flying now?

I am flying a C-172 but previously owned a 1970 Mooney M20C. Really enjoyed getting my taildragger endorsement years ago as well in a Citabria that was a blast to fly.

-Geaux

You are getting recertified? Do they still require you to understand and fly using VORs and ADF? Or is it all GPS now? And I imagine a C-172 is quite the step back from the jets.

I never flew jets per say, I was the idiot photo chase photographer in the back where the RIO used to ride when the F-4's were making hay. However, I do have about 3 hours left seat in a US Navy P3 Orion. They used to let me fly it (at cruise) when we were working on things around Wake Island and Kwajalein.

When I stopped flying in 03' GPS was just coming on line for GA aircraft. Now? Even the 172's have some glass. The one I'm flying has a nice moving map coupled to the Garmin 430. But the big change I see is the use of IPads. I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ? We use those for sun shades these days. The IPad provides all things needed. I used to have approach chart subscriptions that are today, only needed as a backup as the approach plates are now on the Ipad using an App called Foreflight. You can file your flight plan, view approach and en-route charts, and when coupled to a weather receiver, view weather overlay on the Ipad chart. Unless I decide to get an Instrument Proficiency Check I doubt I will get that involved again. Paper will be just fine. Yes, GPS rules the day but we still have the radios required for VOR nav. Not many planes with ADF anymore. If one does, its just an AM radio to listen to music or the game. lol. And yes, after a 14 year lapse, I was signed off by a CFI after 3.5/hrs of duel.

-Geaux

"I broke out a VFR sectional and the CFI asked "what is that" ?" It has changed that much? That happened fast. I have also heard talk of VOR being phased out. I don't think it a good idea to get rid of all these older ways of navigating completely. We're talking about flying, there has to be a backup to GPS. No human mechanical system is foolproof and it will fail at some point. Having a tablet with a weather overlay has to be a huge plus for GA pilots I would think. Very interesting to hear how aviation is changing and how quickly it is happening.

Yes, the digital age I think can be dangerous. On this mornings flight, I departed John Tune airport in Nashville and flew north up the Cumberland river to buzz the old family farm. My uncles, mom et al, were out waving as I went over the top of their places. I learned to fly out West in So Cal and we were trained to keep radio chatter to a minimum. Down south here, many uncontrolled fields use the same frequency. As I was flying into Springfield (KM91) a couple planes up in Bowling Green were flying the VOR arc there and just talking endlessly about nothing. I finally got in to report I was on the 45 for the left downwind RWY 4 Springfield. I heard another aircraft call out on the freak that there was a Cessna coming in not talking on the radio.... Sigh.......... BTW, even though I was talking, it is not a requirement to do so at an uncontrolled field.

5 miles out of Nashville picked up some rain..

Reminded me of old times and my 68 mile drive back home must be what a good smoke is like after sex

-Geaux

Yes, there are many idiots in GA (that's General Aviation for those of you who don't know) who are simply clueless when it comes to proper radio etiquette.

 

[westwall]

What a coincidence. I've been out of flying for 14 years because I moved to Singapore, where private flying is prohibitively complicated.

I've been thinking the past few months about getting started again.

I'd have to find a plane of my own when. Rental prices are stupid high these days.

With fuel at ~$4.50 a gallon that is a cost factored in the rental rate. I'm burning about 8gph.

-Geaux

My Tomahawk burned 5.5 gph.

Was that when it was falling or flying?

 

[jon_berzerk]

For anyone interested, I will be posting some videos I have from back seat of F-4J's years ago. The quality is poor for many reasons but it works. I'll post a link up when done. Of course, all UNCLAS

And then the time I went to Land Survival training prepping to fly backseat F-15's chasing Russian Bears off the Aleutian's before some Air Force official got a bur under his saddle about Navy types in back of his birds lol

-Geaux

yes do when you have time

 

[Geaux4it]

20 years ago writer Steve Coonts wrote a piece for AOPA Pilot magazine. It stirred a response from me and I actually got a response from Steve posted here. I have it framed on my I Love Me Wall lol

Author of Flight of the Intruder.

-Geaux

 

[westwall]

20 years ago writer Steve Coonts wrote a piece for AOPA Pilot magazine. It stirred a response from me and I actually got a response from Steve posted here. I have it framed on my I Love Me Wall lol

Author of Flight of the Intruder.

-Geaux

That is very cool!