Need advice

[[email protected]]

I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
opinion.

I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
that's an issue.

Advice, please?

Terry Reade

[Bob Gardner]

My oldest student was 83, and he had his own plane.

Bob Gardner

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade
>

[kontiki]

wrote:
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?

Are you kidding? You are still young... and if you're in good health
I say go for it! There is no better time. Your kids are grown, you have
the time to persue your dreams so go for it. You only live once and
you can't take it with you.

I started this when I was 46... I'm 53 now and hold a CFI ticket and
own my own plane. Wouldn't have traded the these experiences for
anything. I can tell you this... mastering the art of flying (beyond
just getting a ticket) is one of the most challenging things you can
do in your life.

[[email protected]]

> wrote:
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.

> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.

> Advice, please?

Is it reasonable to expect to be driving your own car at the age
of 53?

The physical and mental requirements to fly safely are trivially more
than those that are required to drive safely.

I take it you have all your original equipment (eyes, ears, hands, etc.)
in working condition and are in normal mental health.

That's all you need except desire and money.

I've seen pilots in their late 80's that are excellent and pilots in
their 20's that shouldn't be allowed to wash an airplane, much less
fly it.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

[Helen]

I manage the light sport school in Maryland
(www.chesapeakesportpilot.com). Probably the bulk of our customers are
your age and older. Older students do well since they have learned the
discipline required to study the material at home and take lessons
regularly without all of the distractions that work and family place on
younger students. If you are in or near Maryland, please stop by and
meet our gang of great great gray haired pilot people.

Helen

wrote:
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade
>

[Mike Adams[_1_]]

" > wrote in
ups.com:

> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
>

Absolutely! I got my private at 52 and IR at 54. I don't think I was as
quick as a younger student, but it's a challenge and keeps you thinking!

Good luck.

Mike

[Vaughn Simon]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.


I started flying around 50. I didn't solo as fast as the kids do, but I
also enjoy flight training and saw no reason to hurry the process. Unless there
is some special reason, go for the Private.

Vaughn

[CareBear]

I got my PPL at the young age of 56! Go for it!!!

--
CareBear

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade
>

[Don Tuite]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade

Define "piloting my own plane."

For an outlay of $6,000 or so, you can get a private pilot certificate
in less than 6 months. For the cost of a new car, you can find an old
plane in decent condition that will fly under visual flight rules and
take you places at 95 to 100 knots.

In fact Ron Wanttaja has an excellent article in the current Sport
Pilot magazine that covers all that stuff, plus details about variable
costs.

Thing, is owning an airplane all by yourself is a lot like sex in
marriage. In the first year you own your plane, put a marble in a jar
for every hour you fly. After that, take out a marble for each hour.
You'll never empty the jar. (Well, you get the analogy, anyway.)

So it's good to go into flying with the idea of looking for partners
or a flying club, rather than being sole owner. You'll be able to
afford more, the fixed costs won't hurt so much, you'll have more
encouragement to add to your flying skills, the plane will benefit
from more use, and you'll probably end up with more air time, although
not all of it will be in the left seat.

Wait a minute! Did I just make a good argument for polyandry?

Don

[Tina]

This, from a shrink.

If not now, when?

Get off thy butt, go forth and commit aviation.

I'd suggest doing the private, it will allow you choices the sport
certificate will not. If you find it to your liking, you'll have that
piece of paper in half a year, and then in two and a half, an
instrument rating if you want to travel with a little more
flexablity.

Years ago 'break even' on owning vs renting was about 150 hours a
year, and if you are lucky in finding a partner, owning becomes
attractive, the airplane will usually be available when you want it,
and you'll have aviation fun for the next few decades of your life.

psychologist

On Jul 21, 2:32 pm, " > wrote:
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade

[RomeoMike]

wrote:
..
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.

But you are still young. Some here have suggested that being a little
older slowed them down in training, i.e.,longer to solo, etc. I don't
know about that, but keep this story in mind:
Someone I know well went to a flight school at age 51 to fulfill his
dream to fly. He asked the very young flight instructor that was
assigned to talk to him how long it generally took to get the PPL. The
kid told him that it usually takes X number of hours, but "older" people
(like my friend) are slower to learn. Well, this guy says "thanks, but
no thanks" and goes to another instructor somewhere else and completes
the PPL in minimum time, then the IA in minimum time. He goes on to
complete the Commercial and a host of other ratings and endorsements and
gains the respect of the local flying community for his skills and
judgment.

Go for it.

[Ron]

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 18:32:35 -0000, "
> wrote:

>I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
>aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
>recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
>opinion.
>
>I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
>expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
>that's an issue.
>
>Advice, please?
>
>Terry Reade

Go for the private pilot certificate. It gives you the most
flexibility in where you can go, how fast you can get there, and how
many can fly with you. I got my PPL at age 56 and am still flying at
73. I expect to be flying in my 80's. If you are ever in doubt about
your ability, buy some time with an instructor for an evaluation of
your skills and if you are safe enough to fly.

An instructor friend of mine once said: "Given enough bananas, I could
teach a monkey to fly a plane." Teaching the monkey to talk on the
radio was another matter. ;-)

Seriously, though, the mechanics of flying a plane are not that
difficult to learn. The FAA regulations you have to know... airspace,
weather, navigation, etc., are just learning experiences.

Take a few introductory lessons and see how you like it. I have a
feeling you'll be hooked as soon as the wheels leave the ground the
first time.

Ron

[Russ and/or Martha Oppenheim]

Go for it! I started flying ultalights at age 60 - am now in the process of
transitioning my "fat ultralight" into an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft.
After a few years flying my Quicksilver GT400 I decided to go for the PPL,
and got the certificate at age 67. I'm now 72, and fly both my ultralight
and small Cessnas. I rent the Cessnas because I don't want the hassle of
insurance, etc. Also, I fly because I just really love getting up there and
flying around, not because I really need to go some place. At your age
though, you have tons of options. One word of caution - be ABSOLUTELY SURE
you can pass a medical exam before you show up in the AME's office. If
you're turned down for a medical you can't even fly with a driver's license
medical for Sport Pilot, whereas you can if you've never been denied a
medical, or if you've had one revoked. Try taking the Turbo Medical on the
AOPA website. That will give you a pretty good idea if you can pass a
medical. Good luck, and have fun flying!

Martha

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade
>

[Cubdriver]

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 18:32:35 -0000, "
> wrote:

>I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
>expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
>that's an issue.

Terry, I took my first lesson at 68, and I'm flying with Sport Pilot
privileges at 75. I hope to fly at least until I'm 80, when my Special
Issuance medical expires. If I feel good, I'll do battle with the FAA
and get the "special" lifted or at least extended.

I fly a Piper J-3 Cub, and I elected to go for a Recreational Pilot
certificate because I didn't want to transition to a Cessna. I'm not
very athletic, not mechanically inclined, and have vision in only one
eye, so I found it extremely difficult to interface with the ground.
But I soloed the Cub at 60-odd hours and passed my flight check at
100-odd, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a wonderful thing to
have done, and I hope you pursue it.


Blue skies! -- Dan Ford

Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942
forthcoming from HarperCollins www.flyingtigersbook.com

[Vaughn Simon]

"Cubdriver" <usenet AT danford DOT net> wrote in message
...
>... I hope to fly at least until I'm 80, when my Special
> Issuance medical expires. If I feel good, I'll do battle with the FAA
> and get the "special" lifted or at least extended.

My understanding is that to keep your Sport Pilot flying privileges you
need only assure that you are not denied issuance of a medical certificate. The
way to be sure is to simply allow your medical to quietly expire and fly on your
driver's license.

That said, be safe and ground yourself if you have knowledge that you can't
meet FAA medical standards. It will happen to all of us eventually.

Vaughn

[Tri-Pacer]

>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt


Go for it get a private and later if you desire you can fly as a sport
pilot.

I was born in '38 and see no reason why I won't be flying for many more
years. One of my A&P customers is 81 and still going strong. I expect to
keep doing his annuals for many more years.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
KPLU

[Andrew Gideon]

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:59:27 -0400, Cubdriver wrote:

> so I
> found it extremely difficult to interface with the ground

Isn't that why we fly?

- Andrew

[Jim Stewart]

wrote:
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?

Sign up for 3-4 light sport lessons, preferably
flying a SportStar, a wonderful little trainer.
If you love it, do it. If you don't, don't.

I'm 55, started work on my Light Sport license
last year and own a CTSW...

http://www.ctflyer.com/viewtopic.php?t=735&highlight=

I'm very close to taking my practical test and
I love it. My wife has about 10 hours of instruction
and she loves it too.

Expect to take longer than the 20 hour minimum.
In my case, it was a lot longer. Everything was
easy except landing and that was a bear. I took
forever to develop the eye-leg coordination thing
to keep the airplane lined up with the runway
on final. Just expect that you won't learn as
fast as a 20-something, and if you get stuck, don't
feel bad about finding a different instructor to
give you a different perspective.

Good luck and feel free to contact me privately.
My return address works.

[Al[_2_]]

I'm an old dog, and this was a new trick.

OK...I got my certificate at age 47 and am now 54. I pilot my own plane
several times per week.

Al
KSFF
1964 Skyhawk

wrote:
> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade
>

[C J Campbell[_1_]]

On 2007-07-21 11:32:35 -0700, " > said:

> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
> opinion.
>
> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
> that's an issue.
>
> Advice, please?
>
> Terry Reade

You ain't older than me...

If you are in good health, go get a private pilot's license. If not,
there is always sport pilot.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

[C J Campbell[_1_]]

On 2007-07-21 19:43:34 -0700, RomeoMike > said:

>
>
> wrote:
> .
>>
>> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
>> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
>> that's an issue.
>
> But you are still young. Some here have suggested that being a little
> older slowed them down in training, i.e.,longer to solo, etc. I don't
> know about that, but keep this story in mind:
> Someone I know well went to a flight school at age 51 to fulfill his
> dream to fly. He asked the very young flight instructor that was
> assigned to talk to him how long it generally took to get the PPL. The
> kid told him that it usually takes X number of hours, but "older"
> people (like my friend) are slower to learn. Well, this guy says
> "thanks, but no thanks" and goes to another instructor somewhere else
> and completes the PPL in minimum time, then the IA in minimum time. He
> goes on to complete the Commercial and a host of other ratings and
> endorsements and gains the respect of the local flying community for
> his skills and judgment.
>
> Go for it.

Works better if you can find an older instructor. :-)

Hey, he could wait another ten years and learn to fly at 63! Then maybe
some of us would say he is old, except we would still be older than he
is...
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

[C J Campbell[_1_]]

On 2007-07-21 11:40:36 -0700, "Bob Gardner" > said:

> My oldest student was 83, and he had his own plane.
>
> Bob Gardner
>
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
>> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
>> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
>> opinion.
>>
>> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
>> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
>> that's an issue.
>>
>> Advice, please?
>>
>> Terry Reade

You know, Bob, Terry may be right that some of us would be concerned
about his age. But I don't think most of us will hold his youth and
inexperience against him.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

[Robert A. Barker]

"Al" > wrote in message
. ..
> I'm an old dog, and this was a new trick.
>
> OK...I got my certificate at age 47 and am now 54. I pilot my own plane
> several times per week.
>
> Al
> KSFF
> 1964 Skyhawk
>
> wrote:
>> I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
>> aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
>> recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
>> opinion.
>>
>> I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
>> expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
>> that's an issue.
>>
>> Advice, please?
>>
>> Terry Reade
>>
I got my ticket at 72 (Jan 2000) I am still flying my
C150.I say go for it while you are still young.

Bob Barker N8749S