On Jul 30, 11:10 pm, "Jeff" jfranks1971 minus
wrote:

Now, being 37, I know exactly why this is the case.

You post is interesting since I am the same age and got me to reflect
on why I'm a student pilot (about 30 hours in for a PPL). It really
was a combination of a bunch of things:
1. My grandfather was a private pilot with his own C-150. It kind of
scared me as a little kid, but I did go for rides and got used to
small planes.
2. My neighbor is an A&P and a pilot. He's taken me up on rides and
we talk flying a lot.
3. My father has become quite ill over the last year and his
prognosis is poor. Since he isn't even at the traditional retirement
age, it's made me think how we don't really know how much time we have
left in our lives.
4. We have no kids and my wife is understanding.

I guess if #4 wasn't true, I wouldn't be flying at all!!

I am reluctant to talk about flying to other people I know (mostly my
co-workers) since I don't want my employer to think I make too much
money, and the brother of one of the senior managers was involved in a
serious small plane crash that killed his wife and children and left
him disabled with burns.

I am part of a flying club now. I am also in a position where I
couldn't keep any plane "given" to me via a contest (AOPA, Sporty's,
etc), since I couldn't even afford the fixed costs of hanger rental,
insurance, maintenance, etc, let alone the taxes. I do think that
flight training "scholarships" would be a far better way to promote GA
than plane giveaways.