On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 22:38:24 GMT, "LCT Paintball"
wrote:

I've wanted to learn how to fly since before I could drive. Unfortunately,
I've never had enough extra money laying around to get me into the air. I
understand the air of flying, but I don't believe in it. All it really takes
to fly is lots and lots of money.

My money has been tied up in raising 4 children, and starting a small
business.

Welcome to the group Dave, lot of good people here. Your story has
similarities to mine. Grew up with a pilot for a father. He took me
flying as a young child and often had me go as passenger when he was
deadheading in the company DC-3. I recall playing in several derelict
B-17's that were sitting out past the last hangar at the North
Philadelphia airport where the DC-3 was based. They both got
refurbished and flew to England to appear in "The War Lover". So I've
been immersed in flying since I can remember. In fact the very
earliest memory I have, in which I was so little I was wrapped in a
blanket and sitting in my mother's lap (I must have been 2) was
watching the props begin to turn and smoke billow back on the
transport that took us from the east coast to Washington state where
my father would fly for the Navy during the Korean war.

I began flying lessons at age 15.5 and accumulated about 25 hours by
the time I graduated from high school. All I had to pay for gas and
oil but even that seemingly piddling amount was tough to come by while
earning it mowing lawns. College was next and no money for flying.
After college, I married and eventually had kids. Living in Vermont
with it's low wages definately ruled out flying lessons, just too
costly.

When both parents died when I was 56, I sat down and thought about
things. I had been building an airplane for ten years by then, for
all the reasons folks do that, except that I still was not a pilot.

I knew it was time to either finish the flight lessons begun so long
ago, or give it up forever. There was just enough in the estate sale
to pay for flying lessons. My wife was enthusiastic about me
following through on my dream although she is not much interested in
flying herself. I was gratified to find that it all came back and I
got my pilots license about 6 months after beginning the lessons
again, for the second time in my life.

My opinion is that those who live and breath flying and have for all
their lives and who are strongly motivated, tend to assimilate the
flying lessons and easily earn their pilots license.

The big point is, if this is something that you've always wanted to
do, and you do not follow through, it may bother you for the rest of
your life. It's really too bad that flying is so costly because it's
intensely satisfying in a way nothing else I've ever done is.

Corky Scott