Unscientific survey - why are you a pilot?

(Trying to steer a thread to the topic of the group g)

A response of mine in another thread got me to thinking (dangerous, I
know) about what makes a person *want* to become a pilot. This has
probably been asked umpteen times before, and will be asked umpteen
times in the future, but I am trying to get a feel for the
psychological aspect that causes a person to WANT to be a pilot. So
this is directed towards non-pilots and students as well. Of course,
every individual is different, but these 2 newsgroups are pretty
directed towards pilots so can be taken as an unscientfic
representative sample.

In some cases looking in Jay's general direction it's because it's
an opportunity for family bonding and whathaveyou. Some cases are
probably your run-of-the-mill "cool factor" cases. And, of course, I
am sure that there are the cases of the "I'm better than you because I
can do something you can't do" syndrome. But I'm wondering if there
isn't some deep commonality amongst most pilots to which we can
point?

Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?
Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")
Are you constantly seeking new challenges?
(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?
Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?
(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly or do you only look it up when you run across
something you don't know.
(subpart - for instructors) Do you enjoy it when your student "gets
it" or has that "aha! moment?"
Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?
Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?
(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?
Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?

Or am I missing something soooo obvious that I'll die of embarassment
when it's pointed out to me? Or even worse, is there no measurable
psychological correlation to flying and I'm just out to lunch
(wouldn't be the first time g)

Note:
I was thinking about including education history (e.g. are pilots more
likely to be college graduates) but that introduces 2 biases (age and
income) into it. However maybe a question along the lines of "while
in school did you consider yourself to be a good student" would be
better.

Time-machine that allows me to travel and visit people that I wouldn't be
able to by car.
Never ending learning opportunities.
Self gratification.


Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?
No

Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")
No

Are you constantly seeking new challenges?
Yes

(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?
Yes

Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?
Thirst for hands on learning. I'd rather be at work or working on something
that I learn from than stuck in any type of classroom.

(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly or do you only look it up when you run across
something you don't know.
Constantly looking up things that I run across.

(subpart - for instructors) Do you enjoy it when your student "gets
it" or has that "aha! moment?"
Yes.

Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?
No

Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"
Neither

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Yes

If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?
Either

(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?
Yes

Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?
Left when needed, lean towards the right

Jim

I became a pilot because I have had a lifelong love of airplanes and
aviation. It started from when I first played with balsa-wide rubber
band powered airplanes, continued with RC planes, my father getting
his license, and finally when I graduated from college and went to
work for Boeing. While at Boeing I finally made enough money and had
an opportunity to blow $4000 on flight training so I got my license.

I have never regretted the decision, and have remained an active,
albeit monthly, pilot since 1991. My most recent and one of my most
memorable flights I just made this summer when I flew with a friend in
his Kitfox 7A all the way from Caldwell Idaho (EUL) to Oshkosh (OSH)
and back. That was a greate way to log a bunch of cross-country
hours!

Dean W
AeroLEDs LLC
www.aeroleds.com

On Aug 15, 10:14 am, Doug Semler wrote:

Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?

No.

Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")

No.

Are you constantly seeking new challenges?

Occasionally.

(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?

No.

Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?

If it something that I am interested in.

(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly or do you only look it up when you run across
something you don't know.

When I run across something I don't know.

Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?

No.

Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"

Just love to fly.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert.

If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?

Aviation books. Aviation movies.

(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?

Yes.

Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?

A little of both.

--
Gene Seibel
Tales of Flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 08:14:53 -0700, Doug Semler
wrote in . com:

This has
probably been asked umpteen times before, and will be asked umpteen
times in the future, but I am trying to get a feel for the
psychological aspect that causes a person to WANT to be a pilot.

To experience the joy evoked by the vistas encountered in flight. The
rapture evoked by the sights an airman routinely encounters fill his
memories with delight.

To play among the clouds as every child imagines. Why lay on your
back wishing you could cavort among the cottony forms when piloting
enables you to fulfill those dreams?

To overcome the limitations of human navigation in the third
dimension. Why accept the limitation of merely walking the surface of
the earth when there is so much more available?

To overcome the frustration with automobile and airline travel.
Traffic congestion, surreptitious speed-trap radar operation by law
enforcement officers, low highway speed limits, and the exposure to
the hazard caused by inept motorists conspire to make driving tedious
and banal for all but the short trips to the grocery store. The
character of airline travel has changed from a pleasurable experience
to become a waiting game for dubious security and inane delays as a
result of stupid airline scheduling and routing. No thanks.

To enable the exploration of geologic and cultural artifacts on the
surface. There are many surface features that can only be truly
appreciated from an aerial vantage point:
http://www.pilotgetaways.com/skytours/index.html

....

Recently, Doug Semler posted:

Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?

Yes, though mostly before my time (father was a WWII fighter pilot).

Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")

No.

Are you constantly seeking new challenges?

Yes.

(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?

No.

Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?

I learn faster and more completely in real-world settings than school...

(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly

Yes.

Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?

No.

Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"

Neither.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

No.

If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?

Either, though much of my elective reading is technically oriented.

(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?

I'd have to ask those who receive my messages (my wife would give me a
mixed review on this).

Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?

Both, in roughly equal portions.

Neil

"Doug Semler" wrote in message
ups.com...
(Trying to steer a thread to the topic of the group g)

A response of mine in another thread got me to thinking (dangerous, I
know) about what makes a person *want* to become a pilot. This has
probably been asked umpteen times before, and will be asked umpteen
times in the future, but I am trying to get a feel for the
psychological aspect that causes a person to WANT to be a pilot. So
this is directed towards non-pilots and students as well. Of course,
every individual is different, but these 2 newsgroups are pretty
directed towards pilots so can be taken as an unscientfic
representative sample.

In some cases looking in Jay's general direction it's because it's
an opportunity for family bonding and whathaveyou. Some cases are
probably your run-of-the-mill "cool factor" cases. And, of course, I
am sure that there are the cases of the "I'm better than you because I
can do something you can't do" syndrome. But I'm wondering if there
isn't some deep commonality amongst most pilots to which we can
point?

Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?
Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")
Are you constantly seeking new challenges?
(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?
Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?
(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly or do you only look it up when you run across
something you don't know.
(subpart - for instructors) Do you enjoy it when your student "gets
it" or has that "aha! moment?"
Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?
Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?
(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?
Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?

Or am I missing something soooo obvious that I'll die of embarassment
when it's pointed out to me? Or even worse, is there no measurable
psychological correlation to flying and I'm just out to lunch
(wouldn't be the first time g)

Note:
I was thinking about including education history (e.g. are pilots more
likely to be college graduates) but that introduces 2 biases (age and
income) into it. However maybe a question along the lines of "while
in school did you consider yourself to be a good student" would be
better.


I was born in 1956. I wanted to be an astronaut and at that time all
astronauts were pilots. Outside of that I love the challenge of flying.

Danny Deger

Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?
No

Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")
No (Well maybe the like new challenges end of it)

Are you constantly seeking new challenges?
Yes (If that applies to everytime I fly my sailplane, 2nd challenges
are building new electronic or mechanical gadgets, usually for my
sailplane)

(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?
No.

Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?
Yes, But prefer hands on learning to going to school.

(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly or do you only look it up when you run across
something you don't know.
Yes, But that is a lot of what Flight Instructors do.


(subpart - for instructors) Do you enjoy it when your student "gets
it" or has that "aha! moment?"
Yes

Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?
No

Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"
No, Ok I do get that "On top of the world feeling" when at 17,500 feet
over the Central Idaho Wilderness in my Sailplane.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Mostly intorvert. I am the quiet one.

If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?
Used to be aviation, Now is more Fiction.

(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?
No

Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?
Left

Doug Semler wrote in news:1187190893.204957.59450
@g12g2000prg.googlegroups.com:


Because I didn't spend enough time practicing piano


Bertie

"Danny Deger" wrote in message
...

"Doug Semler" wrote in message
ups.com...
(Trying to steer a thread to the topic of the group g)

A response of mine in another thread got me to thinking (dangerous, I
know) about what makes a person *want* to become a pilot. This has
probably been asked umpteen times before, and will be asked umpteen
times in the future, but I am trying to get a feel for the
psychological aspect that causes a person to WANT to be a pilot. So
this is directed towards non-pilots and students as well. Of course,
every individual is different, but these 2 newsgroups are pretty
directed towards pilots so can be taken as an unscientfic
representative sample.

In some cases looking in Jay's general direction it's because it's
an opportunity for family bonding and whathaveyou. Some cases are
probably your run-of-the-mill "cool factor" cases. And, of course, I
am sure that there are the cases of the "I'm better than you because I
can do something you can't do" syndrome. But I'm wondering if there
isn't some deep commonality amongst most pilots to which we can
point?

Do you have a "family history" of aviation/piloting?
Are you an adventure seeker (anything from "true" adrenaline junkee to
"every day is different and brings a new challenge")
Are you constantly seeking new challenges?
(subpart) Do you find that you get bored easily?
Do you have a "thirst for knowledge" (e.g. would you rather be in
school than working)?
(subpart) Do you find yourself constantly seeking out new things
about flying regularly or do you only look it up when you run across
something you don't know.
(subpart - for instructors) Do you enjoy it when your student "gets
it" or has that "aha! moment?"
Are you a "control freak" (type-a)?
Do you have hints of "delusions of grandeur?" or is it more like "I'm
on top of the world when I fly"
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
If given the choice, would you rather read fiction or an aviation
oriented book?
(For those that use the radio) Do you find that you have always had
good communication skills?
Are you left brained or right brained (logic-and-math or Artsy
fartsy)?

Or am I missing something soooo obvious that I'll die of embarassment
when it's pointed out to me? Or even worse, is there no measurable
psychological correlation to flying and I'm just out to lunch
(wouldn't be the first time g)

Note:
I was thinking about including education history (e.g. are pilots more
likely to be college graduates) but that introduces 2 biases (age and
income) into it. However maybe a question along the lines of "while
in school did you consider yourself to be a good student" would be
better.


I was born in 1956. I wanted to be an astronaut and at that time all
astronauts were pilots. Outside of that I love the challenge of flying.

Danny Deger

Interesting you mention that. I was born in 1959. Last night I was
listening to an mp3 of a book from the late 1940s/early 1950s called
"Flying Saucers are Real!" and I still have reel-to-reel audio tapes
of most of the Apollo missions, taped using a microphone next
to the TV. I'm not sure if I wanted to be an astronaut or an
alien though...

P.S. I'm not a pilot, yet.