We're getting old, folks...

("Matt Whiting" wrote)
Don't they make pink flight suits already? :-)


"Orange, it's the new pink."


Montblack

On Mon, 26 Dec 2005 11:17:36 -0600, "Montblack"
wrote:

("Matt Whiting" wrote)
Don't they make pink flight suits already? :-)


"Orange, it's the new pink."

Phosphorescent Orange! I think that's the color I'll paint my G-III
Well either that or Phosphorescent Green, or maybe one of those
irridescent paint jobs that changes color as you fly by.

When you take 'er through between some one's house and garage all the
wittnesses will give different descriptions.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com


Montblack

In article om,
Jay Honeck wrote:
So what's the solution? How do we make flying more feminine? How do
we attract females to the airport?

I can only comment on my situation, but I don't think it's uncommon.
The issue with my wife is not the lack of "feminity" of flying; she has
an interest in model trains, which is a very male-dominated hobby in my
experience. Her issue with flying boils down to her fear of dying in a
fiery airplane crash.

I suspect that is really an issue of lack of familiarity; she didn't
know anyone that was a pilot growing up (neither did I, FWIW), and as
a result she perceives flying as something strange and unusual. If
she had flown in a GA plane as a child, or even been on a Young Eagles
flight, her attitude would be very different. I am not sure what
the solution is here, other than to get more pilots into the system.

That's why I think Sport Pilot is important for the long-term health
of GA. The people now that I see who are active GA pilots seem to fall
into one of three categories:

- They make it an integral part of their lifestyle (that's obviously
you, Jay :-) ). I think relatively few people have this option.
- They use it for business and can write off part of their aviation
expense. This doesn't seem to be an option for anyone who works
for a large company; when I've talked with other people in my
field, they _all_ told me that they have explicit corporate policies
against using GA for corporate travel (I'm in the same boat).
- They have plenty of spare cash, or somehow they got a plane on the
cheap. Or they have figured something out to make plane ownership
affordable that has escaped me.

I think Sport Pilot can work for people like me; they've got _some_
spare cash to devote to flying, but not enough to spend on a bigger
plane. I'm not talking about the $80,000 Cubs, but I've seen a few
planes in the $50,000 range that could even haul around a few fatasses
like me. Split that with one other person, and you've got a reasonable
new car payment.

My wife, Mary, is living proof that flying is NOT an all-male
pass-time, but I know she likes to hang out at the hangar entertaining
friends nearly as much as she likes the flying. So how do we make the
airport more SOCIAL?

I dunno ... I have never seen any sort of social life at any of the
airports that I've been to, much less anything I'd think my wife would
be interested in. Most of the airports I've visited have been lifeless,
depressing places. If there was some sort of social life associated with
aviation, I think it could maybe get my wife interested in flying; she
would at least get a sense that "normal" people do it. Right now I
think she thinks that flying is reserved for rich people and wackos
like me :-/

--Ken

So how do we make the
airport more SOCIAL?

I dunno ... I have never seen any sort of social life at any of the
airports that I've been to, much less anything I'd think my wife would
be interested in. Most of the airports I've visited have been lifeless,
depressing places. If there was some sort of social life associated with
aviation, I think it could maybe get my wife interested in flying

Social activities at an airport are often spur of the moment things, and --
as a result -- hard to find. Many are put together by (and for) the
regulars that hang out there on a daily basis, which is truly a shame.
It's hard to grow aviation when it becomes ingrown like that, but I think
it's more a function of the airport environment than a reflection of the
people involved.

It's hard to maintain any contact with one another when hangars are
scattered and seldom attended. Heck, when I see a friend on the other side
of the airport, it can be a 15 minute walk just to get to his hangar! So,
we keep an old bike a the hangar, or we drive -- or we just wave.

What is necessary for a consistent airport social life is a central "spark
plug" to keep everyone together -- which usually means the FBO owner's wife,
or someone in the on-field pilot's organization. Our airport currently
lacks this spark plug (it's sorta us, but we just don't have enough time in
the summer to really make it happen), so our airport's social life is
sporadic and (sadly) not growing.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article PPasf.679088$xm3.281129@attbi_s21,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

So how do we make the
airport more SOCIAL?

I dunno ... I have never seen any sort of social life at any of the
airports that I've been to, much less anything I'd think my wife would
be interested in. Most of the airports I've visited have been lifeless,
depressing places. If there was some sort of social life associated with
aviation, I think it could maybe get my wife interested in flying

Social activities at an airport are often spur of the moment things, and --
as a result -- hard to find. Many are put together by (and for) the
regulars that hang out there on a daily basis, which is truly a shame.
It's hard to grow aviation when it becomes ingrown like that, but I think
it's more a function of the airport environment than a reflection of the
people involved.

add to that the idiotic "security" measures put in place (and continuing to be
put in place) and the airport isn't going to get more social. :-(

--
Bob Noel
New NHL? what a joke

add to that the idiotic "security" measures put in place (and continuing
to be
put in place) and the airport isn't going to get more social. :-(

Well, I don't see much difference at our airport. There's still a perimeter
fence, and gates with combination locks, just like there's been forever.
Nothing has been added, but that's apparently enough to stifle the casual
observer.

We're working hard to bring people to the airport for our Big Kids Toy Show
next May (see details at www.BigKidsToyShow.com ), and there's another
fly-in breakfast in August -- but we need to find more consistent ways of
bringing new blood to the airport.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

So what's the solution? How do we make flying more feminine? How do
we attract females to the airport?

Well, the first step is to make the pre-flight inspection something that can be
done in Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

George Patterson wrote:
Jay Honeck wrote:

So what's the solution? How do we make flying more feminine? How do
we attract females to the airport?


Well, the first step is to make the pre-flight inspection something that
can be done in Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes.

I could do this with my Cessna, pretty hard with the under-wing Piper
sumps and gear to check. :-)


Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:

I could do this with my Cessna, pretty hard with the under-wing Piper
sumps and gear to check. :-)

With either, checking the oil still has the potential to be messy. I once saw a
very experienced (and very attractive) lady CFI pre-flight a Cessna while
dressed in a cocktail dress and heels, and I once had to do it while wearing a
business suit, but neither was particularly easy to do.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

George Patterson wrote:

Matt Whiting wrote:

I could do this with my Cessna, pretty hard with the under-wing Piper
sumps and gear to check. :-)


With either, checking the oil still has the potential to be messy. I
once saw a very experienced (and very attractive) lady CFI pre-flight a
Cessna while dressed in a cocktail dress and heels, and I once had to do
it while wearing a business suit, but neither was particularly easy to do.

I've never found checking the oil to be messy. Adding oil has more
potential for that to be sure. Usually, I check the oil before I drain
the sumps. That way the spilled avgas washes the oil film off my hands!
:-)


Matt