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Why do you fly?

S

StewartB

There are a number of regulars on this site, as well as visitors, who represent a very diverse group of pilots, with respect to why we fly. I thought it would be interesting to hear the different perspectives. I'll start.

I was introduced to being a pilot (opposed to being a passenger) by Gene Zerkel, who is the man behind Magnum Beavers. I was at his hangar drooling over one of the Magnums and he sent me out in a 150hp C150 with an instructor. I was hooked. I started flying with no agenda for what I would do with a plane, but embraced flying with a passion. I used to burn alot of gas just for fun, but life and business have reduced it to transportation and occasionally, therapy (getting away from life and business.) I generally fly every weekend year-round, more during fishing and hunting. One thing that I think is different for me than most of you is that on Friday afternoon, I'm going to the cabin. And Sunday, I'm coming home. The weather has to be pretty bad to not go. I've flown my share of crappy weather, but the flights aren't long, so I can push it a little. Well, that's the SHORT story. Let's hear yours.
SB
 
Why do I fly? Because I can. Not flying is not even a option.

I've been around aviation a long time, and have found there are two very different types of pilots. There are pilots who love being pilots, and there are pilots who love to fly. Maybe that is why I have gravitated towards the Cub Drivers, they are usually the pilots who love to fly.

Even after all the hours aloft, when droning along alone and bored, does anyone else ever flip the plane up onto a wingtip just to look straight down at the space between the plane and the ground and marvel at the magic of it all? I do.
 
Because it's there. The challenge. The silence in the noise of the slipstream. Open windows. I own the sky, the sun, the treetops. Grass strips and windsocks. Thinking of what my plane can do, if only I could do it too. Other people who love aviation. Stories around the campfire. The smell of the fabric. Oil changes. Pilotage. It's who I am.

Anne.
 
cops

After thousands of hours in a cub I seem to think that I need to travel at my cruise speed whether in the air or on the ground---one of the most refreshing aspects of flying for me----------no traffic cops.no speeding tickets, no stop lights etc... LOL
 
I was always interested in flying, but never seemed to have the time or the money. When I had the money I made the time. Learned in spam cans, after a couple of years of them, flying seemed to lose it's edge. Then on holiday in Florida I tried a J3 on floats at Jack Browns?. A revalation. Did my taildragger checkout, and bought a share in a pa18-95 (plate says L18c). It's just a grin leaping into the air from our little farm strip, and slowly drifting over the fields and taking in the view. My flying is purely for pleasure.

Pete
 
Because they took away my drivers license...
 
I have a clear memory of a time back when I was a little boy (some time before I even started school) laying on the grass in the backyard and watching those big silver jets going overhead into LAX. The funny thing about this memory, is that I remember thinking that there were three men sitting up front, in their white shirts with shoulder stripes, neckties, and headphones, talking to each other about the operations of the plane, while the passengers that sat in the back were oblivious to what was going on up front. My fascination was with the pilots and their duties.

I guess that?s where it all started for me. Being a pilot was a life long ?vision? that I had to fulfill.

MD, I know exactly what you?re talking about when you say that there are pilots that want to be pilots and there are pilots that want to be flyers. I had to do some soul searching before I signed my name on the bottom of the loan papers for the Cub because I was also looking at a C-182. I decided that the 182 was a little too ?business like? for the type of flying that I really enjoy.

Now if I could just find a killer deal on a 707....

Anne, very poetic...thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Christ...this is starting to sound like ?group? :oops:
 
Why do we fly

I fly for a lot of reasons.....mostly for fun.
I see myself in all the above posts....but Anne's post hits pretty close to the mark.
Here is what a famous pilot said about it once.........

Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: What more could you ask of life? Aviation combined all the elements I loved.
There was science in each curve of an airfoil, in each angle between strut and wire, in the gap of a spark plug or the color of the exhaust pipe. There was freedom in the unlimited horizon, on the open fields where one landed. A pilot was surrounded by beauty of earth and sky. He brushed treetops with the birds, leapt valleys and rivers, explored the cloud canyons he had gazed at as a child. Adventure lay in each puff of the wind.
I began to feel that I lived on a higher plane than the skeptics of the ground; one that was richer because of its very association with the element of danger they dreaded, because it was free of the earth to which they were bound. In flying I tasted the wine of the gods of which they could know nothing. Who valued life more highly, the aviators who spent it on the art they loved, or these misers who doled it out like pennies through their antlike days?
I decided that if I could fly for ten years before I was killed in a crash, it would be a worthwile trade for an ordinary lifetime.
Charles Lindbergh, the Spirit of st. Louis (1953)
Randy
 
I can't remember ever not wanting to fly... my Mom says I never missed a plane flying overhead even when I could just barely lift my head. I was convinced of a global conspiracy at age 12 or 13 when someone told me jet jockeys couldn't wear glasses -- my life's goal was the Air Force Academy and I was already wearing Coke bottles. Even with that desire I had only been in an airplane a couple times before I graduated from college, got my first job, and sought out a grass strip in Iowa to begin my flight lessons. Getting my private ticket was a little challenging, mostly because I loved flying so much, even with the instructor, that I wasn't really motivated to get out on my own.

After I got my ticket, somehow money and jobs seemed to get in the way of flying and the hours never seemed to rack up. My enthusiasm has only ever been dampened by that early physical limitation of 20/800 vision (now 20/150 after RK -- but that's another story) and the realization that a career in aviation would always be limited.

In just the last few years I truly decided to make my passion for airplanes and flying a life priority, first by joining a club, then buying the my Super Cub and then a J4, getting an instrument rating, and tackling a PA-12 project. At my last physical, 20/25 was my best corrected vision, good enough for a 3rd class ticket but further reinforcing the recreational level I was stuck at. A couple months ago a CFI pointed out a regulatory detail that I had missed: I could instruct with a 3rd class medical -- and life has taken on a new meaning. Passed the commercial written last week, and I should be joining the CFI ranks within a month or so. I've always loved "sharing" my passion for flying -- my 3 best friends and 2 of 3 brothers are all building time and soon I'll be able to sign their logbooks too. I'll probably won't quit my current career, but I'll be moonlighting as a flight instructor for the rest of my days!

I love the way the earth is a much cleaner, neater place from on high. Even my dumpy little Wyoming home town becomes an oasis in the plains from a few hundred feet. I've logged time in most Cessna singles, a few tin Pipers, some Beech twin time, and even a short ride in a SNJ Texan. I know there are folks with thousands more hours than I, but I don't believe there is anyone who has enjoyed every single minute aloft more than me.
 
I have, like those above, always wanted to fly. I recall as a four-year-old being told to let go of the controls and sit back in my seat. my father had chartered a small airplane and I sat next to the pilot. I was not content to just watch--I had already decided I was to fly.

I grew up in northern Canada where small airplanes were the only transportation to some communities. They still are. I went to flying college and trained as a professional pilot but I decided airline flying was not for me. I joined the military looking for a pure, hands on, heads up kind of flying. I flew jets and helicopters and enjoyed the flying immensely. The military developed this strange notion that they owned me and began treating me as such. I parted ways with them on mostly good terms in 1999.

I took work flying helicopters in Canada's arctic and found a whole new world of challenge and adventure. The destinations are remote and exotic, the weather is extreme, and the tasks are challenging. It is not uncommon to be a hundred miles from the nearest living person. There is often little room for error and the consequences can be unpleasant or worse. And that is why I love it; it is the challenge of flight which makes it so interesting and exciting for me.

When I'm not working I fly my PA-20 back into the Mackenzie Mountains. I use fishing and hunting as excuses to go. What I really love is the satisfaction of stepping onto a back-country strip after a flight of challenges--the years of discipline and learning which allow me to stand in that place. My helicopter skills serve me well in some aspects of my recreational flying, but in a cub I am still an amateur.

The word "amateur" is derived from the French word amour--to love. I hope it applies to me for some time to come.

Cheers,
Glen S
 
The satisfaction of stepping onto a backcountry strip after a challenging flight. Music to my ears. Well put.
SB
 
I remember as a kid wanting to fly bush planes in Alaska. I have a vidid memory of flying to Ketchikan in a float plane piloted by my mom's uncle. Since then, it stuck with me, and learning to fly was on my 'life list.'

But, years went by, and it never rose to the top of the list of things to tackle. Plenty of other outdoor activities that I could share with my wife (who has a fear of flying learned from her father, who will drive from New York to WA state to avoid getting on a jet. Really.), full job, then kids.

But, I never lost the dream, and would bug friends at work who fly. About every six months, I'd as 'where's a good place to get training.' But, I wouldn't follow through. Finally, one guy said 'just go do it--stop talking about it.' So I went that minute and scheduled my first lesson for the next Saturday.

That was April 2002, and I haven't looked back. I soloed in June and got my private October 16th. During that time I met a local CFI who teaches tailwheel and rents a couple of J-3 cubs to former students. I earned my tailwheel in November, and have been flying that J-3 at every opportunity since. I worked on refining my mission to figure out what to do next. Owning a cabin on an island in the San Juans helped defined that, and a discussion with my wife about how many hours I needed before we'd fly as a family has led me to smaller, two seater airplanes that can carry me and supplies to our place in the summers when the family stays up there.

The transition to tailwheel and stick and rudder flying was like a whole new dimension. It's not about 'driving the plane around the sky', and I can take the J-3 places that the FBO where I learned won't let their C-172 or -182s land due to no insurance coverage for grass runway landings.

If all goes well, next week I'll be the owner of a '47 PA-12 and my real flying can continue. I go up now for an hour of touch and gos, practicing precision landings, refining short approaches, etc. I come home with the biggest grin.

It's not about the 'where did I go', but the 'I can't believe I can do this!'
 
Why we fly

Why we fly is a good question I suspect that most of these Super Cub Pilots on this thread were bitten at an early age. I was- I can remember building a mock dog fight out of plastic molded planes on the ceiling of my bed room and carving models out of scrap wood and always looking up when a plane flew over our mountain home in sw Washington After a stint in the Naval Air where I worked on planes and flew as a crew member I started to save for my first airplane purchase. 7KCAB with out giros and flaps was the love of my life. My wife thought I was safer in the air than driving.(little did she know) I now own a cessna 185 and a PA-18. People say that a business man makes a real poor pilot if he flys him self on work related business. I disagree because some time that is my only outlet for stress.
My passion now is low and slow with short field operations the thing I practice the most. If reincarnation is possible I want to come back as either as a super cub on floats or a turlbo otter.(hell I would even settle for being the wet compass on a Husky as a last option)
 
Well said Jerry!! I think what does it for me is every time I go up wether it be a long trip to my favorite fishing hole or a short trip to get fuel for the next little adventure and to see the wunder and excitement in my boys eyes. because it is one adventure after the next .

and Matt, or should we call you "LINK" no wounder you get picked on!!!
 
I'm a third generation pilot. My grandfather went to town one day and returned to the farm, after only 4 hours of instruction, flying a J-3.

The logbook indicates my father officially soloed on his 16th birthday although its likely the actual date was somewhat earlier. Dad went into the Air Force and made his living as pilot doing everything from crop dusting to charter and air freight.

Although I've been in and around airplanes literally since I was born, it took me until my early 20s to get my ticket. I was motivated by some deeper feeling and desire rather than rational economics.

Why do I fly? Perhaps some day scientists researching the human genome will discover a "flying gene" --a resessive trait present in only a small percentage of humans that compels us to escape the mundane life of mere mortals and pursue the freedom only flying can offer.

Cubman
 
I'd have to say that I fly for all of the above listed reasons. But what i really want to say is that I am insanely jealous of articace. Glen S, I want to be you when I grow up. Here I sit chipping out little pieces of salt 8-5 Mon- Thurs, then for the last few weeks, we get nothing but cold rain Fri-Sun :bad-words: I don't care why, I just wanna fly!
Ken
 
Flying

I was 4 years old in 1961 when my Dad and a couple of his longshoring buddies purchased a little yellow with a black lightning bolt on the side, 90hp J-3 up from Texas to Seward Alaska. It had "Texas Border Patrol" painted in big black letters on the side with little tires half covered by fiberglass fender flairs. We flew around the Kenai peninsula and Cook inlet in that plane until a 37' tidal wave caused by the 1964 earth quake washed up the Seward strip and wrapped it around a cotton wood tree along with hangers, houses, boats and other airplanes. I took lessons at the age of 16 working part time at a snowmolbile/motorcycle shop but the money ran out soon so I quit and had to settle for flying with my dad in his planes (another J-3, then a PA-12 then a Maule). I went back to taking lessons in '89 and almost dropped out again after flying Cessna 150's, 152's and 172's during flight training due to shear boredom of flying these pigs. But I though "this isn't really flying until you get a Cub", keep going, keep going. I got my own Super Cub in '91 and experienced real flying. Most of my flying is off airport and I like the ability of a Super Cub to land in places that other planes have a hard time getting in and out of. Love the smell, noise feel, and visability of a Cub, like sitting in a glass cage suspended in the air, slowly moving over the earth. Anything over 100 mph and you miss a lot of sights. Take care! Crash
 
I've wanted to fly since my earliest memories, why(?) I don't really know. Words only describe the sensation, where the desire came from I'll always wonder. Dreaming about flying has been a constant for my entire life. Now I'm thirty something, and I know it's not a passing desire, or a hobby that will become old and worn out after a few years. Now if I just didn't have this stupid mortgage payment, and all these other asorted bills coming in I could just move on to buying a plane.
 
Flight is abiding peace.
Absolute serenity.
It is faith and compassion.
Purest joy.
It is a spirit totally free.
Flight is yesterday's yearning.
The fulfillment of today's dreams.
Tomorrow's promises.

- Louise Thaden.
 
Anne,
You and I definitely have that Venus vs. Mars thing going.

I like watching F-15's climbing straight-up, afterburners glowing. Deafening noise. Going fishing on days that the weather's so crappy even the riverboaters won't go. Knowing that I should have changed the oil yesterday, I might get to it today, but.....hell, it'll wait 'til tomorrow. I fly because it's another way to burn gas. I'm a motorhead. And the snow's no good. And boats take too long. And the Troopers have two-way radar.

Y against X. Boys and girls. My usual passengers are girls. They're laid-back, I'm wound-up. It's very refreshing to read a different point of view. Thanks.
SB
 
There seems to be a common thread amoung cub drivers and being wound up.... At least around here :agrue:

Anne, glad you are taking a relaxing view as I try to do.

sj
 
Hours and hours of bordem, interupted by stark terror! (not really--most of the time) It is my why of relaxing, and time to have that self talk, reflection on what is "really important".

Not a flight goes by, that I reminded of how truly blessed I am to be able to fly, when I want, pretty much where I want, in my own plane! I challenge skill level, the environment challenges me and what I learn I attempt to share with others.

"Relax", yeh sure just as soon as those 31's stop turning and the prop stops!

Enjoy!

Tim
 
I learned to fly for the convenience. My family lives over 500 miles and a 10 hour drive from me. My passions included hunting and fishing. Flying allowed me to hunt and fish with my father and brother in Southern Missouri. But, flying became another passion. I sometimes leave the 310 in the hangar and fly the Super Cub, just for the fun of it. My father passed away recently, I realized that flying had allowed us to have a close relationship since I was only a couple of hours away. My father was also a pilot but lost his medical several years ago. My first flights were with him in an old 210. I had the pleasure of sharing many flights with Dad. He was amazed at what could be done in a Super Cub.
 
It is an addiction. It is the only explanation for someone to spend 6 years, 100 hrs. and 6 instructors getting a license. You know you have it bad when you start looking at hang gliders and parasails just so that you can be in the air.
Lug
 
PA12driver said:
Hours and hours of bordem, interupted by stark terror! (not really--most of the time) It is my why of relaxing, and time to have that self talk, reflection on what is "really important".

Not a flight goes by, that I reminded of how truly blessed I am to be able to fly, when I want, pretty much where I want, in my own plane! I challenge skill level, the environment challenges me and what I learn I attempt to share with others.

"Relax", yeh sure just as soon as those 31's stop turning and the prop stops!

Enjoy!

Tim

I'd agree totally with Tim and :lol: ADDICTION :lol: similar to lug... Its my way to get out of the Stresses of life and feel FREE....

I'd have to also thank my Dad for encourageing me to fly (He loves planes but doesnt fly) and my (unofficial) UNCLE PETER for my first small plane ride when I was a little boy. Which I will never forget and still have the picture of...
 
I don't fly because I want to fly..... I fly because I HAVE to fly.

Soloed at 16... never looked back.

Flyin' a Cub is the most fun one can have with clothes on..!!
 
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