"R.W. Behan" wrote in message
...
It would take longer to get the necessary private pilot's license--40 hours of
flying time instead of 10--but I see that as a huge advantage: nothing beats
experience. And flight training and airplane building could proceed
simultaneously, couldn't they?

You, (unless you are very talented and unusual person) will likely not be
ready for any license in 10 hours or even in 40 hours. I learned to fly at a
rather late age (but not that late) and as a glider CFI I taught several older
students, and I can tell you that it just takes longer. You can learn to fly
safely, there is no particular reason why you should not take flight lessons,
but you must have patience. The simple fact is that the average 70 year-old
flight student will learn much slower than the average 20 year-old flight
student. This is true no matter how intelligent you happen to be, because it is
a physical skill you are learning and brainpower is not everything in that
situation. Check your pride at the cockpit door, do not put any time limits on
yourself and do not push your CFI to solo you until he is eager to do so.
Learning to fly is flying, and it is fun! Paying the CFI is the cheapest part
of flying, so why rush it?

Heck, I still take a CFI up on a fairly regular basis just for the hell of
it.

Vaughn (CFIG)