wrote in message
ups.com...
I just turned 53 and find myself finally with the time to pursue
aviation as more than an interested spectator. A pilot friend
recommended the light sport pilot designation for me. That is one
opinion.

I need to know if, at my relatively late date it is reasonable to
expect to be piloting my own plane. I am in good health, so I doubt
that's an issue.

Advice, please?

Terry Reade

Define "piloting my own plane."

For an outlay of $6,000 or so, you can get a private pilot certificate
in less than 6 months. For the cost of a new car, you can find an old
plane in decent condition that will fly under visual flight rules and
take you places at 95 to 100 knots.

In fact Ron Wanttaja has an excellent article in the current Sport
Pilot magazine that covers all that stuff, plus details about variable
costs.

Thing, is owning an airplane all by yourself is a lot like sex in
marriage. In the first year you own your plane, put a marble in a jar
for every hour you fly. After that, take out a marble for each hour.
You'll never empty the jar. (Well, you get the analogy, anyway.)

So it's good to go into flying with the idea of looking for partners
or a flying club, rather than being sole owner. You'll be able to
afford more, the fixed costs won't hurt so much, you'll have more
encouragement to add to your flying skills, the plane will benefit
from more use, and you'll probably end up with more air time, although
not all of it will be in the left seat.

Wait a minute! Did I just make a good argument for polyandry?

Don