"vaughn" wrote in message
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"birdog" wrote in message
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I am an 83 year old ex-pilot - lost my medical some 30 years ago, but my
interest in aviation has never slackened.

There is no reason to let a little thing like a medical keep you out of
the sky. (Forgetting Sport Pilot for a moment) The lack of a medical only
keeps you from flying SOLO. One of the best things you can do is find a
young person trying to build time towards advanced ratings. Share
expenses and pass on your experience to him/her. When I was building time
towards my CFI, I was lucky enough to have such a mentor, (a retired
airline pilot with some physical problems) and I like to believe that he
was mutually lucky to have me.

Alternatively, find another old pilot at the airport who hasn't yet lost
his medical, or is OK to fly Sport Pilot.

Good notion, but I did give that a short try. It just isn't the same. The
sense of freedom of dropping by the strip on a whim and flying over to
Podunk for a coke just isn't there. A friend went that route, bought a
prime condition 170 (one of the prettiest little planes in the air, in my
opinion) and eventually it just sat there in the hanger. The spontinuity was
gone. Arrangements, scheduling, etc. got to be a chore. (He made money on
the sale, by the way)

Thanks for the reply, at any rate.