Tony writes:

Is it not true that the USAF sends its flying cadets at the Academy
off to general aviation flight schools for their PP license before
starting them in their own programs? These men and women are smart,
motivated, fit, grew up playing computer games all of their lives, and
are learning to fly in SEL aircraft.

And you, we are led to believe, are in your forties, not as fit,
probably with lesser reflexes, think doing it that way is perhaps too
easy? "Oh, I'd start in a Baron."

The USAF trains fighter pilots; the Baron is not a fighter aircraft. They
also train for very exceptional conditions that civilians don't encounter.

The Baron isn't certified for aerobatics, either. I don't see why flying it
nice and easy would be any insurmountable challenge.

Ego, in pilots, is a killer. Way back when I paid attention to such
things the pilots who were MDs (circa 1970s) were over represented in
the crash statistics. In that era -- those would have been med school
graduates of the 50s and 60s, -- MDs seemed to be much more 'absolute'
in their decision making. I hate painting with such a broad brush, but
that was my impression at least.

My guess would be that MDs simply lacked experience. Doctors are usually
pretty busy, and although they might well be able to afford lessons and a
license and even their own aircraft, actually racking up lots of hours would
be very difficult. So when they do go out flying, they're often rusty.

The point I'm making is that ego driven pilots, and you seem to
present yourself as likely being in that group should you obtain a
license, tend to ruin perfectly good airplanes.

I have no ego, but I have no false modesty, either. I don't see learning to
fly as such a big deal. The biggest problem with flying is the draconian set
of regulations governing it, not the flying itself.

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