What is the SO you ask?

A new government fee? A new safety program? A new officer position
in your club?

Nope, its way more invasive than any of these things and has
incredible power that is weilded almost nonchallantly or on a whim it
seems sometimes.

Some people are married to it, some just live with it, others just
visit with it now and then and some fight with and despise it.

It is that "Significant Other" in your life that invariably impacts
the things you do while enjoying your hobby/sport.

I have spoken to many people in aviation and have found this common
theme and topic that is rarely mentioned
unless asked about specifically, and then there is a catharsis.

I have been influenced myself recently and have found others just as
equally effected.

In just two days and talking to only 4 people I noticed the common
theme in each of them and decided that this is an issue that ought to
be discussed if for no other reason as a form of therapy.

Here are 4 impacted folks starting with myself. Names with-held to
protect true feelings from being exposed on the matter and the SO
network springing into action to terminate the threat.



Pilot #1: (Visits with it. ie Girl Friend) The SO insisted I not sell
my 2 seat motor glider because she "might" want to go flying
sometime.

The truth of the matter is that she has only been up flying once and
she was not particularly enjoying it due to motion sickness even
though I was not thermalling or banking at all really(Perhaps 10
degrees max).
She also has not indicated any desire to go up again and is not at all
enthused at the idea of doing so.

There are other benefits to keeping my 2 seater such as giving friends
who enjoy flying rides, having extra payload capacity for those long
distance fly-in missions that require some clothes, food and perhaps
even some camping gear.

I was frankly surprised that the SO's feeling would be hurt if I did
not own a 2 seater.


Pilot #2: (Lives with SO) The SO "required" that the aircraft be a 2
seater and suitable for cross country flights in order for the funding
to be endorsed and approved.
The SO in this case only likes to go flying in the warm evening calm
on occasion.
At least she likes to fly and share a nice sunset.

The person sharing this info also mentioned that she has a particular
preference for wearing certain airy sexy clothing on these flights and
perhaps makes it much more desirable to take her on those open cockpit
flights, but alas the PIC must keep his mind and hands only on the
aircraft.


Pilot #3: (Despises it) This now EX SO has caused the ultimate insult
by requiring the person who amateur built this aircraft lovingly for 6
years, to have to sell it before its first flight as part of the
divorce settlement, out of spite.

This is the type of thing that sends people off the deep end....what
can you do when things go that bad with an SO.
Perhaps the SO hated the aircraft for the attention it stole from her
relationship and blamed the troubled marriage on it.

On a positive note, she cleared the deck for this guys next SO as his
project was gone and his funds depleted for while anyway
and his emotions in a vunerable state just they way new SO's like it.


Pilot #4: (Married to it) This pilot and his SO are living a good life
in a middle class 2.5 kids and a dog type of environment.
He gets to go flying occasionally as his life is busy with many
things, but almost everything else in his life has higher priority
than going flying.
He will endure the years with periodic flights now and then, just
enough to keep passing his Biennial flight reviews.
He will need to wait until the kids are out on their own and his SO
takes up her own hobbies to keep her busy with the kids gone.
Until that day he will hang on to his glider, dream of those amazing
flights he will do some day and wait for his periodic opportunities to
go flying.



Like the saying goes, can't live with them and it sure seems like we
also can't live without them for very long either.
So go the tales of SO issues around the world no doubt.

There are a rare few individuals that don't have these issues and I
wonder what it is that we can learn from them and all the issues the
rest of us have with SO's.

Ray