Have you ever...

On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:40:17 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
5vP7e.16612$xL4.10899@attbi_s72::

The "failed pilots" we should be concerned about are the ones who fail
because they are so intimidated by the process that they never even take the
test.

I would prefer not to share the sky with those individuals, thanks.

The "failed pilots" we should be concerned about are the ones who fail
because they are so intimidated by the process that they never even take
the
test.

I would prefer not to share the sky with those individuals, thanks.

That's just crap.

Walk into your airport today, Larry, with the eyes of a newbie. Try to
imagine knowing NOTHING about flying, and trying to get your foot in the
door. Imagine trying to know Step One to learning to fly, just by standing
in your airport terminal building.

It's intimidating as hell, even at most uncontrolled fields. At a Class C
airport, you might as well be trying to break into Area 51.

In fact, it's so intimidating that people don't even consider the fact that
they MIGHT be able to fly, let alone wonder who to speak with about it.
It's a terrible situation.

Without a mentor, most new pilots never get started. We've made airports so
inaccessible that flying has become like some sort of priesthood, where you
must be inducted into it by the Elders.

We're not Jedi Knights. While I love the thought that what I do is special,
and that I've got knowledge that very few others have, we've simply got to
get past this ego thing if general aviation is to survive.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:40:17 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
5vP7e.16612$xL4.10899@attbi_s72::

This is one of the things that really burned me up about the closing of
Meigs (KCGX - Chicago, IL)...

When I was a kid, my dad, who was a WWII fighter pilot, used to frequently
take me out to the old Raleigh (NC) Municipal Airport on Saturday and Sunday
afternoons.

We could walk up and down the flight line, talking to the pilots, and there
were a couple of mostly parted out planes over by one of the FBO's where
they would allow me to sit in the cockpit and dream my six-year-old dreams.

And the airplanes! None of today's wall-to-wall 172's and Warriors; if it
had ever flown, you could probably find on tied down at Raleigh Muni.

Now flash back to Meigs...

As a matter of hard-core practicality, Meigs generated revenue for the city.
Now, they are turning it into what is known as a "natural prairie" park,
which, with apologies to the tree-huggers amongst us, is nothing more than a
weed-covered vacant lot.

Of course, Chicago is faced with the same revenue shortfalls as is every
other city, so they've decided to scrape up a few bucks by leasing a part of
their "nature park" to Clear Channel, so they can stage rock concerts there.

But consider this: what if Mayor Daley had not destroyed Meigs?

What if he had spent (probably less than) $50,000 to put a few nice picnic
tables just outside the fence at Meigs so people could sit out there and
watch the planes taking off and landing? He could have even put up a few of
the overpriced concession stands that we have in all of the parks and
brought in a little more revenue.

And I imagine the mayor could have found one of his wealthy supporters to
donate a worn out 152 (or similar) that could be permanently set up over by
the picnic area. Cut the wings back to stubs (to save space), remove the
engine and install a dummy prop, remove the doors, and let the kids enjoy
the same fantasies I was able to do as a kid.

How many new pilots do you think would have come out of that?

And please don't label me a liberal do-gooder, but keep in mind that Meigs
was centrally located and very accessible to everyone in the city. How many
inner-city black and Hispanic kids do you think will ever see a light
airplane anywhere other than in the movies.

How many lights do you think would have been lit behind those little brown
eyes if they could still see and touch a real airplane at Meigs?

But Meigs is gone; probably forever. I have heard that the "Friends of
Meigs" have been pushing a plan to rebuild the airport, but for that to
happen, Daley would have to admit he screwed up (like the evidence isn't all
around those of us who live in Chicago), and that ain't about to happen.

So tonight, thousands of little heads will hit pillows in our city, with the
little kids dreaming their dreams of owning Glocks or Uzis, instead of
dreaming of owning a 172 or a Warrior.

And while they will have a park full of weeds to play in, somehow I don't
think we will be the better for all of this...






"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:z888e.19937$GJ.13008@attbi_s71...
The "failed pilots" we should be concerned about are the ones who fail
because they are so intimidated by the process that they never even take
the
test.

I would prefer not to share the sky with those individuals, thanks.

That's just crap.

Walk into your airport today, Larry, with the eyes of a newbie. Try to
imagine knowing NOTHING about flying, and trying to get your foot in the
door. Imagine trying to know Step One to learning to fly, just by
standing
in your airport terminal building.

It's intimidating as hell, even at most uncontrolled fields. At a Class C
airport, you might as well be trying to break into Area 51.

In fact, it's so intimidating that people don't even consider the fact
that
they MIGHT be able to fly, let alone wonder who to speak with about it.
It's a terrible situation.

Without a mentor, most new pilots never get started. We've made airports
so
inaccessible that flying has become like some sort of priesthood, where
you
must be inducted into it by the Elders.

We're not Jedi Knights. While I love the thought that what I do is
special,
and that I've got knowledge that very few others have, we've simply got to
get past this ego thing if general aviation is to survive.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:40:17 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
5vP7e.16612$xL4.10899@attbi_s72::

Lakeview Bill wrote:

So tonight, thousands of little heads will hit pillows in our city, with
the little kids dreaming their dreams of owning Glocks or Uzis, instead of
dreaming of owning a 172 or a Warrior.

More money for local police.

- Andrew

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 13:09:51 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in z888e.19937$GJ.13008@attbi_s71::

The "failed pilots" we should be concerned about are the ones who fail
because they are so intimidated by the process that they never even take
the
test.

I would prefer not to share the sky with those individuals, thanks.

That's just crap.

It's difficult to argue with sagacious logic such as that. :-)

Walk into your airport today, Larry, with the eyes of a newbie. Try to
imagine knowing NOTHING about flying, and trying to get your foot in the
door. Imagine trying to know Step One to learning to fly, just by standing
in your airport terminal building.

The terminal building at the airport from which I fly is strictly for
airline passengers; it has nothing to do with flight instruction.

If someone is passionate enough about flight, they find the way to a
certificate. If they are not passionate enough about flight or
intelligent enough to look for a flight school in the Yellow Pages, or
find the flight instruction too intimidating, they probably belong on
the ground.

It's intimidating as hell, even at most uncontrolled fields. At a Class C
airport, you might as well be trying to break into Area 51.

I have no idea what makes you say that. It certainly hasn't been my
experience. What do you find so intimidating?

In fact, it's so intimidating that people don't even consider the fact that
they MIGHT be able to fly, let alone wonder who to speak with about it.
It's a terrible situation.

You'd have to provide some specific personal experiences that bolster
that argument before I'd buy it. Otherwise it smacks of a straw man
argument to me.

Without a mentor, most new pilots never get started.

I believe it's safe to assume that _significantly_ less than 50% of
currently certificated airmen were mentored. Certainly, I had no
mentor other than my CFI. Where do you get these ideas?

We've made airports so inaccessible that flying has become like some sort of
priesthood, where you must be inducted into it by the Elders.

Commencing flight instruction is a matter of telephoning a flight
school, and making an appointment for an introductory flight. How
would you make it simpler?

While flight may be a "religious" experience, it certainly has nothing
to with metaphysics nor voodoo cults. Flight is all about physics,
mathematics, responsibility, judgment, and three dimensional reality,
not irrationality.

We're not Jedi Knights.

Well, I happy to hear we got that cleared up. :-)

While I love the thought that what I do is special,
and that I've got knowledge that very few others have, we've simply got to
get past this ego thing if general aviation is to survive.

General Aviation will survive despite what is done by you and me or
the government. You can't keep a good airman down. :-)

Jay Honeck wrote:

Imagine trying to know Step One to learning to fly, just by standing
in your airport terminal building.

Terminal building? No terminal I ever saw had anything to do with flight
training. That's where you go to get on an airliner. Been that way as long as
I've been above ground.

It's intimidating as hell, even at most uncontrolled fields. At a Class C
airport, you might as well be trying to break into Area 51.

No around here. Here, the FBO sees dollar signs as soon as someone walks in the
door. They fall over their tongues to show you around.

Without a mentor, most new pilots never get started. We've made airports so
inaccessible that flying has become like some sort of priesthood, where you
must be inducted into it by the Elders.

I don't know anyone who got started by a mentor. In fact, I see exactly the
opposite. At every social occassion I attend, I get introduced to several people
who have their certificate. Many (maybe most) have quit flying, usually because
of family considerations. It's just not that hard to get a certificate. What's
hard is to stay enthusiastic about sinking $5,000 or more each year into boring
holes in the air over New Jersey.

The thing that will kill GA is urban sprawl. It just isn't pretty looking down
at horizon-to-horizon condos. Especially if they're built on top of what used to
be a small airport. Even if the *do* name the complex "Airport Acres."

George Patterson
There's plenty of room for all of God's creatures. Right next to the
mashed potatoes.

"George Patterson" wrote

Terminal building? No terminal I ever saw had anything to do with flight
training. That's where you go to get on an airliner. Been that way as long
as
I've been above ground.

HKY (Hickory NC) has a really nice general aviation terminal. It is there
to serve people picking up a charter or business flight, and also serves a
the home of rentals and flight training.

I guess you are simply unaware of terminals of this type. ;-)
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

HKY (Hickory NC) has a really nice general aviation terminal.

Been through HKY twice. They called that an FBO.

George Patterson
There's plenty of room for all of God's creatures. Right next to the
mashed potatoes.

"George Patterson" wrote

Been through HKY twice. They called that an FBO.

How about that! How recently?

Yes, FBO fits, but I think terminal also fits, don't you?

Had you been through a couple years ago, what they had then, was a far cry
from the facility they have now.

Delta is beginning regional jet service, starting in May. The main runway
is closed for paving, now. I hope they are able to make it a money making
success. This area could use some good commercial connections.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:


"George Patterson" wrote

Been through HKY twice. They called that an FBO.

How about that! How recently?

Yes, FBO fits, but I think terminal also fits, don't you?

I think that a terminal is something that an FBO might or might not have.

MacDan at CDW has tie-downs, a school, hangers...and a terminal. These are
distinct (with the school actually being in a completely different
building). And, of course, the school is relatively unadorned while the
FBO is seriously plush.

Oddly - in my opinion - the school is where you'd need to go for aviation
supplies. The terminal has a pilots' lounge, but if they need a chart they
need to visit the other building.

[I don't care for the coffee at either location, though, but at least it's
less often burned at the terminal grin.]

- Andrew