First Solo and Total Hours Flown

All you need to fly an airplane is motivation, perseverence, basic
intelligence, money and spare time. We are not talking about becoming a
Chuck Yeager or Niel Armstrong. Anyone with basic intelligence and
basic motor skills can be turned into a basic pilot.



Ron Lee wrote:
"Andrew Sarangan" wrote:

This is exactly the type of comments that makes me sad to hear from
pilots - 'not everyone is cut out to be a pilot'. This attempts to make
the point that pilots are some kind of superior being.

Actually it is a correct statement. I am not cut out to be a doctor,
basketball player, jockey, lawyer, etc. Such is life. It does not
mean that people who are those professions are superior than me.

Ron Lee

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ups.com...
All you need to fly an airplane is motivation, perseverence, basic
intelligence, money and spare time. We are not talking about becoming a
Chuck Yeager or Niel Armstrong. Anyone with basic intelligence and
basic motor skills can be turned into a basic pilot.

Anyone with basic intelligence and basic motor skills can be turned into
someone who can control an airplane. That does not mean that they can be
turned into a pilot, even a basic one.

Even the lowest levels of FAA certification are beyond the reach of some
people who may well have basic intelligence and basic motor skills.

Recently, Peter Duniho posted:

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ups.com...
All you need to fly an airplane is motivation, perseverence, basic
intelligence, money and spare time. We are not talking about
becoming a Chuck Yeager or Niel Armstrong. Anyone with basic
intelligence and basic motor skills can be turned into a basic pilot.

Anyone with basic intelligence and basic motor skills can be turned
into someone who can control an airplane. That does not mean that
they can be turned into a pilot, even a basic one.

Even the lowest levels of FAA certification are beyond the reach of
some people who may well have basic intelligence and basic motor
skills.

This thread has made me wonder whether pilots really do differ from the
general population in some ways other than just the desire to fly.
Remember those aptitude tests that we (in the US, at least) were given at
different times during our elementary and secondary education? I suspect
that good "stick and rudder" pilots also scored high on the 3D
visualization parts of those tests. Good navigators probably scored high
on math and abstract association.

Neil

This thread has made me wonder whether pilots really do differ from the
general population in some ways other than just the desire to fly.
Remember those aptitude tests that we (in the US, at least) were given at
different times during our elementary and secondary education? I suspect
that good "stick and rudder" pilots also scored high on the 3D
visualization parts of those tests.

Supposedly this is why a higher percentage of pilots are left-handed
than would otherwise be expected. Something to do with the way
right-brainers perceive the world...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
This thread has made me wonder whether pilots really do differ from the
general population in some ways other than just the desire to fly.
Remember those aptitude tests that we (in the US, at least) were given at
different times during our elementary and secondary education? I suspect
that good "stick and rudder" pilots also scored high on the 3D
visualization parts of those tests.

Supposedly this is why a higher percentage of pilots are left-handed
than would otherwise be expected. Something to do with the way
right-brainers perceive the world...

What world?

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...

Supposedly this is why a higher percentage of pilots are left-handed
than would otherwise be expected. Something to do with the way
right-brainers perceive the world...
--


I doubt it. Nobody is keeping score...............nobody.


Karl

Peter Duniho wrote:
"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ups.com...
All you need to fly an airplane is motivation, perseverence, basic
intelligence, money and spare time. We are not talking about becoming a
Chuck Yeager or Niel Armstrong. Anyone with basic intelligence and
basic motor skills can be turned into a basic pilot.

Anyone with basic intelligence and basic motor skills can be turned into
someone who can control an airplane. That does not mean that they can be
turned into a pilot, even a basic one.

Even the lowest levels of FAA certification are beyond the reach of some
people who may well have basic intelligence and basic motor skills.

The point I was trying to make is that flying an airplane is not an
extraordinary skill. Anyone with average capacity can accomplish these
tasks, given enough time, patience and money.

The reason the lowest levels of FAA certificate appear to be beyond
certain individuals is because they lack the discipline and patience
required to reach those goals, not because the skills required are
beyond their capabilities.

Hence I do not believe certain people are 'cut out to be pilots'. That
implies that you have to have some kind of special gift. That may be
the case with people with extraordinary capabilities, such as nobel
laureates and olympic winners, but flying a small airplane around a
traffic pattern is not one of them.

...is because they lack the discipline and patience

Thlse that lack the discipline and patience are not "cut out" to be pilots.

Jose
--
"There are 3 secrets to the perfect landing. Unfortunately, nobody knows
what they are." - (mike).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ps.com...
[...]
The reason the lowest levels of FAA certificate appear to be beyond
certain individuals is because they lack the discipline and patience
required to reach those goals, not because the skills required are
beyond their capabilities.

Hence I do not believe certain people are 'cut out to be pilots'.

The statement about "not everyone is cut out to be a pilot" says nothing
about skills. Nevertheless, in addition to that point already made by Jose,
I'll point out that in my opinion, discipline and patience ARE skills.

The fact remains, there are people who should not be pilots, for one reason
or another. These people are not "cut out to be pilots".

Pete

I dont know why it would take over 30 hours to solo, and some as many
as 70? I soloed at 14 hours, but I hear the average is 20.