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#41
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Did the same thing 20 years ago. At the time I was going through a divorce,
going to grad school, working full time and chasing skirts. That left little time for the learning part of flying. One day, during my 7th flight hour in a C 150II, I did my first power-on stall. Dropped like a rock, saw terra firma in the windshield, let go of the yoke, recovered, felt moisture in my pants, and told the instructor: "lets land NOW!" Didn't go back because the stall maneuver scared the living **** out of me and I figured I didn't have the spare time to devote to learning to fly that was required. The only other activity that I had time for back then was getting laid: it required no instruction or study, but it WAS expensive! Now I'm older, I have more control of my time and I'm married. I'm spending alot of time learning to fly and, ironically, I may get divorced because of it. But I'm pressing on. Now if a maneuver scares me, I do it five times again. It helps to be older and not have children so that you don't worry about screwing up their lives if you make a mistake and you can push your personal envelope with less trepidation because you've lived a decent portion of life by the time you get to my age. "Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:3gULe.251379$x96.181434@attbi_s72... Most of our guests at the hotel are not pilots. It's simply a matter of numbers -- there are a LOT more non-pilots than there are pilots, and they need hotel rooms, too. Many of our guests are "wannabes" or aviation enthusiasts, however. Although we have found many people who are afraid of flying, we have yet to meet someone who doesn't like airplanes -- and those people are our "bread & butter." An amazing number of guests tell me that they have taken flight lessons, but quit flying for one reason or another. I have never been able to understand this phenomenon, since -- after the first lesson -- I was hopelessly hooked. I would have done anything to finish getting my ticket (and did go so far as selling my blood plasma for flight money) -- so the concept of quitting just never made sense to me. I always inquire about their reasons for quitting, and I often hear the same old explanations (money, time, kids, wives, etc.) -- but I often sensed that there was more to the story than they were telling. I've often suspected that these near-pilots had lived through some life-changing event, or had been badly scared during flight training. I simply couldn't fathom what else could cause someone to simply jump off the horse and walk away from it, forever -- but I had never been able to coax the story out of any of these "almost-pilots." The macho, gung-ho attitude that seems to envelope aviation seemed to preclude ever finding anyone who could admit (perhaps even to themselves) what had happened to them. Until a few days ago. As many of our guests do, this fellow was hanging around the lobby, studying all the gizmos, gadgets, books, models and memorabilia that have spread like lichen all over the place in the last three years. As is my wont, I struck up a conversation with the guy, and we casually discussed aviation and airplanes for a few minutes. It soon became obvious that this guy knew way more about flying than our average "wannabe" guest. Sure enough, upon inquiring, he admitted taking 18 hours of instruction, and he had several hours of post-solo flight time under his belt -- before he quit. Maybe it was the relaxed nature of the setting, or perhaps it was the fact that he was on vacation and simply let his guard down, but when I asked him why he had quit (as I ask EVERYONE who tells me they had stopped flying), he actually told me truthfully and sincerely what had happened. It seems he had just soloed a week earlier, and was out practicing touch and goes on his own. There was a bit of a cross wind -- nothing bad -- which apparently increased while he was working the pattern. On his last take-off, when he rotated the cross wind kicked up and carried him out over the adjacent bean field, and in his confusion he found himself sinking toward the beans. In a panic, he luckily overcame the urge to simply pull the yoke back into his belly, and pushed the nose over. Doing so gained some speed, and he climbed out normally. He then came around and landed with some difficulty, but without incident. This seemingly innocent incident scared him so badly that he walked into the FBO, sat down with his instructor, and told him he was through. His instructor asked him what happened, told him that what he had experienced was easily countered with good technique, told him he had done well and acted properly, and immediately booked him for a few more dual lessons. To no avail. This guy was so taken aback by his brush with disaster that he just couldn't get into flying anymore. He did fly a couple of more times with his instructor, but he could never get back in the saddle. He quit altogether. That was over ten years ago. When I encouraged him to try again, and told him that it was never too late to get back into flying, he wistfully but firmly replied that it would never happen. At last -- I've *finally* found someone who could explain what had happened to foil their dreams of flight. I've never, ever been able to understand this all-to-common occurrence -- and there are other good reasons to quit flying, for sure -- but I have often wondered if this kind of scare during training isn't happening more often than we know about? (And before you dismiss a drifting take-off as being non-life-threatening, see: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=CHI05FA080&rpt=p This is an accident that happened in nearby West Union, Iowa, earlier this summer, when a low-time pilot in a Cherokee 235 drifted off the runway centerline, bounced in the weeds, flipped the plane, and killed himself and his two passengers.) It was with a heavy heart and a feeling of dismay that I bid our guest farewell. Perhaps it was for the best that he quit flying, but I couldn't help but think that he had given up too soon, and that with a little extra guidance he could have made a good pilot. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#42
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"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:%SULe.254010$_o.767@attbi_s71... I address this "scared straight" issue as just another small piece of the "Why is GA dying?" puzzle This assumes, of course, that GA is dying. I don't really believe that. It is morphing, as do all pursuits. Ask surfers about their passion, and they'll tell you it has become too damn crowded over the past year or two. Ask bicyclists and they'll complain about the increase in traffic, but will also comment on the new found (and probably short-lived) visibility resulting from Lance. Ask rock climbers and they'll tell you about new technology and the impact of rock-climbing gyms. GA is under pressure because of the misguided focus of anti-terror issues, regulatory issues, (resulting in economic issues), etc. It will continue to change, in some cases for the better (see the recent success of Cirrus and the development of the GA glass cockpit), in some cases for the worse. But the very small incremental change in pilot population that results from "Be a pilot" programs really won't have much effect. Pilots have a small and decreasing voice. That's just part of the landscape. But it is a vast overstatement to say that GA is dying. |
#43
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"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:3gULe.251379$x96.181434@attbi_s72... ...snip... An amazing number of guests tell me that they have taken flight lessons, but quit flying for one reason or another. I have never been able to understand this phenomenon, since -- after the first lesson -- I was hopelessly hooked. 1. For most people, you have to hook at least *two* people. If I spend two or three grand on *my* golf, that may not be a big deal, but if I spend ten or twenty grand a year on *my* flying, that won't leave a whole lot for *her*, ... so it is going to be ten or twenty grand, it better be on *our* flying. Otherwise, its going to have to be those same ten or twenty grand on *our* boat (not bad), or *our* cruises (gag) or *our* trips to her Mother's (barf). I would have done anything to finish getting my ticket (and did go so far as selling my blood plasma for flight money) -- so the concept of quitting just never made sense to me. I always inquire about their reasons for quitting, and I often hear the same old explanations (money, time, kids, wives, etc.) -- but I often sensed that there was more to the story than they were telling. I've often suspected that these near-pilots had lived through some life-changing event, 2. For many, that life-changing event may be as simple as discovering how much work piloting really was... not just the learning regimen, but the actual physical and mental requirements of safely getting and keeping the craft in the air and back down onto the ground. For some people's mental makeup, the required piloting effort leaves little room left over for the "enjoyment" part of flight. ....snip... Until a few days ago. ...snip... It seems he had just soloed a week earlier, and was out practicing touch and goes on his own. There was a bit of a cross wind -- nothing bad -- which apparently increased while he was working the pattern. On his last take-off, when he rotated the cross wind kicked up and carried him out over the adjacent bean field, and in his confusion he found himself sinking toward the beans. In a panic, he luckily overcame the urge to simply pull the yoke back into his belly, and pushed the nose over. Doing so gained some speed, and he climbed out normally. He then came around and landed with some difficulty, but without incident. This seemingly innocent incident scared him so badly that he walked into the FBO, sat down with his instructor, and told him he was through. His instructor asked him what happened, told him that what he had experienced was easily countered with good technique, told him he had done well and acted properly, and immediately booked him for a few more dual lessons. To no avail. This guy was so taken aback by his brush with disaster that he just couldn't get into flying anymore. 3. This is fear of failure, not so much fear of flying. People have near-brushes with death in a car all the time, and they go back driving.... But, as has been argued in these forums many times, we are okay with it because a non-flight accident is *probably* going to be "someone else's" fault. A flight accident is *probably* going to be "our" fault... Perhaps some can't stand that thought? I will share my own feelings. I am hooked on flying. I am pretty sure that I am okay with item 3. I am not bad on item 2, though not as good as I had hoped I might be. But right now I have absolutely no chance with item 1. Can 1 and 2 conspire to make me walk away from piloting? Unfortunately: perhaps.... but I am trying very hard to avoid it. So far: successfully. |
#44
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Icebound wrote:
If I spend two or three grand on *my* golf, that may not be a big deal, but if I spend ten or twenty grand a year on *my* flying, that won't leave a whole lot for *her*, ... so it is going to be ten or twenty grand, it better be on *our* flying. Otherwise, its going to have to be those same ten or twenty grand on *our* boat (not bad), or *our* cruises (gag) or *our* trips to her Mother's (barf). guys, you do realize that getting married, having kids, etc. is actually *optional* ? :-) --Sylvain |
#45
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Sylvain wrote:
guys,Â*Â*youÂ*doÂ*realizeÂ*thatÂ*gettingÂ*married, Â*Â*havingÂ*kids, etc. is actually optional ? No more than flying is. - Andrew |
#46
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I was a skydiver before I was a pilot. Every time I met an
ex-skydiver, I asked why he quit. I couldn't imagine quitting. Like you, I always figured there was an answer - a story. Only sometimes there is no story. I'm an ex-skydiver now. I never really intended to quit - but it's been years since I made a jump. Sure, I've had one surgery on my right ankle and two on my left, and when I offer that as a reason people nod - but I was making demo jumps into a racetrack and closing 13th on a 16-way diamond while recovering from the last of those surgeries. I know people a lot more injured than I am who are still jumping. The truth is that I had done enough, and made enough jumps, that the incremental value of one more never seemed to be worth it. I miss it - but not badly enough to take the time out to do it. I miss flying my glider too. In fact, I miss flying gliders in general. I never intentionally quit doing that either - but I've flown maybe three hours in the last two years. I miss it - but not badly enough to take the time out to do it any more often. I only flew a trike once, but I wish I could do that more often. I flew and landed a taildragger for the first time in over a year this weekend, and I realized I missed that too. And I still think about that gyroplane I flew - and about the floatplane I didn't. So much to do, so little time. I finally found time to get my SCUBA ticket and go spearfishing and see the wrecks. I still haven't found time for a motorcycle. I just CAN'T do everything. I keep thinking about getting that balloon rating, but I can't find the time. Maybe I could have found the time for the motorcycle or the balloon - but something else would have to go. I fly A LOT - over 180 hours so far this year, and it's still August - but most of that is Angel Flights, business trips, vacation trips (where the primary purpose of the flight is to get to a destination rather than just enjoy the scenery), and instruction. I totaled up all my hours spent just flying around, getting hundred dollar burgers and such - and I came up in single digits. What do I give up? I'll tell you what I've given up. I've been fishing maybe half a dozen times this century, and hunting only once. I really enjoy both when I do, but there is never enough time. I haven't been camping anywhere other than an airport in a decade, and I used to love spending time in the woods. I don't own a boat anymore - and I used to love spending time on the river. Still do, when I get the chance. I'm single. My girlfriend also flies and scuba dives. I very rarely work weekends, and rarely work late enough in the evenings that I can't go flying or work on my airplane. I have WAY more free time than most people, WAY fewer responsibilities, and probably quite a bit more disposable income. And there's still not near enough time to do all the things I want to do. What about the people who are married and have kids? Honestly, I don't know how they do it. Mostly they don't. Owning an airplane is expensive. Flying and maintaining it is time-consuming. Most pilots I know are married to women who don't much care to fly. Going camping and fishing with the kids. Working around the house. Buying jewelry (most women won't consider an air compressor, welding rig, or rivet gun acceptable birthday presents). Money, time, wives, kids - those are the real story. What you ran into is the exception. Michael |
#47
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Who knows? Did anything like that ever happen to you or anyone else you
know? Did you or they quit? Those are binary questions. That's an interesting question. I'd a small scare during my PPL training. It, combined with the love I have of preflighting in the winter, kept me away from the airport for five months. It looks like this is more common than I thought. I suspected that the scare claim was just an excuse for some more mundane reason. Anyone else have this experience? I've never seriously scared myself (although I've been plenty worried a few times), but my mentor in flight quit flying not long after an engine-out landing in a corn field. Of course, it didn't help that he was fired from his job about then, too. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#48
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You have it backwards. Motorcycling is *not* golf, nor flying, nor
boating... but I bet you just don't "get it" when it comes to two-wheelers. What, you're saying *motorcycling* is the be-all and end-all activity? I've ridden for 20 years, and (IMHO) it is VERY similar to flying. I love it dearly, but it is essentially just 2/3s of what flying is -- minus the third dimension. Until you can pull back on the handlebars and have the cycle go up, there will be no comparison. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#49
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We are extremely complex creatures. An environmental factor here, an
unbalanced chemical there, a gene here and a personal encouter there - all multiplied by thousaands throughout our lifetime makes each of us unique. Trying to put a finger on a why is in my opinion an exercise in futility. Find one piece of the puzzle and there are a million more to go. But like you, Jay, when I get in that plane and take off on a dream flight, it boggles my mind how so many can "not get it". -- Gene Seibel Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html Because I fly, I envy no one. |
#50
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GA is under pressure because of the misguided focus of anti-terror issues,
regulatory issues, (resulting in economic issues), etc. It will continue to change, in some cases for the better (see the recent success of Cirrus and the development of the GA glass cockpit), in some cases for the worse. But the very small incremental change in pilot population that results from "Be a pilot" programs really won't have much effect. Pilots have a small and decreasing voice. That's just part of the landscape. But it is a vast overstatement to say that GA is dying. The pressure exerted on GA by anti-terror or regulatory issues is insignificant compared to the damage being done to it by Father Time. The pilot community is very old, and getting older by the minute. Already most of the WWII generation has hung it up, and the Korean War generation ain't far behind. Why do you think formerly busy little airports all over the country are now nearly deserted? The guys who used to fly there are "flying" walkers and wheel chairs nowadays. Take a look at the "Gone West" page in EAA's Sport Aviation magazine every month. It's astounding the number of members EAA is losing each month due to natural attrition -- and there simply are not enough student pilot start-ups to make up for the tens of thousands of post-war pilots who are pushing up daisies. GA is dying -- literally -- right before our eyes. And we are going to have to get a whole bunch of young people interested in flying to keep this ball rolling. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
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