How to choose what kind of flying you like?

Lndwarrior said:
I just wanted to fly. You can make most planes fit most of your missions. They all take off, cruise and land some place. Find a plane that's fun to fly, or looks cool to you and go fly it.

It might not get you there the fastest, land the shortest or fly the highest, but you'll still get there.
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Yes, many planes could satisfy the get there with the family portion of flying. I used an IFR equipped Archer, and later updated the panel to technically advanced to fly long cross countries with a growing family. I used that same plane to fly to an aerobatics school often enough to get to the point of being able to rent safely and practice routines. On another IFR cross country, I got a demo flight in a Lake amphibian. Your current favorite of a Bo certainly can do likewise with better speed and more space than an Archer, but that was never much of an impediment for me. Now, with the kids out of the house, my Archer still checks all my boxes of transport at a reasonable maintenance profile.
 
jsstevens said:
Checkbook. Check. Working on IR. Have been for multiple years. (Long story covered elsewhere here, mainly in the student pilot thread.)

The thing is, I've never done any back country flying (even as a passenger). Aerobatic I've looked into (and think I'd like to train over in Leesburg at least a little to see if I like it.) Seaplanes, yep. Lots of places. Once my IR is done.

Define your 90% mission is where I'm stuck.
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No one can do this for you. Good luck.
 
EugeneR said:
Once you get a good cross-county airplane (or even if you get YOUR airplane, any airplane) you start to travel more.
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You nailed it here. Completely agree. When we were renting, we would rarely decide to go rent a 182 and take a trip. We did it occasionaly, but it wasn’t a frequent thing. And there was the whole plane-already-booked issue to deal with. Now that we have our own magic carpet, we’re doing a lot more trips. Want to pop down to LA for a bit? no problem. Day trip to Death Valley for the once in a generation super bloom of wild flowers? let’s do it. Tahoe, Oceano, Shelter Cove on the coast, Half Moon Bay, Auburn for breakfast, Monterey, Sedona, etc. Having a traveling machine that we don’t have to share means that we tend to look for places to go. Weekend trips are a lot of fun, and we”d likely never do nearly as many if we had to rent.

Of course, if we owned something like the biplane instead, I imagine we’d find excuses to use that also. Took my wife up for her first ride in that last weekend, and she is already talking about the pictures she’s gonna take the next time.

And if I’d been able to buy the Cessna 185 that was my original plan, I bet we’d be looking for places to do some airplane camping. The point is, that your mission tends to adapt to the plane you have.
 
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jsstevens said:
Spouse, yes. She has and will fly with me to go somewhere, but not flying for its own sake. Kids are grown. Transporting all kids and their spouses gets into type rated aircraft quickly...

I want the IFR because I'm so dang close. I originally thought we'd travel by airplane not because it's cost effective but because it's an adventure. For a traveling plane I'd like a nice twin. (But I'd need to get rated in one!) I'm interested in acro (I think, having never tried it.). I like the back country videos, but again have never even ridden along.

Anyway, musings.
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Okay, that settles it. Kids have moved on, and your wife will fly with you if you’re going someplace. I would suggest that your primary mission, sir, is travel. Maybe you should start to look at traveling planes. Plus you need to finish up that IFR.

No need for a twin for just the two of you. Operational costs will tend to limit the amount of time you fly. Get a good single engine traveling machine. Bo, Mooney, Super Viking, possibly a 182, and there are others as well (RV?). Plus, you’ll still be able to just go up and fly around for the fun of it.

The other types of flying (acro, water, etc.), while fun, likely won’t be done with your spouse. Go somewhere (fly there) and rent those for a weekend, but get the travelling machine as your primary. You’ll be surprised at all the places the two of you will end up going to. The Keys, the Bahamas, maybe up to New England to see the Fall colors? Maybe up to Mackinac Island? Long trip to Sedona? The West Coast even? If your wife will fly with you, get the traveling machine and go places with her. You won’t be sorry. Having your own plane opens up so many possibilities for neat places that the airlines just don’t serve, and it’s a great adventure.
 
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She definitely won't do acro with me! :D She gets motion sick watching the TV.

Water might be different. And I've wondered about an amphib as a traveling machine. Plus, in Florida, there are tons of places to land in an emergency. Or a non-emergency.

Thanks for all the inputs.

Still looking or someone with an RV to get a ride from! Anybody?
 
jsstevens said:
Still looking or someone with an RV to get a ride from! Anybody?
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Can't help you with that... but just going out to experience various types of flying should be a lot of fun... yes?
 
jsstevens said:
She definitely won't do acro with me! :D She gets motion sick watching the TV.

Water might be different. And I've wondered about an amphib as a traveling machine. Plus, in Florida, there are tons of places to land in an emergency. Or a non-emergency.

Thanks for all the inputs.

Still looking or someone with an RV to get a ride from! Anybody?
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My only experience with Amphibians is with the Lake Buccaneer. But it is a slow airplane. I don’t think that’s what you really want for travel. My preference for a travelling machine is that it be fast. To each his own, however.

You got me a bit curious about what is actually available around the Orlando area for rent.

Eagle Sport Aviation in Deland https://eaglesport.org has a Pitts, a sailplane, and an L-16B (military version of a Champ)

Orlando Aero Club has a Citabria http://www.orlandoaeroclub.com/fleet.php

Couldn’t find any sea plane rentals. That’s a rare thing. The one I was renting for a while had a pretty high renter’s insurance requirement. Point is, though, that there are rental possibilities for some interesting stuff in your area.
 
I think the vast majority of general aviation aircraft are fairly utilitarian and I don't mean that in a bad way. What I mean is that they will handle most of the missions you want to go on. We used to have a Maule, put the big tires on it and went out to the back strips up in Idaho and Montana only to find some guy already up there in his old 172. Flying is more about mastering the aircraft and getting it to do things that people maybe assumed it couldn't do. There is satisfaction to be had in that aspect of it. Even an old Cub or Champ, they may be easy to fly but not that easy to fly gracefully. It takes time to really master any of them.
 
jimhorner said:
My only experience with Amphibians is with the Lake Buccaneer. But it is a slow airplane. I don’t think that’s what you really want for travel. My preference for a travelling machine is that it be fast. To each his own, however.

You got me a bit curious about what is actually available around the Orlando area for rent.

Eagle Sport Aviation in Deland https://eaglesport.org has a Pitts, a sailplane, and an L-16B (military version of a Champ)

Orlando Aero Club has a Citabria http://www.orlandoaeroclub.com/fleet.php

Couldn’t find any sea plane rentals. That’s a rare thing. The one I was renting for a while had a pretty high renter’s insurance requirement. Point is, though, that there are rental possibilities for some interesting stuff in your area.
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The Lake runs about the same cruise as a 230HP C182 don't they, roughly 135kts?
 
SoonerAviator said:
The Lake runs about the same cruise as a 230HP C182 don't they, roughly 135kts?
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I wish. Typical cruising speed on the one I flew was about 120mph (104knots). There’s a lot of drag on those things. POH max cruising speed is quoted at 146mph, but I never saw that. The one I flew was an LA-4-200 with a 200 HP engine.

Funny story about that plane. While flying from San Jose to Grass Valley to take my wife for a ride in the amphibian, the alternator in my Super Viking failed. The guy who had the amphibian was a mechanic, so I left my Viking there and took the Lake back to San Jose until he could fix the alternator issue. Kinda fun to have the Lake in my hangar and have full access to it for a while.

The first time I took it out for a flight from San Jose, ground control asked me “what’s that thing up on top of your plane?” When told it was the engine, they asked “What’s it doing up there?” Guess they’d never seen an amphib before.
 
jsstevens said:
Checkbook. Check. Working on IR. Have been for multiple years. (Long story covered elsewhere here, mainly in the student pilot thread.)

The thing is, I've never done any back country flying (even as a passenger). Aerobatic I've looked into (and think I'd like to train over in Leesburg at least a little to see if I like it.) Seaplanes, yep. Lots of places. Once my IR is done.

Define your 90% mission is where I'm stuck.
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Cabin Waco is a nice/fun compromise.

Biplane
4 person hauler that you can take on cross country overnight trips
Can be IFR capable
Can do short fields/grass
If you really wanted, you could put it on floats
 
jimhorner said:
I wish. Typical cruising speed on the one I flew was about 120mph (104knots). There’s a lot of drag on those things. POH max cruising speed is quoted at 146mph, but I never saw that. The one I flew was an LA-4-200 with a 200 HP engine.

Funny story about that plane. While flying from San Jose to Grass Valley to take my wife for a ride in the amphibian, the alternator in my Super Viking failed. The guy who had the amphibian was a mechanic, so I left my Viking there and took the Lake back to San Jose until he could fix the alternator issue. Kinda fun to have the Lake in my hangar and have full access to it for a while.

The first time I took it out for a flight from San Jose, ground control asked me “what’s that thing up on top of your plane?” When told it was the engine, they asked “What’s it doing up there?” Guess they’d never seen an amphib before.
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Maybe I was thinking the Lake Renegade, which had 250HP. Probably thinking 130kts, when it's closer to 130mph.
 
@jsstevens - curiosity question for you:

Can you name (3) planes you'd love to own. Forget not having flown them yet. Just going by what you've read and heard. The only restriction is $500K max for all 3. Forget operating costs and hangar. Just initial purchase cost.
 
Sinistar said:
@jsstevens - curiosity question for you:

Can you name (3) planes you'd love to own. Forget not having flown them yet. Just going by what you've read and heard. The only restriction is $500K max for all 3. Forget operating costs and hangar. Just initial purchase cost.
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Interesting question.
Cessna 310 (twin, I know. Just a cool looking plane to me)
Stearman
Those two were easy.
CH750. (I think. Zenith STOL high wing) that took longer.
 
jsstevens said:
Interesting question.
Cessna 310 (twin, I know. Just a cool looking plane to me)
Stearman
Those two were easy.
CH750. (I think. Zenith STOL high wing) that took longer.
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I had to look up the CH750...theres a Zenith 650 2 doors down, great pilot and cool plane so like a dork I assumed they only made low wing. With YouTube being so popular with kitfox...how does the CH750 compare (I have no clue)???

Our airport is small. Not even 30 hangars. Last year I see someone new and walk around to say hi. Here he's pulling out the most immaculate, perfectly restored Stearman. His wife flys with him and and I think her smile is bigger than his.

Also my flying mentor (Vietnam Thud pilot) spoke of many planes. His dad, a Bomber pilot and Colonel during WWII always had a Stearman around so he learned in that when he was like 14. After the war his dad bought a P51 so my friend had lots of time in that as well. But of all the planes he talked about he mentioned the Stearnan most!

Not sure about the CH750. Pretty sure you can find Stearman rides (ask @WannFly ). Maybe someone here can get you some 310 time. Maybe try get time in these 3 first. Plus, I'm thinking you didnt even spend the mythical $500k :)
 
I worked for Cessna for about 18 months. Their lobby had a plaque that read something like “The only reason for airplanes is speed”. XC in GA will most likely be slower and more expensive than airline travel, but you have a bigger choice of airports and your luggage never gets lost. Subtract the airline fare from your flying expenses to get the true cost of your flight.

I’ve been on aviation’s periphery for years, but the enduring refrain seems to be “It’s more about the people than the planes. “

Find some type clubs for planes that are for the kinds of flying you like to do and join them. See if you like the majority of the people in them. If not, you might not like that kind of flying.

If you decide on a V tailed doctor killer (Bonanza), be aware of ruddervator skin issues.
 
Crashnburn said:
I worked for Cessna for about 18 months. Their lobby had a plaque that read something like “The only reason for airplanes is speed”. XC in GA will most likely be slower and more expensive than airline travel, but you have a bigger choice of airports and your luggage never gets lost. Subtract the airline fare from your flying expenses to get the true cost of your flight.

I’ve been on aviation’s periphery for years, but the enduring refrain seems to be “It’s more about the people than the planes. “

Find some type clubs for planes that are for the kinds of flying you like to do and join them. See if you like the majority of the people in them. If not, you might not like that kind of flying.

If you decide on a V tailed doctor killer (Bonanza), be aware of ruddervator skin issues.
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For the most part, I agree.
You can't really save money in GA.
HOWEVER...
I just flew from KC to Raleigh and back this weekend.
My fixed costs are fixed, and I don't put money aside for the engine based on flight hours...it'll happen when it happens, and I have savings.
So, my variable costs for that trip were ~$350.
Very comparable to two round-trip tickets in both price and door-to-door time (a little more expensive for commercial, and a little more time).

Not every flight works out that way.
Some end up saving me a lot of time and money, and some cost more by a lot.
But I love the flexibility.

Oh, and... RV!!!
 
Crashnburn said:
I worked for Cessna for about 18 months. Their lobby had a plaque that read something like “The only reason for airplanes is speed”. ...
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It's sad that folks at Cessna don't understand flying, the joy of flying, the magic of being in the air.
 
Bob Noel said:
It's sad that folks at Cessna don't understand flying, the joy of flying, the magic of being in the air.
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I’m sure there are but Wichita is the Air Capitol of the World and I guess aviation is mostly taken for granted. Not me, though.
 
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