Greetings from PA

FreelancerMAX

FreelancerMAX

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Sep 4, 2021
Messages
7
Location
Pennsylvania
Display Name
Display name:
FreelancerMAX
Greetings. My lovely wife got me a Discovery Flight voucher for my birthday so I am very interested in aviation now. I had been talking about wanting to learn how to fly for a few years now. My discovery flight includes 90 minutes of classroom and 45 minutes of flying.

I live in south central PA with a couple of nice smaller airports nearby. I work for a government agency as a software engineer. Although I don't do much engineering these days it's mostly attending meetings and telling other people how to do their job.

I also enjoy PC gaming. I play X-Plane 11 a few times a week using the FS Economy plug-in. Right now it's more of a game to me but I'd love to learn how to fly for real and apply some of that to my simulator.

I mostly joined this forum to learn and get answers to my questions as I start this journey of becoming a pilot. Thanks for having me!
 
Welcome to POA. If you ask a question I'm sure you will get solid answers. Not sure what the cost is today to get a PPL. All said and done I think it cost me $4000 back in 1995
 
Welcome! Does your wife have any idea what she’s opened up here? :D

Friendly advice, go to the medical section and find out right now if you have any sharks lurking in the depths to derail your FAA medical before you even think of opening MedExpress or visiting an AME.

I’m a PC gamer too, or at least was before this job that’s like gaming in that you solve all kinds of mysteries using the PC. I flew the original MS flight sim and had a really neat IFR sim that I can’t remember the name of, it doesn’t exist anymore.

Let us know how the intro flight goes.
 
Rushie said:
Welcome! Does your wife have any idea what she’s opened up here? :D

Friendly advice, go to the medical section and find out right now if you have any sharks lurking in the depths to derail your FAA medical before you even think of opening MedExpress or visiting an AME.

I’m a PC gamer too, or at least was before this job that’s like gaming in that you solve all kinds of mysteries using the PC. I flew the original MS flight sim and had a really neat IFR sim that I can’t remember the name of, it doesn’t exist anymore.

Let us know how the intro flight goes.
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Hmm. I’m wondering if they’ll take a passenger along on a Discovery Flight. Or if it would even be a good idea. Probably not.
 
Greetings. Welcome!
 
FreelancerMAX said:
Greetings. My lovely wife got me a Discovery Flight voucher for my birthday so I am very interested in aviation now. I had been talking about wanting to learn how to fly for a few years now. My discovery flight includes 90 minutes of classroom and 45 minutes of flying.

I live in south central PA with a couple of nice smaller airports nearby. I work for a government agency as a software engineer. Although I don't do much engineering these days it's mostly attending meetings and telling other people how to do their job.

I also enjoy PC gaming. I play X-Plane 11 a few times a week using the FS Economy plug-in. Right now it's more of a game to me but I'd love to learn how to fly for real and apply some of that to my simulator.

I mostly joined this forum to learn and get answers to my questions as I start this journey of becoming a pilot. Thanks for having me!
Click to expand...
Learning to fly so you can apply it to the simulator instead of vice versa. Don’t think I’ve ever seen that take on it before
 
luvflyin said:
Hmm. I’m wondering if they’ll take a passenger along on a Discovery Flight. Or if it would even be a good idea. Probably not.
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Depending on aircraft I bet a passenger would acceptable. Acceptingly if they are recruiting new students
 
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.
Rushie said:
Welcome! Does your wife have any idea what she’s opened up here? :D
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I've been selling it to her that if I had my PPL then I could fly her up to see her parents, who live in upstate NY. There's an airport right down the road from them! Right now that's a 6.5 hour drive or about 1.5 in a small plane. She also has family in SC, MO and my parents in VA and CO. I think the cost would be worth it to her to be able to see her family more often.

Rushie said:
Friendly advice, go to the medical section and find out right now if you have any sharks lurking in the depths to derail your FAA medical before you even think of opening MedExpress or visiting an AME.
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Yes, I've briefly looked into this. So far high BP but it is managed through meds. From what I've read this is acceptable. Also I probably need glasses so I'll get an eye exam before I go for the medical cert. I just had full bloodwork done and everything else was normal.

Rushie said:
I’m a PC gamer too, or at least was before this job that’s like gaming in that you solve all kinds of mysteries using the PC. I flew the original MS flight sim and had a really neat IFR sim that I can’t remember the name of, it doesn’t exist anymore.
Click to expand...
I used to fly that too on my Commodore 64! Now I play the X-Plane 11 with rudder pedals, joystick and separate throttle control. I want to get set up with VAT Sim to start learning how to talk to ATC.

I wanted to play Star Citizen, but that game sucks right now. I do own a Freelancer Max in that game. Hopefully someday they will figure out how to make that game not suck.

Rushie said:
Let us know how the intro flight goes.
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Will do! Probably next month. Wife and I are trying to put in a 1,200sf patio right now.
 
I've spent many months in the Altoona, PA area. Beautiful area of the country. Welcome to PoA!
 
I forgot to mention in my introductory post that I am also a licensed amateur radio operator. General class ticket with Yaesu FT450D for HF work and Yaesu 2900 for VHF at home. I have an ICOM 5100D in my car.
 
Welcome! South central PA also here. Let me know if you have any questions about your flight training journey! When I'm not flying for work or fun, I'm into flight sims also. The new MSFS and IL2 Great Battles series currently.
 
FreelancerMAX said:
Greetings. My lovely wife got me a Discovery Flight voucher for my birthday so I am very interested in aviation now. I had been talking about wanting to learn how to fly for a few years now. My discovery flight includes 90 minutes of classroom and 45 minutes of flying.

I live in south central PA with a couple of nice smaller airports nearby. I work for a government agency as a software engineer. Although I don't do much engineering these days it's mostly attending meetings and telling other people how to do their job.

I also enjoy PC gaming. I play X-Plane 11 a few times a week using the FS Economy plug-in. Right now it's more of a game to me but I'd love to learn how to fly for real and apply some of that to my simulator.

I mostly joined this forum to learn and get answers to my questions as I start this journey of becoming a pilot. Thanks for having me!
Click to expand...
Welcome to POA!!
Good luck with your training!
 
Congrats! As an IT guy, just a suggestion for the first flights - remember to have fun, and keep your head outside as much as possible. I had a lot of sim time and RC time before flying the first time, and the big difference is the feel and perspective you get. Easy for tech people to focus on the numbers and the gauges and miss the big picture. Finally, have fun with it and good luck!
 
Welcome. I fly out of KHZL in NEPA. If you do fb consider joining east coast pilots association to get some feel for local events, fly-ins and networking.
 
Greetings and welcome... I did my primary at N57; a little to the east of you, years ago... but it seems like yesterday..

Good luck
 
Ventucky Red said:
Greetings and welcome... I did my primary at N57; a little to the east of you, years ago... but it seems like yesterday..

Good luck
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New Garden, we used to fly in there all the time, also years ago. Fond memories. Sweet little airport. I’ve got some pictures around here somewhere…
 
Just came back from my discovery flight and had a wonderful time. The instructor did a 10 minute briefing before heading out to the plane. He even let me do some of the checklist with him. Once we took off he let me control the plane for 0.8 hours. We flew over my house and around the town before heading back where you landed.
Do you think my wife would miss $12,000 from our checking account?
 
Just sneak it out a few dollars at a time, FreelancerMAX. :) Or give her a discovery flight for her birthday and get both of you hooked!
 
Glad you had fun! I suggest continuing to fly. You'll likely regret it later if you don't. Also suggest not writing a check that large as an up front payment to learning. Just my 2 cents...
 
FreelancerMAX said:
Just came back from my discovery flight and had a wonderful time. The instructor did a 10 minute briefing before heading out to the plane. He even let me do some of the checklist with him. Once we took off he let me control the plane for 0.8 hours. We flew over my house and around the town before heading back where you landed.
Do you think my wife would miss $12,000 from our checking account?
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That check is small compared to the airplane purchase that follows.
 
Dave Anderson said:
That check is small compared to the airplane purchase that follows.
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I've already found the plane. My contractor used to fly back in the 70's and wants to get into it again. He said he'd go halves with me on an older Piper Arrow. I found one that is $65k and up to date on inspections.
 
FreelancerMAX said:
I've already found the plane. My contractor used to fly back in the 70's and wants to get into it again. He said he'd go halves with me on an older Piper Arrow. I found one that is $65k and up to date on inspections.
Click to expand...

This is the top of the market and who knows if it’s going higher. I’d keep in mind buying a plane is nothing like buying a car or house and if that Arrow is sitting in this market, there’s a reason.
 
Re blood pressure meds there has a list of approved medications. Be sure yours is on the list

My doctor wanted to put me on meds. I handed her the list she could pick from.
 
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