10 Myths About Learning to Fly

What are the four myths? You only listed 3.
, I faced four of these myths (bad eyesight, too young, no local training facility)
 
Dean V said:
Believe it or not, there are some people who truely can't afford it.
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I agree. it IS expensive to train, and it IS expensive to fly once you're licensed. to pretend it's not is just not fair.
 
1. Bull****.
2. Isn't LASEK disqualifying?
3. Bull**** - after a certain age, the liklihood of getting a medical is very, very slim.
4. 100% True.
5. Bull****. If you are not eligible for a medical, you can't fly Sport Pilot. The difference is that you are supposed to self ground, not have the FAA ground you.
6. Bull****. Find the closest flight school to Glenwood, NM...
7. This is probably true, but I would imagine that some people might not get over their fear.
8. True. I'm also afraid of heights.
9. Bull****.
10. Understated, flying is dirt simple. Those who can't fly must have some sort of learning disability or had brain surgery as a child. The hard part is learning the regulations. If you can't study, you can't fly.
 
Targeting something at "laymen" is no reason to cop out, sugar coat, or be excessively superficial. For that reason it's usually harder to target content toward neophytes than it is to experts. I would hope for a more rigorous analysis of the many myths the general public has about flying, rather than plucking only this low hanging fruit. Try: small planes are dangerous. Myth? No. They are. Or they're not. It depends on a lot of things.

Resist the urge to make everything black or white, or to make all of the answers "yes." Let's see some value add here!
 
SkyHog said:
2. Isn't LASEK disqualifying?
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No

3. Bull**** - after a certain age, the liklihood of getting a medical is very, very slim.
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Well, I think you over state it. One might have to jump through some hoops, but it is attainable.

5. Bull****. If you are not eligible for a medical, you can't fly Sport Pilot. The difference is that you are supposed to self ground, not have the FAA ground you.
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Then what is the point of Sport Pilot?

6. Bull****. Find the closest flight school to Glenwood, NM...
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Well, Jeez, Nick. You can always find places where it is a challenge to get to an airport to train.

9. Bull****.
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Really? I think you just want to argue. ;)

10. Understated, flying is dirt simple. Those who can't fly must have some sort of learning disability or had brain surgery as a child. [/QUOTE]

Wow, Nick. Just wow.
 
SkyHog said:
2. Isn't LASEK disqualifying?
Click to expand...

No

3. Bull**** - after a certain age, the liklihood of getting a medical is very, very slim.
Click to expand...

Well, I think you over state it. One might have to jump through some hoops, but it is attainable.

5. Bull****. If you are not eligible for a medical, you can't fly Sport Pilot. The difference is that you are supposed to self ground, not have the FAA ground you.
Click to expand...

Then what is the point of Sport Pilot?

6. Bull****. Find the closest flight school to Glenwood, NM...
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Well, Jeez, Nick. You can always find places where it is a challenge to get to an airport to train.

9. Bull****.
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Really? I think you just want to argue. ;)

10. Understated, flying is dirt simple. Those who can't fly must have some sort of learning disability or had brain surgery as a child.
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Wow, Nick. Just wow.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Then what is the point of Sport Pilot?
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Do I understand it improperly? I seem to recall the litmus test for fitness being that if you have a disqualifying condition, you must self-ground.

Is that not true?
 
SkyHog said:
1. Bull****.
2. Isn't LASEK disqualifying?
3. Bull**** - after a certain age, the liklihood of getting a medical is very, very slim.
4. 100% True.
5. Bull****. If you are not eligible for a medical, you can't fly Sport Pilot. The difference is that you are supposed to self ground, not have the FAA ground you.
6. Bull****. Find the closest flight school to Glenwood, NM...
7. This is probably true, but I would imagine that some people might not get over their fear.
8. True. I'm also afraid of heights.
9. Bull****.
10. Understated, flying is dirt simple. Those who can't fly must have some sort of learning disability or had brain surgery as a child. The hard part is learning the regulations. If you can't study, you can't fly.
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I hope i'm not such a ***** when I have my mid life crisis
 
SkyHog said:
Do I understand it improperly? I seem to recall the litmus test for fitness being that if you have a disqualifying condition, you must self-ground.

Is that not true?
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Question with a question?

Yeah, if you KNOW that it is DQ, then you are supposed to self ground. But if you and your doctor think you would be safe as a Sport Pilot, good to go.

That is how I understand it.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
No



Well, I think you over state it. One might have to jump through some hoops, but it is attainable.



Then what is the point of Sport Pilot?



Well, Jeez, Nick. You can always find places where it is a challenge to get to an airport to train.



Really? I think you just want to argue. ;)

10. Understated, flying is dirt simple. Those who can't fly must have some sort of learning disability or had brain surgery as a child.
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Wow, Nick. Just wow.[/QUOTE]

The point of sport pilot was to regulate 2 seat trainer ultralights.

The list does seem to be brushing off major issues. doesn't really matter though, the truth will come out a lesson or two into it or when you visit the doc.
 
I'd say 99% of it comes down to money. I have several friends that would love to fly and make good money. However, telling the SO they're going to spend $10K for a private, another $10K for and IR, $100K for an airplane, and a couple thousand a month to go visit grandma that is currently a $200 Southwest ticket away....

Well, that doesn't go very far.
 
Alexb2000 said:
I'd say 99% of it comes down to money. I have several friends that would love to fly and make good money. However, telling the SO they're going to spend $10K for a private, another $10K for and IR, $100K for an airplane, and a couple thousand a month to go visit grandma that is currently a $200 Southwest ticket away....

Well, that doesn't go very far.
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That and most people don't have the patience/time to commit to green bananas, much less the time it takes to pass the tests.
 
bartmc said:
That and most people don't have the patience/time to commit to green bananas, much less the time it takes to pass the tests.
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I'm going to steal that line. I just had a friend that was interested in flying buy a cabin cruiser instead for one reason, he was on the water with his family the afternoon he closed.
 
dell30rb said:
I hope i'm not such a ***** when I have my mid life
crisis
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:rofl:

This.

It's just a blog dude - no reason to be a prick. You and daytime tv give me a bleak outlook on humanity.
 
Alexb2000 said:
I'd say 99% of it comes down to money. I have several friends that would love to fly and make good money. However, telling the SO they're going to spend $10K for a private, another $10K for and IR, $100K for an airplane, and a couple thousand a month to go visit grandma that is currently a $200 Southwest ticket away....

Well, that doesn't go very far.
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Well there is the problem. You don't need to spend 10K on your PPL, find a cheaper instructor and a cheaper plane. IR isn't needed either, you can safely fly without it (just don't fly in IMC). And finally you can buy a plane for $30K, $100K plane is not required.

Regarding the comment about grandma...you become a pilot to be able to fly, if the only reason why your getting a PPL is to visit grandma then you won't be a very good pilot.

Somebody who lists the problems you mentioned does not want it bad enough, it's as simple as that.
 
SkyHog said:
1. Bull****.
2. Isn't LASEK disqualifying?
3. Bull**** - after a certain age, the liklihood of getting a medical is very, very slim.
4. 100% True.
5. Bull****. If you are not eligible for a medical, you can't fly Sport Pilot. The difference is that you are supposed to self ground, not have the FAA ground you.
6. Bull****. Find the closest flight school to Glenwood, NM...
7. This is probably true, but I would imagine that some people might not get over their fear.
8. True. I'm also afraid of heights.
9. Bull****.
10. Understated, flying is dirt simple. Those who can't fly must have some sort of learning disability or had brain surgery as a child. The hard part is learning the regulations. If you can't study, you can't fly.
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You okay?
 
#10
There are some people who just can't fly, just like some people can't learn to play an instrument, or run a marathon, or sing. All the training in the world isn't going to help them. They aren't stupid, they aren't brain damaged, they just lack a certain something.
I have a friend who is on his 9th or 10th instructor in 4 years. Every single CFI takes his money for a few weeks, then tells him this isn't going to work. I've flown with him and he is just awful in an airplane. He will get partway through a maneuver, and just stops responding. His brain goes into analytical mode, his eyes glaze over, he doesn't hear anything, and his muscles lock. Then he comes out of it. Yet the same "brain lock" is what makes him the top rated surgeon in his field in the world. I'm told by other doctors that he NEVER makes a mistake in the operating room.
At least he can afford to keep scratching his itch, and there are still 3 more flight schools within an hour's drive he hasn't tried yet.
 
SkyHog said:
5. Bull****. If you are not eligible for a medical, you can't fly Sport Pilot. The difference is
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Not true at all. :no:

Conditions that keep you from getting a 3rd class medical do not automatically ground you from SP. Basically, if you can have a drivers license you can fly SP.
 
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Geico266 said:
Not true at all. :no:

Conditions that keep you from getting a 3rd class medical do not automatically ground you from SP. Basically, if you can have a drivers license you can fly SP.
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The FAA says to check with your personal physician to determine if you are safe. And you do have to determine that you are safe medically - just like when you do have a medical.

But, we all know that sport pilots are not really pilots.
 
MachFly said:
Well there is the problem. You don't need to spend 10K on your PPL, find a cheaper instructor and a cheaper plane. IR isn't needed either, you can safely fly without it (just don't fly in IMC). And finally you can buy a plane for $30K, $100K plane is not required.

Regarding the comment about grandma...you become a pilot to be able to fly, if the only reason why your getting a PPL is to visit grandma then you won't be a very good pilot.

Somebody who lists the problems you mentioned does not want it bad enough, it's as simple as that.
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Which is another problem, "to fly" is a pretty weak argument for getting several thousand dollars during budget hearings.

You can take that 30k and buy a plane but on going costs are going to be comparable to a payment on another 30k or two.

Even pt 103 is a tough sell, the cost of new 4 wheeler or modest boat for a toy only one family member can enjoy...

It's the money.
 
When it takes a village to get someone dragged, kicking and screaming, into the cockpit I do not want that person in my airspace.
If a brilliant surgeon goes into a zen trance at the controls while he thinks something through, I do not want that person in my airspace. ( I do question if he is thinking hard, or having an absence seizure - petit mal)
If a person has not enough money, and will not have enough money, to take lessons, best they leave this group and find an activity they can afford.
 
bartmc said:
Which is another problem, "to fly" is a pretty weak argument for getting several thousand dollars during budget hearings.

You can take that 30k and buy a plane but on going costs are going to be comparable to a payment on another 30k or two.

Even pt 103 is a tough sell, the cost of new 4 wheeler or modest boat for a toy only one family member can enjoy...

It's the money.
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Again, if you want it bad enough it's not a problem.

Most people that say they want to be a pilot and provide you with excuses why they are not simply don't want it bad enough. They just think it's cool to be a pilot, just like it may be cool to have a nice car.
 
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bartmc said:
It's illegal at a lot of airports to do so.. :D
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Umm....I'm going to go and hope that it was legal at all the airports that I've done it at.....

Where does it say that it's illegal?
 
bartmc said:
It's illegal at a lot of airports to do so.. :D
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:eek:

You cannot be serious.

Name one airport where it is illegal to wash your own plane. Illegal, as in AGAINST the LAW, and I will fly there and ***** slap the people who wrote the law, AFTER I wash my plane. :rofl:
 
MachFly said:
Why not just wash it yourself?
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I'm in a common hangar now and they don't allow it unless you have insurance. They used to at one point until some mystery damage showed up on some aircraft and they had to pay it.

Most of the hangars I've rented don't even have water. So I guess I could outfit my pickup with a pressure washer and water tank to drag around all week, but that really isn't reasonable.

Last, I don't know about you guys, but I value my personal time at more than $25 an hour and that's about what it cost.

BTW- I could have said it cost me $10 a year in soap, I use water from the FBO bathroom, and take someone else's towels from the laundromat to wash my airplane and someone would have said I'm spending too much. It just goes with the territory here.
 
I had 500' of garden hose in my hangar when I was based at Springfield, Mo.

I don't remember why...

:whistle:
 
Alexb2000 said:
I'm in a common hangar now and they don't allow it unless you have insurance. They used to at one point until some mystery damage showed up on some aircraft and they had to pay it.

Most of the hangars I've rented don't even have water. So I guess I could outfit my pickup with a pressure washer and water tank to drag around all week, but that really isn't reasonable.

Last, I don't know about you guys, but I value my personal time at more than $25 an hour and that's about what it cost.

BTW- I could have said it cost me $10 a year in soap, I use water from the FBO bathroom, and take someone else's towels from the laundromat to wash my airplane and someone would have said I'm spending too much. It just goes with the territory here.
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The only reason I said that your spending too much is because you said it in a way that made it sound like it's expensive and people can't afford it.
 
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