America's oldest newbie

qbynewbie

qbynewbie

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
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356
Display Name
Qbynewbie
Diana said:
Hi Brian, it's nice to have you here. :yes: I always enjoy your posts on the other forums. If you have time, why don't you start an intro thread and tell us about yourself. :)
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I have immense respect for Diana so I try to do what she asks, even when it's a bit embarrassing... :) Actually, I recognize many of the names here from the Red and Purple Boards. But many names are unfamiliar. I always assume those are the good friends I simply haven't met yet.

As the title says, I'm one of America's oldest newbies. Not that I'm THAT old -- I'm only 54. But it took me 35 years and 9 months from first flight to solo and I haven't yet found anyone who took longer than that. :D

My first flight was in June, 1972. I was a very poor college student with just enough money for six lessons. Once those were over and the money was gone, I told myself that I'd do that again "some day". Some day came last summer, when I was driving down a deserted county road past the same small airport where I had taken those lessons so long ago. I stopped the car in the middle of the road, turned around and went back to the airport. 20 minutes later, Kyle (my new CFI) and I were preflighting a 172. How little did he know what he was getting into! :eek:

When I was 17, flying was easy. At 53, I showed a truly remarkable lack of aptitude for mastering the last five seconds of the landing process. Kyle sat through what seemed like thousands of bad landings but I guess were merely only dozens and dozens and dozens.

I travel extensively for work, in the US and Canada. That gave me a chance to distribute the pain around a bit to other CFIs in Oregon, California, Massachusetts and Hawaii. Joe Areeda was really recommended, so I contacted him last Fall and have spent quite a few days under his tutelage. I think he, too, was shaking his head wondering what the heck he'd agreed to.

Finally, one day in February, I made decent landing at KGFL (Glens Falls, NY). Kyle turned to me and said "where the heck did that come from?" :P I repeated the process a couple more times and we realized that somehow, magically and mysteriously, I'd finally learned how to land a 172. Now I only make bad landings every third or fourth time. :D

I soloed last Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pm at GFL. It was a beautiful spring day and my normally deserted airport was chock full of planes, including a couple without radios and a really beautiful biplane. Somehow, Kyle was silly enough to think he should let me loose anyway. Some of my family were there and I managed to do the traditional three touch and goes without killing anyone, although I'm sure a few people in the pattern must have been at least a little alarmed.

Last Tuesday, after a few more T&Gs, Kyle asked me to drop him off and "go fly somewhere". I asked him where and he said "I don't care. Go have fun but be back well before dark." I asked what I should do and the response was "I don't care. Go have fun. No stalls or emergency landings. No slips to a landing solo yet. Just have fun."

So there I was. For the first time in my life, someone was completely nuts enough to give me an airplane and tell me to go have fun. And I did. :D

That's the whole story of the first 35 years and 9 months of my flying career. I hope to be ready for a checkride this summer and then, sooner or later, go on for an IR.
 
qbynewbie said:
I have immense respect for Diana so I try to do what she asks, even when it's a bit embarrassing... :) Actually, I recognize many of the names here from the Red and Purple Boards. But many names are unfamiliar. I always assume those are the good friends I simply haven't met yet.
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Your instincts are true, she is very nice.

qbynewbie said:
...Last Tuesday, after a few more T&Gs, Kyle asked me to drop him off and "go fly somewhere". I asked him where and he said "I don't care. Go have fun but be back well before dark." I asked what I should do and the response was "I don't care. Go have fun. No stalls or emergency landings. No slips to a landing solo yet. Just have fun."

So there I was. For the first time in my life, someone was completely nuts enough to give me an airplane and tell me to go have fun. And I did. :D
.
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Congrats on your solo. That's exactly how I felt. :yes:

Now, after almost forty years of owning some kind of boat I've put my Hunter 36 sailboat (with all the toys) in a club (NOT a charter operation). I had never let anyone touch my boat without me there until now. Part of the reason I did it is because folks have been so nice to me letting me fly their airplanes (the other part is I'm tired of the maintenance!). I realized adults willing to accept training and supervision can take care of six figure machines they don't own.
 
qbynewbie said:
I have immense respect for Diana so I try to do what she asks, even when it's a bit embarrassing... :)
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Brian, you are a sweetheart. :yes: I'm glad you're posting here now. I always enjoy your positive comments, enthusiasm, and the way that you are supportive of others. Besides that, you are quite diplomatic. :)

qbynewbie said:
... last summer, when I was driving down a deserted county road past the same small airport where I had taken those lessons so long ago. I stopped the car in the middle of the road, turned around and went back to the airport. 20 minutes later, Kyle (my new CFI) and I were preflighting a 172.
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How neat! I didn't realize that you are flying out of that same airport. Sometimes those spontaneous actions can end up being quite rewarding.

qbynewbie said:
When I was 17, flying was easy. At 53, I showed a truly remarkable lack of aptitude for mastering the last five seconds of the landing process. Kyle sat through what seemed like thousands of bad landings but I guess were merely only dozens and dozens and dozens.
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I had the same problem. I soloed at 16, but the second solo was much,much harder in my 30's.

qbynewbie said:
Now I only make bad landings every third or fourth time. :D
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:D

qbynewbie said:
I soloed last Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pm at GFL.
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Congratulations again on your solo!

qbynewbie said:
So there I was. For the first time in my life, someone was completely nuts enough to give me an airplane and tell me to go have fun. And I did. :D
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I'm glad that you are at the point where you are having fun now. :yes:

qbynewbie said:
That's the whole story of the first 35 years and 9 months of my flying career. I hope to be ready for a checkride this summer and then, sooner or later, go on for an IR.
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I hope you'll keep us posted on your progress here.

We have a computer section here for those of us (me for sure) who need lots of help with technical computer stuff. I remember how you tried to help me with my little problem on the red board so I gather that you know some computer stuff, so feel free to chime in!

Brian, welcome to the blue board. :)
 
Welcome to the blue side of the internet, Brian! There's plenty of other old folks on here, so you should feel right at home :). Congrats on your solo and I look forward to hearing more about your journey toward your green card!
 
Welcome QB

It's a full time job for the old folks here keeping the youngun's in line.

About the only thing we can tell them is they'll become one of us one day... :)
 
Brian, welcome aboard! You're right, Diana is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet! I can tell from your writing that you're going to fit right in here. We're mostly very laid back here, supporting one another in this madness we call aviation! I'm glad you made that fateful decision to turn around and go back to the airport after so many years! I presume that Diana's already asked you, but any chance you'll make it to Gastons (www.gastonsflyin.com)? A bunch of us of all ages and skill levels get together and have a blast! ANd, even better (and closer to home for you), we have an annual flyin at Wings Field in Philadelphia coming up next month. You can findout the details about it here under the "Cool Places to Fly" area, and specifically in this thread: http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18625.

(Oh, a friendly word of warning. Unless you're passionate about politics, steer clear of the Spin Zone!)
 
Thanks for the welcome, everyone! Seems like a great site. :)
 
Diana said:
:yes: :D Except some of us don't act our age. ;)
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Oh, gosh, I try so hard not to act my age. And my family is sick of hearing me tell them that "life is supposed to be fun." But I enjoy hearing them repeat it when they don't know I'm listening. :)
 
gprellwitz said:
Brian, welcome aboard! You're right, Diana is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet! I can tell from your writing that you're going to fit right in here. We're mostly very laid back here, supporting one another in this madness we call aviation! I'm glad you made that fateful decision to turn around and go back to the airport after so many years! I presume that Diana's already asked you, but any chance you'll make it to Gastons (www.gastonsflyin.com)? A bunch of us of all ages and skill levels get together and have a blast! ANd, even better (and closer to home for you), we have an annual flyin at Wings Field in Philadelphia coming up next month. You can findout the details about it here under the "Cool Places to Fly" area, and specifically in this thread: http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18625.

(Oh, a friendly word of warning. Unless you're passionate about politics, steer clear of the Spin Zone!)
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Thanks, Grant!

A fly-in would be a blast.

The plane I'm training in (mostly) is based at 1C3 in Argyle, NY. It's a grass strip in the middle of farm country and fun to fly into. Learning to fly into and out of it has been a great deal of fun and sometimes feels like flying into the past.

Unfortunately, attending a fly-in will probably have to wait until I get a PPL. But then I'll be up for them. I've heard good things about Gaston's. :)
 
Hey Brian Welcome!! This is a great place to hang out and talk aviation. I loved your story especailly the part about stopping and turning around to go back to the airport. Good stuff. So again welcome and we look forward to more of your post. Perhaps you and your CFI will make it to the flybq. Be Well and Fly safe.
 
qbynewbie said:
Thanks, Grant!

A fly-in would be a blast.

Unfortunately, attending a fly-in will probably have to wait until I get a PPL. But then I'll be up for them. I've heard good things about Gaston's. :)
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AdamZ said:
Perhaps you and your CFI will make it to the flybq.
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As Adam said, you can come with your CFI. Maybe introduce him (her?) to another fun aspect of flying! Or you could ask for rides. There are lots of people willing to take passengers with them!
 
Brian, you might even enjoy checking out the chat room here. :) It would be nice if it had spell check, but then I guess I would spend too much time checking and not enough time chatting. ;)
 
Brian, welcome to the blue board! I believe we traded PMs on the red board - my daughter is wrapping up her sophomore year at your alma mater, where I believe you were on crew.

I of course have the luxury of youth, having received my PPL three years ago at age 45. :) It took me 22 months and 3 instructors before I finished. (I don't count the 4 lessons I took out of college in 1982, which ironically also ceased due to money.)

Congratulations on your solo!

Like you, I think I finally felt like a pilot when I was pushed out of the nest (the pattern) and told to fly off to another airport within 25nm of home base. For me that was the defining moment when I really knew I could do this.

This is a great board with great people. The only fly-in I attended turned into a drive-in due to bad weather (very unusual in the Midwest during winter :rolleyes:), but it was great to see some of these these people in person. And if you're game, step into the Spin Zone once in a while. It's good to get the blood going!

Fly safe!

Stan
 
Welcome, Brian, and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SOLO!!!

Diana said:
Besides that, you are quite diplomatic.
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Well, we can't have any of that here.... :rofl:
 
qbynewbie said:
Unfortunately, attending a fly-in will probably have to wait until I get a PPL. But then I'll be up for them. I've heard good things about Gaston's. :)
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Hitch a ride with someone who has room. I'd offer you a ride, but me and dad and all of our gear just about fill up a 172 on a hot summer day. I'd love to see you there!
 
gprellwitz said:
Well, not in Spin Zone, at least!:hairraise::rofl:

And Stan and I met at the "drive-in" he mentioned!
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Yes, it was quite a motley crew!



Fittingly, I'm on the far right :D (or far left as you're looking at the picture), and Grant is in the middle.

We couldn't fly in because of the potential of severe icing, as you can tell by this picture:

attachment.php
 
qbynewbie said:
Finally, one day in February, I made decent landing at KGFL (Glens Falls, NY). Kyle turned to me and said "where the heck did that come from?" :P I repeated the process a couple more times and we realized that somehow, magically and mysteriously, I'd finally learned how to land a 172. Now I only make bad landings every third or fourth time. :D
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Well, yer doin' good then, most of us only make GOOD landings every third or fourth time! :goofy:

Welcome a-blue-board! :yes:
 
Thanks for the welcome, everyone! :)

I got curious and checked out the info for Gaston's. Unfortunately, I'm committed to being on the West Coast at that time. So I then checked the dates for the Philadelphia fly-in and I'm going to be in Utah at that time. :(

Now that I'm aware that these types of activities are happening, I'll make sure to leave room in the calendar. My schedule is usually pretty flexible, but it's complicated to break the commitments once I make them. I try not to do that. ;)

So, who knows? I may be the first person to register for Gaston's 2009 fly-in. :P
 
Outstanding, Brian- it's never, and I mean never too late... and since any good pilot is a student at heart, the amount of dual in your logbook or how long it all took is immaterial.

It must have been sweet to reach that milestone (solo) after so long... congrats, and keep at it!!
 
rottydaddy said:
Outstanding, Brian- it's never, and I mean never too late... and since any good pilot is a student at heart, the amount of dual in your logbook or how long it all took is immaterial....
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He is correct. It's all about safe yet challenging fun.

I have quite a high dual-to-solo ratio. But, who cares! I don't fly for income, that's fer sure. Since I don't get to fly often I try to make each one count. If it's been over six months since my last flight I'll bring my CFI along to wring me out.

So even if I don't have lots of solo time I have 'cool dual' time. In less than 200 hours I have: mountain flying from Sedona, ultralight flying from Fantasy of Flight, float plane landings on Lake Jessup, a high perf endorsement (working on the complex), and several long cross country (over 200 miles one way) flights in the IFR system (some with actual IFR), and just last month I added a bit of tail dragger and aerobatic time.

Keep at it Brian.
 
Brian,

Welcome! It's good to have you on the correct colored board.
 
Diana said:
Well, there is something good (including good people) on all of the rainbow of boards. :yes:
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I didn't mention anything about the quality of the content or the people on the other boards. Just the color of the board itself. :goofy:
 
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