Crossing the threhold

[John J]

Not too long ago I had a medical event which I posted on the medical board. The event came at a time when one least expects it. I like many pilots are a happy go lucky lot. We swagger onto the ramp looking like Roscoe Turner or Amelia Earheart. Then we get hit out of the blue like a lightning strike with no warning with a hammer that stops us cold.

My situation is yes I could take the risk of going to the AME with lots of paper to see if I can get a SI or protect my options to go Sport Pilot. We all have our own threshold and we choose our own path. I spent a long time over 2 weeks getting the courage to write to our ever so helpful Doc Bruce and I cannot thank him enough. I then asked a very close friend who knows the AME I go to to ask the AME a hypothetical question and the answer I knew in my mind but I needed confirmation, came back was "Save Your route to Sport if you want to fly" Well I am sorry I write so long and so fluid. I have faced many scary times in my life but this is the scariest and a decision had to be made.


The decision came with a nice positive feelings. I am always so excited about learning new avenues and yes I have moved across to a place that I know so little but I am so ready to learn. I will miss the 46 years of flying a "Regular Plane" but the new sport planes look really neat.

I share all this with you for we all do have to look at that line as we step across. I do feel the pain of loss but I feel the excitement of learning a whole new world of flying. I feel very lucky and very thankful for all that has been given to me.

Thank you for reading

John

 

[Ken Ibold]

John,

Good luck. I think you will find the Sport Pilot route not quite as limiting as you might expect. The allowable cruise speeds are well into the "regular" fixed gear airplane realm. Yeah, you can't fly IFR or carry more than one pax, but there's still plenty of fun -- and utility -- to be had.

The major downside is that such airplanes aren't in the rental fleet yet except in only a handful of places. That means buying something, but since so many legacy designs are eligible, even that's not really all that bad.

Good luck, and have fun!!

 

[AdamZ]

John, Best of luck with your new route and your health.

 

[spiderweb]

John, good luck to you in your new journey. I'm so glad this is an option for people. I'm sure it will allow us all to extend our time in the air!

 

[John J]

Ken, Adam Ben and many others;

Thank you for you very kind notes. I am really excited about this route. It will be fun to fly low and slow and really see our small towns, countryside and special places we all like to go from an altitude and speed that lets us take in all the detail. I remember flying some of the older planes that cruised maybe on a good day 80 -90 and just taking in all the sites.

I am looking forward to this new adventure and I am so glad we have the sport route to use.


Thanks and I will be glad to share stories.

John

 

[silver-eagle]

A friend of mine ended up in a similar circumstance. What he does to cure the 'itis is to fly right seat. He has not lost his class 3 only not renewed it for he knows the answer all to well.
I suggested Sport but in his case (hip replacement surgery looming) he thinks we're all safer this way.
So when the opportunity presents, and if I'm in your neighborhood, fly right.
Good luck.

 

[John J]

A friend of mine ended up in a similar circumstance. What he does to cure the 'itis is to fly right seat. He has not lost his class 3 only not renewed it for he knows the answer all to well.
I suggested Sport but in his case (hip replacement surgery looming) he thinks we're all safer this way.
So when the opportunity presents, and if I'm in your neighborhood, fly right.
Good luck.

John

Thank you for your note and offer. Actually I have a bunch of right seat time and love to fly over there. Some of fellows who I have flown with complain that I make smoother landings then they do on the left side. I take you advise very well for I really do just enjoy flying no matter what.

John J