Flying Doldrums

bstratt

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Feb 23, 2005
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St. Charles, IL
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Canuck
I seem to be in the doldrums lately. After my long XC to Newfoundland this summer, and joining Lifeline Pilots after, I just can't seem to get excited over just boring holes in the sky or $100 hamburgers. It seems I need a higher level of excitement to get me motivated now. My wife even suggested yesterday that we fly to Janesville for lunch and I declined.

On second thought, its probably not excitement but a sense of purpose that's missing. I just volunteered for my second Lifeline flight and have no problem doing that.

Apart from that I seem to sit around daydreaming/investigating other long distance XC's I'd like to make - Bahamas, Mexico, Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, but these all take a substantial investment of vacation time which is already overbooked.

Anyone else ever get this way? What's the cure?
 
Your situation is not unusual at all. That's what led me to Citabrias ... occasional acro, grass strip taildragging, ability to go on limited cross countries. Great combination of attributes.

In lots of people this ennui is what's behind them chasing ratings. Or they might go for ever-bigger, faster, more complex aircraft.

Face it, the kind of people who become pilots are achievement oriented. Once a goal is met, it's time to set another one.
 
bstratt said:
Anyone else ever get this way? What's the cure?
Try low and slow - tail dragger or, even better, a helicopter.

Last summer I gave a friend his first helo ride. This is a guy with a bizzilion hours, owns a Pilatus trainer and a 310.

We did a sightseeing flight at 500 AGL at a whopping 75 kt. He liked it so much (and found it so different) that I think he may go for his RH rating!
 
bstratt said:
Anyone else ever get this way? What's the cure?

Not flying, but with my motorcycle riding. I've ridden and owned all the types of bikes, I've done countless track days, ridden Deals Gap sooo many times, bike camped all over the Smokies and southern mountians, etc. etc. etc. I have a fine bike in the garage (and it gets ridden daily on the commute), but on weekends, I no longer feel the urge to just go out and ride. BTDT, got the T-shirt and a few broken bones. I now ride when there is a place to go or old friends to see, a mission, if you will, but otherwise? Nah. What did I do?

Started flying. Sounds like your flying has gotten boring, ho hum, status quo. As others said, try acro, go try a new rating...

As for me, in a year or two, I'm going to build myself a Harley type bike from the frame up in the garage, that will give me a new challenge motorcycle wise, and let me taste homebuilding to see if I want to progress on to building an airplane.

Why be normal? :D
 
canuck said:
Anyone else ever get this way? What's the cure?
I haven't had that problem yet. In fact, I've got the opposite problem. I'm nearly paralyzed by my interest in aviation. I'm not flying right now because of a change in financial circumstances (hopefully temporary), so all the planes in the sky seem to beckon to me.

There's a saying, better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. I completely disagree. I'd rather not have known the joy than to have it taken away. Good thing I can fly via the SIM, but it's not the same !
 
I think you've all hit the nail on the head about not having a goal at the moment - I've always had one when flying, first the PP, then as soon as able the IR, then worked on getting the Commercial asap picking up the HP and Complex endorsements on the way.

The next ratings seem far away - ATP. I could pick up either both or one of tail dragger/seaplane but as the plane I co-own is neither, the chance of actually using them seems remote.

Then, after buying, I wanted to expand my horizons by stretching my XC's - first was Norfolk, VA, for a weekend - 5 hrs each way, then Gaston's (not as long but somewhere I haven't been), the Newfoundland XC was 4 months in the planning giving me great anticipation and resulting in a thoroughly satisfying 16 hrs each way.

Right now, the Lifeline missions at least give me a purpose and feeling of satisfaction.

I'm a little leary of acrobatics (I'm terrified of heights and get ill on roller coasters), as well as having to rent a plane to do this which my wife wouldn't understand after just talking her into buying a year ago.

Bill - I too was into motorcycles in a big way - started out at 14 with a Yamaha Twin Jet 100cc, and worked my way up to Gold Wings - went all over North America on it - from Newfoundland to Victoria, BC, to Yosemite in CA, to Key West in FL- I think I hit all 4 corners. After getting into flying the bike sat in the garage - sold it 4 years ago. Now thinking about building my own chopper.
 
I find myself going through cycles of this.

I haven't flown since May, partially because of the heat, money (dumping a lot into my house) and school (full time student/full time+ worker bee). I want to get back up in the air but know that I won't have the time to put into staying proficient, at least until next year.

I'll probably go up with a CFI in a week or so (trimester is ending, new one beginning so workload is light), knock the rust off, and continue for a few weeks before the play money and time run out. My dad is living with me now and has been looking forward to his first plane ride for a while. Some motivation, I guess.

On the other end of the spectrum, I find myself wondering why I should go through all the time and money for something I'm going to have to stop again. Blah.
 
bstratt said:
Bill - I too was into motorcycles in a big way - started out at 14 with a Yamaha Twin Jet 100cc, and worked my way up to Gold Wings - went all over North America on it - from Newfoundland to Victoria, BC, to Yosemite in CA, to Key West in FL- I think I hit all 4 corners.
My best motorcycle trip was Madison, WI to New Orleans to Los Angeles to Seattle to Madison. Took 8 weeks and had absolutely no itinerary. As an added bonus, as we were coming through the Badlands we saw a bunch of motorcycles that all seemed to be going somewhere. We followed. Ended up in Sturgis, never having heard of it before. (This was in 1978.)
 
bstratt said:
Anyone else ever get this way? What's the cure?
Barry, years ago when I started feeling a tad bored with flying, I decided to get involved with Young Eagles. I've taken over 300 now and still look forward to taking the next one. It gives me a purpose for the flight and I enjoy sharing my love of flying with kids. And it's a lot of fun. :)
 
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