Getting back to flying after some time off

HeatherCFI

HeatherCFI

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Apr 8, 2009
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Appleton, WI
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HeatherCFI
Hi all,
I'm glad I found this forum! I haven't flown in about 9 years and my plan is to get back into it this summer. I have my CFI and about 300 hours. I've renewed my CFI each year and I have an appointment made to get my medical. I can't believe I went this long without flying. School turned into Grad school which turned into working my tail off to pay for Grad school! I've decided that I'm not going to wish I could afford to fly again - I'm just going to figure out a way to do it. I would like to get proficient enough that I could instruct as a part-time gig.

Has anyone here had any experience with getting up into the air after a hiatus? Am I going to have lost all my piloting skills? I know it will take some time for things to come back, but I'm just curious what others have experienced.

TIA! :cornut:
 
HeatherCFI said:
Has anyone here had any experience with getting up into the air after a hiatus? Am I going to have lost all my piloting skills? I know it will take some time for things to come back, but I'm just curious what others have experienced.
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If you haven't yet, join AOPA. There are lots of reasons, but one of the best is that they've got a page on their web site to help pilots who've been away a while get up to speed. It'll tell you everything that's changed.

Aside from that, you should plan to get several hours of dual to get back in the groove. It'll come back quickly enough; it did for me when I returned to flying after a 15-year hiatus.

I can't speak to the CFI part of it, though, as I don't have that just yet. :)
 
jmaynard said:
If you haven't yet, join AOPA. There are lots of reasons, but one of the best is that they've got a page on their web site to help pilots who've been away a while get up to speed. It'll tell you everything that's changed.

Aside from that, you should plan to get several hours of dual to get back in the groove. It'll come back quickly enough; it did for me when I returned to flying after a 15-year hiatus.

I can't speak to the CFI part of it, though, as I don't have that just yet. :)
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Jay has some good advise here, but to each his own on joining AOPA. There are better ways to spend your money, buy an extra hour of flight time, you'll be better off!
 
I did the same thing about 3 years ago after about an 8 year hiatus (due to a new job with a move to a new city, kids, money, ....)
If you haven't flown for 9 years, then the biggest change will be the proliferation of GPS and glass panels. It will take some work to get back up to speed, but it will go quickly. You'll know when you are comfortable enough to take on a student.
 
I've been doing the programs on www.faasafety.gov Those have been great to help refresh my memory. I'm also an EAA member and I've never really looked to see what they offer. I really need to get brushed up on the FAR's. I know that quite a few things have changed! I've also been using the Whitt's Flying site to read up on maneuvers too. I'm so excited to get back into flying. And I'm going to the Red Bull air races in San Diego so that's got me jacked up too! :)
 
I've handled flight reviews for several who have been away from flying. I've found the average flight review time is about an hour for every year not flown. That can be cut down drastically by doing exactly what you are... making use of FAASafety.gov. There's the section on preparing for a flight review and much more.

It's a hard road to get back on top but well worth it once you accomplish the goal. I returned in 2005 after nineteen years and soon after began working toward being a CFI. I've been at that gig full-time for fourteen months at this time. I'll never get rich at it but I sure love what I do. Not many can say that.

Best of luck in your goal and welcome to the board!
 
KennyFlys said:
I've handled flight reviews for several who have been away from flying. I've found the average flight review time is about an hour for every year not flown.
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That would be more hours than it took me to get a PP in the first place...
 
I think the 1 hour for every year rule-of-thumb is about what I expected. I was thinking it would prob take me 10 hours to become proficient again, then more on top of that to fly the right seat and instruct. I would love to instruct full-time, but I'm in WI and the weather would never allow for that!
 
Its hard, but well worth it. I took a 20+ year hiatus, then more recently spent 2 years on the ground while executing a move. The technologies change (GPS), the rules and procedures change (ADIZ), but the hands on flying remains magnificent. I still can't find a way to justify the costs, so like you, just decided to do it. The only regret is that it took me sooooo long to get back into the air.
 
Ken's formula makes sense, and it about jibes with what I went through after 4 years with just one dual flight in the middle. But don't even think about that- just do some chair-flying and go for it. Or to get an idea of how much time you might need for the official review, just book some dual, an hour or so, to prep... no pressure, just to see where you're at. The time could pay for itself during the actual review.
You may be surprised how fresh your basic airplane-handling skills still are. You probably have an edge on me, as you have continued studying, which is where I was particularly weak.

Have fun- you will be glad you came back!
 
HeatherCFI said:
Hi all,
I'm glad I found this forum! I haven't flown in about 9 years and my plan is to get back into it this summer. I have my CFI and about 300 hours. I've renewed my CFI each year and I have an appointment made to get my medical. I can't believe I went this long without flying. School turned into Grad school which turned into working my tail off to pay for Grad school! I've decided that I'm not going to wish I could afford to fly again - I'm just going to figure out a way to do it. I would like to get proficient enough that I could instruct as a part-time gig.

Has anyone here had any experience with getting up into the air after a hiatus? Am I going to have lost all my piloting skills? I know it will take some time for things to come back, but I'm just curious what others have experienced.

TIA! :cornut:
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Hello Heather,

I got back into flying in 2004 after a 26 year "dry spell". I had about 200 hours in a J-3 Cub and 50 hours of C-152 training and Piper Warrior time.

I always wanted to try gliders and read about Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flying them. I helped start a local CAP squadron and trained with a CAP CFI for 9 hours and very easily passed a CAP pilot checkride.(form 5) Also became a mission pilot in 2006 and got that glider rating in 2007. CAP members with a private pilot or higher rating can train in CAP aircraft with a CAP instructor who is not allowed to charge. The only costs are $28/hr for a C-172 or $36/hr for a C-182, plus fuel of course. The newer C-182s are all glass panels.(G-1000)

You have a CAP squadron NW of Appleton at ATW. www.foxcitiescap.org I have found most active CAP members to be great to fly with, work with, and just generally be around. CAP CFIs are treated like royalty! They are really needed because CAP pilots need a form 5 each year and mission pilots need a mission checkride every 2 years. Pilots are supposed to fly with a different checkpilot each year if possible.

If any of this interest you check out www.gocivilairpatrol.com Do get back into flying no matter how you do it. My retraining was even more fun than the initial. Happy flying!:D

Rick
 
HeatherCFI said:
I've been doing the programs on www.faasafety.gov Those have been great to help refresh my memory. I'm also an EAA member and I've never really looked to see what they offer. I really need to get brushed up on the FAR's. I know that quite a few things have changed! I've also been using the Whitt's Flying site to read up on maneuvers too. I'm so excited to get back into flying. And I'm going to the Red Bull air races in San Diego so that's got me jacked up too! :)
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Find a plane you want to fly/place you want to teach and get you FR done and keep flying. About all there is to it. You could also chose to renew your debt load and buy a plane to instruct in once you feel you are up to proficiency.
 
I didn't fly for twenty-six years. It took me 6.5 hrs of flight time, and 4 hrs of ground. I had a private when I quit, and I have a private now. I'm just a VFR pilot with no extra ratings or anything like that to bring back up to date. Tony got me back in the air, and he just treated it like a marathon BFR. Most things came back quickly, but some things took a little more time. Tony cut me loose on my own, but it took me about ten more hours before I felt like I was back to where I was when I quit. My advise is to just take your time, and enjoy getting back into it. Don't try to push things, just let them come back on their own.
 
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Henning said:
You could also chose to renew your debt load and buy a plane to instruct in once you feel you are up to proficiency.
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:p Yeah, I wish. Master's degrees don't come cheap! I'll be paying on that for the next 20 years. I've been keeping my eyes and ears open for a flying club looking for another member. So far no luck, but I'm thinking about posting something on Craigslist to see if anyone knows someone. I'm also going to check out the CAP site that Rick posted.

My medical is scheduled for Tuesday. As soon as I get that certificate in my hands, I'm scheduling my flight time. I'm thinking sometime the 3rd week of may since I'm gonna be in Cali for the air races. Oh wait... Did I already mention that. :)

I told my sister tonight that she will be the first person I take for a ride. I have almost 300 hours and I've never taken her for a ride. I am a horrible sister.

I'm working a 2nd part-time job in addition to my full-time job to pay for that Master's degree. I think I'm just gonna take 1/2 that money and use it for flying. Just gotta do it, right???
 
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