I need younger flying friends

P

pdmcgrane

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
7
Location
Moorhead, MN
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Display name:
Patrick
I posted something similar to this on the AOPA forum, but wanted to see what people thought in here. Well, I'm 20 and a student pilot who flies flies out of KFAR (Fargo, ND) and it seems that all of the friends I have in the aviation world are much older than me. I have nothing against the older crowd, and in fact wouldn't mind have more older friends (since I only have a few to begin with), but it would be nice to know people around my age. I have concerns and ideas that I would probably feel more comfortable sharing with people my age. I'm a new pilot and it would be great to talk with other new pilots, who maybe are even in college like I am. How/where can I meet people my age who fly?
 
Welcome, Patrick! Hope you enjoy the Blue Board! (AOPA is the Red Board).

Posting here is a good way to start meeting people of ALL ages. We truly have all age groups represented, including some very active late-teens and twenty-somethings.

I'm confused, though. Are you out of Fargo or Moorhead?
 
I fly out of Fargo, but I live/go to school in Moorhead.....not that it makes that much of a difference since they're so close, heh.
 
Been there, dude. You actually learn that the older pilots are still freaking cool sometimes, especially the ones that aren't super cocky about how many hours they have, or how great they are because they were alive when Reagan was an actor or something. You learn which are which, and you learn to hang with those that remember youth.

FWIW, I'm 25 now, but 5 years ago, I was 20 (i math gud). So - take it for what its worth, but I could never find a solid group of locals around me that were near my age and pilots. The older folk are keeping the youngsters out, unfortunately. Hang in there.
 
Welcome Patrick. I too have always been in groups with older people. I am 17 going on 46 now. Ever since I first started being interested in aviation there were people older than me I hung around with as most of the people my age were interested in something else. But hopefully you will find you way. This is a good place. Not only do we hang around the ole Internet chatting we like to get together. The flyins are reflect the age diversity of the board as well. I have learned stuff from the young uns just like I have from the old grey beards.

Scott
 
Welcome Patrick...

There are several pre-30's people here and TONS of people that act pre-20's. :D

I got my PPL at 20 y/o (27 now) and I remember it being nearly impossible to find pilots near my age. The good thing about the aviation community is that 19 y/o's can sit around with 60 y/o's and share stories with ease. I do understand the desire to hang out with folks in your peer age group, though. If you're in college, see if there is a flying club at your school. If not, start one - you might be surprised how many fellow pilots or aviation lovers come out of the woodwork.

I'm sure some of the younger folks will chime in here.

Oh yeah... Welcome to POA!
 
Most of us on here act around your age anyway...and that's not a bad thing :D

Hey this is my first post here!
 
CJones said:
Welcome Patrick...

There are several pre-30's people here and TONS of people that act pre-20's. :D

I got my PPL at 20 y/o (27 now) and I remember it being nearly impossible to find pilots near my age. The good thing about the aviation community is that 19 y/o's can sit around with 60 y/o's and share stories with ease. I do understand the desire to hang out with folks in your peer age group, though. If you're in college, see if there is a flying club at your school. If not, start one - you might be surprised how many fellow pilots or aviation lovers come out of the woodwork.

I'm sure some of the younger folks will chime in here.

Oh yeah... Welcome to POA!
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I suppose that'd include me. I'll be completing my private pilot checkride on my 17th birthday in late November, but I've been flying since I was a baby with the rest of my family. Most of the younger folks in aviation I know are through online web boards like this and through the "Virtual Boston ARTCC" organization I belong to on the VATSIM (www.vatsim.net) network.

Echoing what Chris said, it's great to sit down to a table with a complete stranger-pilot at a fly-in and be able to talk about things you both fully understand. That said, it's also nice sharing your passion with peers, possibly getting them interested into flying.

Jason
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
I suppose that'd include me. I'll be completing my private pilot checkride on my 17th birthday in late November, but I've been flying since I was a baby with the rest of my family. Most of the younger folks in aviation I know are through online web boards like this and through the "Virtual Boston ARTCC" organization I belong to on the VATSIM (www.vatsim.net) network.

Echoing what Chris said, it's great to sit down to a table with a complete stranger-pilot at a fly-in and be able to talk about things you both fully understand. That said, it's also nice sharing your passion with peers, possibly getting them interested into flying.

Jason
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Jason, I had no idea you were so "young." You are very articulate and knowledgeable for your age.

Heck, perhaps we should simply make this an ageless community and call it at that :yes:
 
alaskaflyer said:
Jason, I had no idea you were so "young." You are very articulate and knowledgeable for your age.

Heck, perhaps we should simply make this an ageless community and call it at that :yes:
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Thanks. I certainly credit those attributes to being introduced to the industry at such a young age. I've essentially been given a head start as to how I want to be looked upon by others. I truly thank my family and the aviation community for that.
 
YEA......I need Women pilots with LOTS of money......and BIG......well u know!!
 
Aviation takes a lot of money. Lots of money is not something most young people have.
 
skyflies said:
Most of us on here act around your age anyway...and that's not a bad thing :D

Hey this is my first post here!
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Well Sky you need to post more then :yes:


Patrick
Back to the subject There are lots of people that would like to meet you and that you should meet in here OLD and YOUNG, we are in the Chatroom just about every night so come on in .
BTW i'm one of the old folks (52) but i like meeting and talking with anyone that flys.
and WELCOME to POA,
Dave G:blueplane:
 
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I'm not exactly in ND, more like OK, but I am in college, I'm a pilot and I'm 22. I think thats still considered the younger crowd? I know what you mean about it being tough to have flying buddies your age. I'm in a college environment but everyone is so eager to get thier ratings and leave, its hard to make friends. So most of the local friends I have, aren't my age at all but they're really great and smart pilots. Oh, and don't let these guys on POA fool you, they're big kids at heart! Go to a Fly-in or stop by Flash Chat if you don't believe me or just want to get to know everyone better! I haven't met a finer group.
 
Welcome to the board! I, too, am one of the 20 somethings in the forum (23). Have you ever thought about getting a job at an FBO? I spent about three years pumping gas and washing planes at AMW (Ames, IA) during college and almost everyone I worked with there over the years, instructors and linemen alike, were right around my age. A lot of the people I met there I'm still friends with today, including Tony, also on this forum, who was somewhere around 12 when I met him :rofl:, so that's my suggestion!
 
I'm 29.. but most of my 'fly buddies' are all 40+. It is a bit hard to find folks the same age, but not as hard to find people that you can bond with. You just have to find like minded folks. :)
 
For several reasons, lack of money, starting a career and/or family, or just the time involved in getting a round tuit, I believe the vast majority of new pilots who aren't enrolled in a college aviation program start flying in their 30's or later. It's not even unusual for some to wait until their kids have left home or completed college.

So if you want to find pilots that are just out of high school, I think you're pretty much going to have to find them in college. If the school you're in doesn't provide the aviation related social opportunities you want perhaps your school would be willing to arrange a "fly-in" or two to other schools with similar programs. I think there's an aviation program at St Cloud and I know there's one at Mankato.
 
Shipoke said:
Well Sky you need to post more then :yes:


Patrick
Back to the subject There are lots of people that would like to meet you and that you should meet in here OLD and YOUNG, we are in the Chatroom just about every night so come on in .
BTW i'm one of the old folks (52) but i like meeting and talking with anyone that flys.
and WELCOME to POA,
Dave G:blueplane:
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Hey Dave,

Thanks for inviting me to the chat. I'll be sure to stop by. I'm interested in meeting all kinds of people myself ;)
 
pdmcgrane said:
I'm a new pilot and it would be great to talk with other new pilots, who maybe are even in college like I am. How/where can I meet people my age who fly?
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Patrick,

Welcome to the board! :yes:

I'd suggest you look at this from another angle too: "How can I get more of my peers to fly?"

That way, when you're old, you'll still have some flying friends. There are not nearly enough pilots in the world. :no:

FWIW, on Nov. 17th I'll turn 33 1/3. :D (With the way I act sometimes, though, I could shave and pass for 12. ;) :yes:)
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Patrick,

Welcome to the board! :yes:

I'd suggest you look at this from another angle too: "How can I get more of my peers to fly?"

That way, when you're old, you'll still have some flying friends. There are not nearly enough pilots in the world. :no:

FWIW, on Nov. 17th I'll turn 33 1/3. :D (With the way I act sometimes, though, I could shave and pass for 12. ;) :yes:)
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It's always good to be young at heart. All you guys seem great, it sucks that everyone is so far away :(
 
pdmcgrane said:
It's always good to be young at heart. All you guys seem great, it sucks that everyone is so far away :(
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Oh, it's all relative. With GA, we're all a lot closer to each other. :yes:

FWIW, there's a bunch of folks getting together in Ames, IA the weekend of Oct. 27th (see the thread in Cool Places to Fly, something about "Midwest fly-in"). If you can't make the whole trip yourself, you might be able to catch a ride with someone else. Hope you can make it! :yes:

Of course, the best way to meet a bunch of us is to host your own fly-in! :yes: Of course, attracting people to Moorhead this time of year ("this time" defined as roughly October through April :rofl:) might be a bit difficult. Brrrr.
 
KennyFlys said:
How many months ago was that?


:goofy:
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HA HA HA

actually Matt makes an excellent point. The summer that we worked at the FBO Im pretty sure all the instructors/line boys were under 25 and we had a ton of fun!
 
If I was 20 I would spend time looking for HOT 20 year old :p chicks !
 
KennyFlys said:
I present to you...

http://www.fbohotties.com/

:D
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Patrick is on his way to apply at the local FBO as we speak. :D

I know what he is talking about, though. I'm old(er) now but I started learning when I was 19 and all the other pilots I knew were older than me. Seems like I was always the young one of any group I was in, pilots or non-pilots, for a long time... but this is not the case any more. :dunno:
 
I'm 23 and am new to aviation as well. You're certainly always welcome to IM or PM me with anything you want to talk about, I definitely understand the desire to meet some more pilots your own age. But it is true that most young people can't afford to be into flying unless you have a family that supports you doing it or some other ridiculously subsidized means of taking flying lessons.


One of the things I learned a few years back, though, is that having older friends (well, really friends with more experience) in anything you're interested in is highly beneficial to you because they are people who you can learn from. Any concerns or questions you have are ones that they have had at one point in time as well. If you have a good flight instructor who you click with (and if you don't, find a new flight instructor), he or she will be especially understanding.

In my case, I am fortunate enough to have a bunch of friends who are pilots and all have different perspectives and different stories to tell and advice to give. That is truly a blessing, because if I ever have some question about flying I can always ask it of any of them and see what the differing opinions are. My flight instructor is a 5000 hour pilot who owns two planes and is also is an A&P and teaches at the local flight school, which to me is great.

Anyways, I live nowhere near you (Pennsylvania) but this interweb thing is neat, eh? Give me a shout if you ever want to talk planes (or college, or life, or whatever).
 
Everskyward said:
Patrick is on his way to apply at the local FBO as we speak. :D

I know what he is talking about, though. I'm old(er) now but I started learning when I was 19 and all the other pilots I knew were older than me. Seems like I was always the young one of any group I was in, pilots or non-pilots, for a long time... but this is not the case any more. :dunno:
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Actually I did apply for a job at my local FBO (Fargo Jet Center at KFAR) where I am taking lessons and I don't think they want/need me :(. I sent in the job application and resumé 3 or 4 weeks ago, I called to check up on my application a few days ago and received a not so very hopeful response. Oh well I guess.
 
Young kid looks up at an airline pilot and says, "I want to be a pilot when I grow up!"

Pilot looks at kid and says, "You can't do both."

Welcome. Cronological age doesn't seem to mean much with this bunch.
 
Welcome to the board to both of the newcomers who posted in this thread. Aviation is truly an ageless thing. I am fortunate enough to have pilot friends who are as young as 16 and as old as 86. A good way to meet pilots of all ages is to go to a local flight museum and sign up as a volunteer. I did that and met a whole slew of people. This board and many others like it are a great way to meet people as well. Basically, I have someone to have dinner or drinks with just about anywhere I go in the country, and that's pretty cool. Anyway, hang in there, you'll find some people your own age.

BTW - I'll be 27 in December.
 
Looks like I am older than most here...at 29. But a pilot is a pilot! Any pilot can talk to any other pilot because they have one thing they care about very much in common.
 
One...

flyingcheesehead said:
FWIW, there's a bunch of folks getting together in Ames, IA the weekend of Oct. 27th (see the thread in Cool Places to Fly, something about "Midwest fly-in"). If you can't make the whole trip yourself, you might be able to catch a ride with someone else. Hope you can make it! :yes:
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Plus one...

lancefisher said:
Looks like I should be able to make it too (Sat). I'm particularly interested in the wind tunnel.

Anyone wanting a ride from the Mpls area send me a PM.
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...equals FUN!!! :D

Yeah, I know Moorhead and Minneapolis are about 240 miles apart, but Patrick, if you can get down there you can meet a bunch of us (including a good part of the "young" contingent) and I bet Lance will even give you some stick time in that sweet Baron of his... Hope you can make it! :yes:
 
slight hijack: can anyone remember who said "How old would you be if you didn't know your age?" I want to use that quote for something....

P
 
I can't relate much, having started flying in my 30s, but I have to echo those who point out that age is not significant, especially among pilots... once you get over that "jeez, that's just what my Dad would say" factor, you can learn a lot and just have fun hanging out with the "ancient pelicans".
Example: while doing my tailwheel training in San Diego recently, I went over to the EAA hangar at Brown for a free lunch with my instructor, who is 80 or thereabouts. Most of the other pilots there were 60 and older, and just like the younger pilots, they are still full of enthusiasm for flying and have plans and dreams to discuss. They're almost always very willing to listen and advise, as well.
Then there's the wealth of experience...the stories... gatherings like that are like a treasure trove of knowledge!

You might think they don't know or remember what it was like being a 20-ish pilot, but most of them do... and most of them are not "out of touch" either- they know what issues concern young pilots nowadays. They've faced many of the same hurdles, and learned things along the way that you haven't even dreamed of yet.

I really enjoyed my instructor's company, and his advice and stories.
And I honestly felt I was better off learning to fly the Champ with someone who'd been giving lessons in it for 40 years!
 
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