Learning to Fly

J

JeffinNV

Pre-Flight
Joined
Aug 11, 2025
Messages
48
Location
Carson Valley
Display Name
Jeff
Home Airfield
KCXP
Sorry for the TLDR, I included an introduction. I suppose my main question is, how important should flying be to me before I take lessons?

I was interested in airplanes and flying when I was a kid. Somewhere along the way I lost that interest.
I don't know if I didn't think I could do it or if something else caught my attention.
Thinking back on it now, it was probably that I didn't know where to begin.

I hadn't thought about flying for years, though in my mid 20's I looked into flight school with the goal of becoming a professional pilot.
When I learned that I couldn't get a job until I worked as a CFI to get the hours I lost interest.

Several years ago a friend took me up in his Great Lakes bi-plane and did some aerobatics.
I didn't find the flight itself terribly exciting, even the few minutes that I got to fly, however I thoroughly enjoyed the aerobatics.
I hadn't thought about that flight until last week when I saw a picture of him in his airplane, upside down.

I told myself, I can learn to do that.

So now I'm looking into learning to fly, with the goal of moving onto aerobatics instruction as soon as I can.

I'm no stranger to the CFR's or government exams.
I'm a retired Marine Engineer, every step of my career I achieved through self study at home, followed by taking USCG exams.
Currently I spend my spare time and cash on cars and motorcycles, I would divert those resources to studying and flight lessons.

I am concerned about flying holding my attention, I don't feel a burning desire to be a pilot and airplanes aren't all I think about.
I think to maintain skills I should fly a certain number of hours on a regular basis.
How many hours I do not know. There is a local flying club that I can rent planes through once I'm a member.

Currently my plan is to take an introductory flight with a CFI, if I decided to pursue lessons obtain my medical certificate and join the club.
 
By all means take that introductory flight and share your concerns with the instructor. If possible, do it with someone who has been flying more than a few years. Don't hesitate to approach pilots and talk to them about their experiences and what motivated them. For many people, it is addictive.
 
Perhaps getting into the details of flying will grab your interest once you start. There’s nothing that says you can’t stop anytime you want if you find it boring.

I too was interested in planes and flying as a kid. I think other interests took over. I started in my late 40s. To keep up my skills I ended up buying a plane. No regrets, I love it. There are other certificates, ratings, and endorsements I’m chasing.

Then there’s Oshkosh/Airventure. That’ll keep you hooked on aviation for some time to come.

Take a first lesson. Then another, or not. Do it!
 
If your ultimate goal is to do aerobatics, try to find a flight school or independent CFI teaching in a Citabria or Cub or other simple tailwheel airplane. One who'll emphasize the basics of flying before regulations, systems, and navigation. You need that too, but the flying comes first.
 
wellknow said:
not many clubs with aerobatic airplanes
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This is a good point, thank you.
The local club actually has one, a Super Decathlon.

My thought with joining a club would be to have access to a plane and training to keep my newly learned skills fresh, while figuring out my next move.
I've found a couple of local aerobatics instructors through the IAC web site. I haven't contacted anyone yet, I'm still seeing how serious I am about this.

And trying to get an idea of the costs of flying and plane ownership, should I decided I am serious enough to go that route.
 
It’s a lot less boring when you are solo. That’s the good news.

I bet there’s many hours of relatively boring stuff before you get aerobatic training…so that might be the hardest part for you.
 
Randomskylane said:
It’s a lot less boring when you are solo. That’s the good news.

I bet there’s many hours of relatively boring stuff before you get aerobatic training…so that might be the hardest part for you.
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I suspect so.
I've always had a short attention span and get easily distracted, hopefully I'm self aware enough now to get through the slow parts.
 
JeffinNV said:
I've always had a short attention span and get easily distracted, hopefully I'm self aware enough now to get through the slow parts.
Click to expand...
That could be interpreted as ADHD. If you've ever in your life been diagnosed with or treated for ADHD, do some research before applying for an aviation medical.
 
I have read that some meds may make it difficult to get a medical certificate.
Fortunately I came through the school system before they began diagnosing and dosing kids for ADHD.

I'm sure my sixth grade teacher would have put me on something if she could have.
 
If you have an interest, try it out.

As to starting aerobatics, I started at about 70 hours. But heck, the military starts teaching them from your first flight. :D

And look at the other things you can do. My GF and I just did a weekend trip to Bardstown KY. Just to do it. About 3 hours by my plane, it would have been 10.5 - 11 hours driving.
 
JeffinNV said:
I have a flight scheduled for tomorrow morning, I am excited.
I have also begun to think about traveling by private plane vs. the driving I do now to visit family and friends.
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Flying is the fun and (IMO) often faster way to travel. I can drive 6+ hours to my in laws or fly an hour and half.

Keep at it. There is a lot of fun stuff to learn. Some is boring and some much more interesting.
 
Hard for me to understand how some folks can get through it all without at least a little passion or interest... I know some do, but I don't get it when they're doing it for fun.
I guess I do if it's work or just something you need to do....like all the things I've slogged through for work that I really wouldn't have chosen otherwise
but earning you pilot's liscence for fun, yeah, some of it can be a lot of work and effort

There are a lot of very different things to learn that all come together to get it...and I can't imagine that any one person really just loves them all equally
for me I think it was probably reading and learning the non-sense language in the FAR's that was the biggest slog. I had to draw deep into my passion to get through it.
 
Honestly doesn't sound like flying is for you. It's boring especially in training aircraft.
Flying is extremely expensive compared to motorcycles and cars. Sorry.
 
bonefishpete said:
Honestly doesn't sound like flying is for you. It's boring especially in training aircraft.
Flying is extremely expensive compared to motorcycles and cars. Sorry.
Click to expand...
No need to apologize, I asked for input, I appreciate you chiming in.
I hope tomorrow will tell. It may take a couple of days for me to make up my mind.

I don't mind spending the time and money on lessons, then I can rent a plan through the club to keep my skills up if I decided I want to stick with it.

If I enjoy it enough I'll look into buying later.
 
Flying is not cheap, especially if you buy your own plane.
But for me it is cheaper than the drag racing I was doing before learning to fly.
Plus I get to fly the the plane longer than the 5 seconds I was driving the dragster after hour and hours of work and money for 5 seconds of seat time.
 
JeffinNV said:
I have read that some meds may make it difficult to get a medical certificate.
Fortunately I came through the school system before they began diagnosing and dosing kids for ADHD.

I'm sure my sixth grade teacher would have put me on something if she could have.
Click to expand...
Teachers don’t put you on anything, nor does guidance councilor or any school administrator. That would be your pediatrician.
 
I had my introductory flight this morning. It was overwhelming and I've decided to take flying lessons.

I ask myself why do I want to do this... currently my life is easy and comfortable, I've been coasting since I retired five years ago.*

Well, to learn something new, to get out of my comfort zone, to try something that interested me as a kid.
Because if I don't try it now there WILL come a day that I wished I had.

Other than it's a lot of work and expense I can't think of a reason not to.

*Thinking back, the coasting part isn't 100% true, I did take four months of machine shop in night school at the community college.
 
JeffinNV said:
I ask myself why do I want to do this...
Click to expand...
If I may, I believe that the answer to this question is invariably either "because it sounds like an easy way to make a lot of money" or "because I like how it makes me feel." At the risk of being unkind to a large group of people, the former response is perhaps most common in the "puppy mill" airline academies and various flight-school "fast track" programs. I'm sure some of the people there are indeed in love with flight, but I suspect that's the path to becoming an airplane driver, rather than an aviator, with the commensurate level of job satisfaction.

The latter answer is more nebulous, because of the "what" driving the "how it makes me feel". For some, the "what" is as simple as the oft-cited sense of personal freedom while soaring overhead. For others, it's the view. The convenience of owning an airplane. The sense of community and instant connection to other pilots. Sharing it with kids. Working on or even building their own aircraft. Chasing the perfect landing or the perfectly performed aerobatic maneuver. The aeronautical engineering leading to structural lines like curving poetry. The fun of arguing online about whose wing is in the wrong position.

Being pilots--and therefore frequently "type-A" and analytical--most of us eventually whip out a spreadsheet to try to put a logical veneer on our emotional decisions. We calculate drive-times vs. flight-times, aircraft hourly costs of ownership vs. rental. The capability and safety justification for an expensive avionics upgrade. Mostly though, we're all just friendly addicts, happily enabling each other. Most of us have walked with our faces turned to the sky our whole lives, unable to look away from even the most humble of GA aircraft flying overhead. Some made it a career in the cockpit. Most of us didn't. We all still belong in the community.

Based on what you've posted thus far, it seems that the "what" for you is perhaps new knowledge and the challenge of learning new skills. There is undoubtedly great satisfaction to be had from mastering aircraft control, pilotage, navigation, and so forth. Flying hundreds of miles on instruments, blind to the outside world, and then in the last 30 seconds of flight seeing a runway appear before you is truly gratifying. Precise aircraft control, both in the air and when landing is much like a golfer chasing the perfect swing, or a motorcyclist finding the perfect line (and yes, there's a strong cross-over between motorcyclists and pilots).

I wish you the very best of luck. Even if you never feel the romance of flight the way some others do, it's still a wonderfully challenging and mind-expanding avocation.
 
JeffinNV said:
Sorry for the TLDR, I included an introduction. I suppose my main question is, how important should flying be to me before I take lessons?

I was interested in airplanes and flying when I was a kid. Somewhere along the way I lost that interest.
I don't know if I didn't think I could do it or if something else caught my attention.
Thinking back on it now, it was probably that I didn't know where to begin.

I hadn't thought about flying for years, though in my mid 20's I looked into flight school with the goal of becoming a professional pilot.
When I learned that I couldn't get a job until I worked as a CFI to get the hours I lost interest.

Several years ago a friend took me up in his Great Lakes bi-plane and did some aerobatics.
I didn't find the flight itself terribly exciting, even the few minutes that I got to fly, however I thoroughly enjoyed the aerobatics.
I hadn't thought about that flight until last week when I saw a picture of him in his airplane, upside down.

I told myself, I can learn to do that.

So now I'm looking into learning to fly, with the goal of moving onto aerobatics instruction as soon as I can.

I'm no stranger to the CFR's or government exams.
I'm a retired Marine Engineer, every step of my career I achieved through self study at home, followed by taking USCG exams.
Currently I spend my spare time and cash on cars and motorcycles, I would divert those resources to studying and flight lessons.

I am concerned about flying holding my attention, I don't feel a burning desire to be a pilot and airplanes aren't all I think about.
I think to maintain skills I should fly a certain number of hours on a regular basis.
How many hours I do not know. There is a local flying club that I can rent planes through once I'm a member.

Currently my plan is to take an introductory flight with a CFI, if I decided to pursue lessons obtain my medical certificate and join the club.
Click to expand...

Aviation has something to offer almost everyone - whether your interests are technical, procedural, regulations, meterology, or even artistic. Once you find your niche, you’ll likely discover it to be an endlessly deep well with no bottom in sight. And even if you lose interest and stop flying, the worst-case scenario is that you’ll have spent about the same amount of money as buying a new car, a cost many people incur on far less interesting pursuits. Go for it. I am willing to bet that your biggest regret will be why you didn't do this sooner!
 
sarangan said:
Aviation has something to offer almost everyone - whether your interests are technical, procedural, regulations, meterology, or even artistic.
Click to expand...

This is a great point that we try to emphasize to our EAA Young Eagles and other visitors.

They need to understand that even if they have no desire to be a pilot, aviation has a vast array of careers that are fascinating such as ATC, design, maintenance, and yes, even accident investigation. Many are a bit surprised once they take a moment to consider the many options available.
 
JeffinNV said:
I had my introductory flight this morning. It was overwhelming and I've decided to take flying lessons.

I ask myself why do I want to do this... currently my life is easy and comfortable, I've been coasting since I retired five years ago.*

Well, to learn something new, to get out of my comfort zone, to try something that interested me as a kid.
Because if I don't try it now there WILL come a day that I wished I had.

Other than it's a lot of work and expense I can't think of a reason not to.

*Thinking back, the coasting part isn't 100% true, I did take four months of machine shop in night school at the community college.
Click to expand...
After my first intro flight, I found myself in a diner having lunch a couple of hours, still smiling. Smiling isn't a default setting for me. So I was hooked.

Machine shop work is a mix of hands on experience, theory, a bit of math, and the reality that if you screw it up it can bite you. Flying has a lot of those things, too. I think you'll do great. Oh, and I think everyone finds bits of the written study boring and tedious. Don't let that bring you down. Get out and fly.
 
I'm the resident acro nut, or at least the most vocal. A few tips on that:

Get your tailwheel endorsement right after your PPL, and begin building TW hours. Most common acro aircraft are taildraggers, so that will be a limit on solo access until you get 30-50 hours.

Bad news: aerobatic aircraft for solo rent are as rare as hens teeth. You might get lucky and find a Citabria.

Good news: many aerobatic aircraft are relatively inexpensive to own and operate. There are several EAB options for well under 6 figures, including such venerable choices as the Pitts S-1 variants.

Finally, don't be under the delusion that you are going to get your PPL and CFI, take an acro course, and start teaching it. I mean you CAN, but that doesn't mean you SHOULD. In my opinion, you need to spend some time establishing your bona fides in competition, airshows, or military training before you are truly a viable instructor.
 
Ed Haywood said:
I'm the resident acro nut, or at least the most vocal. A few tips on that:

Get your tailwheel endorsement right after your PPL, and begin building TW hours. Most common acro aircraft are taildraggers, so that will be a limit on solo access until you get 30-50 hours.

Bad news: aerobatic aircraft for solo rent are as rare as hens teeth. You might get lucky and find a Citabria.

Good news: many aerobatic aircraft are relatively inexpensive to own and operate. There are several EAB options for well under 6 figures, including such venerable choices as the Pitts S-1 variants.

Finally, don't be under the delusion that you are going to get your PPL and CFI, take an acro course, and start teaching it. I mean you CAN, but that doesn't mean you SHOULD. In my opinion, you need to spend some time establishing your bona fides in competition, airshows, or military training before you are truly a viable instructor.
Click to expand...
Total non-sequitur, but I wanted to take the opportunity to ask since you mentioned it: you use both "acro" and "aerobatic" in your post. The correct term, I believe, is aerobatic (and indeed the FAA says that they define aerobatic but not acrobatic). However, "acro" seems common parlance too, although strictly speaking "acrobatics" is something you do with your body. Not trying to be pedantic at all, just generally curious where the usage of "acro" comes from in the aerobatic community.
 
AvNavCom said:
Total non-sequitur, but I wanted to take the opportunity to ask since you mentioned it: you use both "acro" and "aerobatic" in your post. The correct term, I believe, is aerobatic (and indeed the FAA says that they define aerobatic but not acrobatic). However, "acro" seems common parlance too, although strictly speaking "acrobatics" is something you do with your body. Not trying to be pedantic at all, just generally curious where the usage of "acro" comes from in the aerobatic community.
Click to expand...

The correct and official term is aerobatics. But saying "aero" already means something else, so folks will sometimes use acro or akro as slang.

As a general rule the community is not too uptight, except about things they need to be uptight about.
 
Ed Haywood said:
The correct and official term is aerobatics. But saying "aero" already means something else, so folks will sometimes use acro or akro as slang.

As a general rule the community is not too uptight, except about things they need to be uptight about.
Click to expand...
Nice! Thanks for the clarification! It always struck me as a community with exacting standards, hence my curiosity about the non-standard usage. Appreciate it!
 
Ed Haywood said:
The correct and official term is aerobatics. But saying "aero" already means something else, so folks will sometimes use acro or akro as slang.

As a general rule the community is not too uptight, except about things they need to be uptight about.
Click to expand...
At one time the FAA used the term "acrobatic flight" in the regulations. When it was changed, I don't know.

Just don't call it "stunt flying"... :fingerwag:
 
Ed Haywood said:
I'm the resident acro nut, or at least the most vocal. A few tips on that:

Get your tailwheel endorsement right after your PPL, and begin building TW hours. Most common acro aircraft are taildraggers, so that will be a limit on solo access until you get 30-50 hours.

Bad news: aerobatic aircraft for solo rent are as rare as hens teeth. You might get lucky and find a Citabria.

Good news: many aerobatic aircraft are relatively inexpensive to own and operate. There are several EAB options for well under 6 figures, including such venerable choices as the Pitts S-1 variants.

Finally, don't be under the delusion that you are going to get your PPL and CFI, take an acro course, and start teaching it. I mean you CAN, but that doesn't mean you SHOULD. In my opinion, you need to spend some time establishing your bona fides in competition, airshows, or military training before you are truly a viable instructor.
Click to expand...
I appreciate the input Ed. My friend that gave me the ride in his Great Lakes said the same thing about getting my TW endorsement.

I have no plans to get my CFI or attempt to instruct anyone.
I'm retired, I just want a hobby to enjoy.

I have considered maybe competing in acro, someday, if it fits my budget, otherwise I'll just fly out over the desert and twirl around in the sky.
 
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