Need to fly more!

ScottK

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ScottK
During my training year, I had around 52 or so hours when I took my test. That ran from Feb-Dec. We had some plane issues that made me stretch that out to 11 months.

Since then, I've averaged 35 - 40 hrs a year. I'd like that to be higher, but not bad. Then tonight, I was adding up this year's time. 14 hrs... Ugh. Yes, I had some family stuff to deal with and our plane did go down for August and half of September, but 14 hrs...really?

That has got to change. The family stuff is starting to clear up and hopefully, I can finish the year strong. Not sure why I posted this. I was just amazed at how fast time can blow by before you realize it.

Ok, back to our regular programming.
 
During my training year, I had around 52 or so hours when I took my test. That ran from Feb-Dec. We had some plane issues that made me stretch that out to 11 months.

Since then, I've averaged 35 - 40 hrs a year. I'd like that to be higher, but not bad. Then tonight, I was adding up this year's time. 14 hrs... Ugh. Yes, I had some family stuff to deal with and our plane did go down for August and half of September, but 14 hrs...really?

That has got to change. The family stuff is starting to clear up and hopefully, I can finish the year strong. Not sure why I posted this. I was just amazed at how fast time can blow by before you realize it.

Ok, back to our regular programming.

As long as you have a family there will always be issues, just make sure you carve out some time in your busy schedule and make flying a priority once in a while.
 
I'm in the same boat. Passed my checkride July 9th and have only logged 5.1 hours since.
 
For me the reality right now is about every other week or so and I suspect in the winter months that going to stretch a bit. Lately finding good weather on a day I can fly is the tough part. It doesn't help that the airport is 45mins to an hour away.
 
When one is limited to flying only on weekends, family needs and weather can really curtail flying time. There's no time for flying after work now with the time change, so I'm at the mercy of those other two controlling factors. I'm looking forward to retirement at an airpark. :D
 
I am 35 minutes from the airport (leaving in another hour) I now have the luxury of being unemployed and broke (it's called retirement) I fly even if it is only a 20 minute swing out over Saginaw Bay and then do a crosswind landing. For limited time flying it is a return to your student days and do a couple of cross wind TOL. Or maybe buzz up to 3000 and a couple of stalls, one power on and one power off followed by an approach and landing with one engine at zero thrust. How about an overhead break. Or how about doing the approach with only rudder (failed ailerons) or only the trim tab (failed elevator). Lots of ways to keep the rust knocked off without having to spend 3 hours tracking down an overcooked hamburger.
 
I am 35 minutes from the airport (leaving in another hour) I now have the luxury of being unemployed and broke (it's called retirement) I fly even if it is only a 20 minute swing out over Saginaw Bay and then do a crosswind landing. For limited time flying it is a return to your student days and do a couple of cross wind TOL. Or maybe buzz up to 3000 and a couple of stalls, one power on and one power off followed by an approach and landing with one engine at zero thrust. How about an overhead break. Or how about doing the approach with only rudder (failed ailerons) or only the trim tab (failed elevator). Lots of ways to keep the rust knocked off without having to spend 3 hours tracking down an overcooked hamburger.

And your method makes for a safer pilot than one that does nothing but go for hamburgers.

I didn't used to do much maneuvering and such. I now have a hangar neighbor that comes to the airport almost every afternoon weather permitting and gets out his 150. He spends a half hour more doing the kind of things you mentioned. Then sometimes he gets out his Super Viking and goes for a LONG flight.

After getting to know him, I do more practice type flying than travel type flying. Now If I could just get him to toss me the keys to the Super Viking, I could do some traveling too.:)
 
YOLO kids. You can spend time with the family in the afterlife.:D The sailplane guys are always talking about the glory days being gone and why more people aren't playing. Blaming cost and computers, reality is in the glory days of GA dad did what dad wanted to do on weekends and the family came along or were left behind. Now dad does the shopping and soccer game schlepping. All day at an airport? Not for the modern married man.:sad:
 
Just remember the old saying," How many good Saturday's do you have left" get out there and fly.
 
I'm the opposite, in the last 12 months I have logged 330 hrs. I need to slow down or else I will need to buy another log book.
 
Since getting my PPL just over 11 months ago I have logged exactly 10 hours. Mainly due to weather and somewhat cost I have had to cancel roughly 44 hours worth of flights since March.
 
100 hours in the past 12 months for me. I have friends at the little grass strip I keep the bo at. Even now that I have it in the shop (more on that later) I go out to say hi to my hangar neighbors. Not flying after talking about airplanes is as hard as looking at girly pictures and not.. Well... You know what I mean.

I can't imagine hangaring an airplane at at tsa ruined airport....
 
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