New Student complications

N6958H

N6958H

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
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20
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Steele,mo
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N6958H
Wow this site is awesome! Glad I finally found a group of people that love to fly and talk about flying. I am a student pilot with 15 hours and doing as much as possible to accomplish my goal of being a private pilot. I have notice a few things since I started flying that really bugs me. Instead of the positive feedback from non fliers I expected I receive a lot of negative comments. It in no way effects my passion for being in the sky. I love every aspect of flight from my pre flight up until the plane is back in the hangar. Just wondered if anyone else experienced this as you started your journey becoming a pilot.

Jeremy
 
First off welcome to Pilots of America. I encourage you to share your training experience and ask a lot of questions. As for non pilots well like anything else some folks think its very cool and some who don't know much or anything about aviation may give you grief, my advice try to educate them if that doesn't work just ignore them.
 
What kind of negative comments?
 
Welcome.

Are the comments about flying in general or about doing it commercially for a living?
 
Non-pilots will comment about how dangerous private flying is (based on occasional news reports of accidents).

I reply with my personal experience over the 34 years I have been flying (no accidents, yet), and how I manage risk by not flying VFR into clouds, having plenty of fuel, etc... Then I mention some of the interesting places I have been with the plane (SCUBA diving in the Keys, skiing in the Rockies, Washington DC, the Bahamas, etc). Often they just say something like "that sounds like fun", and go back to watching others live their lives on TV.
 
Flying in general, It's usually the same thing.. It's dangerous or my favorite "if I'm not traveling by land or water I don't need to go" that one burned me up! It seems peoples perspective is that you have to be a dare devil to fly an airplane. I try to plead to my case with the few that will listen.i seem to have my wife convinced and she see's all the studying and time I spend preparing to become a safe pilot. If I'm not flying, reading about flying or watching flying then I enjoy talking to anyone that will listen to my training experiences so far so that's usually where I pick up the negativity
 
Jeremy, welcome to POA!

Americans, in general, are scared of their own shadows. They want a guaranteed risk-free life. General aviation ("those little planes") represents certain death to lots of folks. Since 9/11, it's even worse. Aviation brings to mind loss of control and terrorism.

You just have to try not to let it bother you. A few, you can educate. Most have no interest in changing their opinions. Thank goodness for the internet and the various pilot forums, where you can spend way too much time talking about all things aviation-related!
 
N6958H said:
Wow this site is awesome! Glad I finally found a group of people that love to fly and talk about flying. I am a student pilot with 15 hours and doing as much as possible to accomplish my goal of being a private pilot. I have notice a few things since I started flying that really bugs me. Instead of the positive feedback from non fliers I expected I receive a lot of negative comments. It in no way effects my passion for being in the sky. I love every aspect of flight from my pre flight up until the plane is back in the hangar. Just wondered if anyone else experienced this as you started your journey becoming a pilot.

Jeremy
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It boils down to this, most people are afraid and expect you to be afraid to so you don't enjoy life more than they do. It's really that easy, ignore them, never talk about flying to anyone that doesn't bring it up in a positive manner. Serious, over 20 years and 2500 hrs, people don't like small planes and their emotions cause them to be unable to think a rational thought or say a reasonable thing. Oh yeah, NEVER try to explain how safe it is or compare safety to car, never.
 
Welcome Jeremy...:yesnod::yesnod:

Just tell the ones who question you about the safety thing that 40 something thousand are killed on the highway every year and they should probably stop driving..:D
 
Non aviation people just don't get it. Just like if people started talking to me about kids. (I don't have kids and don't even like them. Why people still have them are beyond me!) So people don't talk to me about the cutest grandkids they have. They know my stance on it. Come in here and talk to us about your accomplishments! There are more then enough people here that understand. The chat room (there is a link on the top of the page) is somewhat active around 7p EST.
 
Welcome to PoA. It is nice to see that you don't let anyone discourage you. I had a few friends that questioned my choice to fly because of the danger. Once I was able to take them for a ride, they changed their tune.

Good luck on the training.
 
Welcome to POA and welcome to flying.

I don't even bring up with co workers the fact that I fly. When it does come up somehow, people never seem to acknowledge that they are afraid of flying. They seem to always talk about how it's too expensive. When I tell them that my plane cost less than their Corvetter or Harley or whatever it is, they seem to just want to drop the subject.

There are a few people I know that are aware that I fly and they want a ride. They will eventually get it and I hope maybe one of them that could afford it, gets hooked on it.
 
Henning said:
It boils down to this, most people are afraid and expect you to be afraid to so you don't enjoy life more than they do.
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EXACTLY! I just give 'em a half wink and say, "yep, it's not for everyone"
Let them take from that what they will.
 
Yep, when someone tells me how dangerous flying is I smile and say "yes it is." Shuts em right up.
 
I hear "you're nuts" or "you're crazy" just about everytime the flying thing comes up.

I'm still amazed at how many people still think that a plane will drop out of the sky if the engine quits.
 
ScottK said:
I hear "you're nuts" or "you're crazy" just about everytime the flying thing comes up.

I'm still amazed at how many people still think that a plane will drop out of the sky if the engine quits.
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It won't...... :dunno::eek::wink2:
 
ScottK said:
I hear "you're nuts" or "you're crazy" just about everytime the flying thing comes up.

I'm still amazed at how many people still think that a plane will drop out of the sky if the engine quits.
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Well, it does, just not vertically; unless you own a Cherokee 6.:rofl:
 
Henning said:
Well, it does, just not vertically; unless you own a Cherokee 6.:rofl:
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Henning.... Someday, somehow I will let you fly my "deathtrap"... it literally has a glide rate of maybe 3-1... on a good day.:hairraise:
 
N801BH said:
Henning.... Someday, somehow I will let you fly my "deathtrap"... it literally has a glide rate of maybe 3-1... on a good day.:hairraise:
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I'm really hoping to get up to see you this summer, I love Jackson Hole, one of my favorite mountain views in the world is right there. I took a picture from a cabin we were staying at when I was a kid right on the edge of the marsh. The sun had just risen, we had watched it work its way down the mountains to the marsh and there were moose feeding right there. Was a really nice shot.
 
Funny, I can't even remember the last time anyone has made a negative comment to me about flying. Most are either impressed, excited (because I offer to take them for a ride) or totally uninterested. And among the women in my hiking group, MOST say they'd like to go up with me someday. The ones that aren't interested generally say directly that they either get airsick, just don't like flying, or are afraid of crashing. The last person who told me I was crazy was my mother, and that was mostly out of normal parent-worry.
 
And we each have our own fears. Some are afraid of flying others afraid of snakes.
I just tell them that's ok I won't try to take you flying if you don't try get me to hold a snake. Funny I have noticed that most people afraid of flying don't seem to mind snakes.:)

Brian
 
Jeremy, the reason I asked as to what kind of comments I thought it might be safety rather than cost/utility. As Henning said do not compare it to driving. They actually might look up the statistics. You do not have to justify the risks you take. Yes, private pilots in small airplanes are dangerous. It seems to be on par with riding a motorcycle. Since I do not fly single engine airplanes and I am not a private pilot I do not have a dog in this hunt. Both I and my wife do own and ride a motorcycle. Is it dangerous, of course. I make no excuses for it. You want to fly small planes as a private pilot, do it. Don't make excuses, in fact tell them to kiss your azz.
Don't be stupid about it. Learn all you can, try to stay current and proficient. And of course be careful. You are not going to get out of this world alive anyway.
 
ronnieh said:
Don't be stupid about it. Learn all you can, try to stay current and proficient. And of course be careful. You are not going to get out of this world alive anyway.
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A bit incongruent as written.
 
Got to look up that word, will be right back.
Edit: Should I have said "don't be stupid about flying" instead of "it". Incongruent means two things that don't fit. An example might be a three inch square in a two inch circle is incongruent. I am a simple person, Henning, you must use smaller words:dunno:
 
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ronnieh said:
Got to look up that word, will be right back.
Edit: Should I have said "don't be stupid about flying" instead of "it". Incongruent means two things that don't fit. An example might be a three inch square in a two inch circle is incongruent. I am a simple person, Henning, you must use smaller words:dunno:
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The incongruity is between the caution admonitions and the "nobody gets out of life alive". If there is no phraseology to show juxtaposition and balance, you create an incongruity in thought. A statement such as "it's dangerous, you have to pay attention and train and be careful, but on the other hand nobody gets out of life alive, so don't be afraid to try what you want to do." would solve the incongruity by inserting juxtaposition.
 
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Welcome.

Yes, it surprises me also how almost all of my non-pilot friends have absolutely zero interest in getting in a small airplane. If someone offered me that opportunity back before I became a pilot, I would have jumped at it. Guess that is why I am a pilot and they are not.

It also has to do, IMO, with age. I got my PPL in 1976 and, back then, my friends would fly with me - we were young. Except for one of my best friends who had a classic line "I ain't lost nothin' up there."

Now, I am a lot older as are my friends and co-workers. Lot more cautious and set in their ways.
 
alfadog said:
Welcome.

Yes, it surprises me also how almost all of my non-pilot friends have absolutely zero interest in getting in a small airplane. If someone offered me that opportunity back before I became a pilot, I would have jumped at it. Guess that is why I am a pilot and they are not.

It also has to do, IMO, with age. I got my PPL in 1976 and, back then, my friends would fly with me - we were young. Except for one of my best friends who had a classic line "I ain't lost nothin' up there."

Now, I am a lot older as are my friends and co-workers. Lot more cautious and set in their ways.
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Exactly, the delusion that pilots live under is that everyone wants to fly and only they are able. The truth is most people could give a s-t less and think you're a complete idiot for wasting your money to learn to fly unless you're trying to be an Airline Pilot. The truth to that is funnier, even that reason is idiotic. Understand that as a pilot you have a mental abberation from the general public.
 
Thanks, Henning, for the English lesson, I think. I guess I just assumed (always a mistake) that the topic being the "danger in flying" it made sense. However, I do see your point. I had to go look up that other big word.:confused:
 
Henning said:
Understand that as a pilot you have a mental abberation from the general public.
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Why stop there? In a lot of people's minds it's a symptom of a MENTAL DISORDER that will probably be considered disqualifying for a 3rd class medical, given enough time and complaints to congresscritters about large metal objects falling from the skies. :rolleyes:

I'm sure glad I don't know too many of those people personally. :)
 
I have seen this as a new student. Some of my co-workers think I am nuts and some want a ride when I finish up. My mom doesn't like it mainly because she is my mother. My wife, who's input I do listen to, had no problems with it since several members of her family own planes and fly all the time. For me personally, I took lessons years ago, stopped and haven't removed my head from the clouds since.
 
It is quite funny to me how people want to justify their activity. I am sure many skydivers try to justify their activity with all kinds of examples. Back up chutes, training and so on. Fo me, I am not jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. You don't need to justify it to me, just do it and enjoy.
I think it is reasonable to mitigate the risks in any risky activity with training, equipment or anything that can improve safety.
All of these activities are a "reward vs. risk" situation. Only you can make that decision. So, Jeremy, enjoy your flying and for your friends that think you are crazy, just a shrug should work.
Henning, feel free to clean this up so it makes sense:rofl:
 
Just had a conversation with our computer guru. He said he wants to get a boat. Rather then learn to fly because if the boat engine goes out he can always swim. Yeah not my first choice....but I couldn't convince him that a water landing would be harder then the ground. (He heard about a guy who crashed into a Metropark here in town and caught fire) There is nothing I can do to "convince" someone to change their opinion of MY hobby.
 
I am having a bad day. How does "a water landing being harder than the ground" relate to buying a boat and swimming?
Henning, where are you? Need some help here.:confused:
 
ronnieh said:
I am having a bad day. How does "a water landing being harder than the ground" relate to buying a boat and swimming?
Henning, where are you? Need some help here.:confused:
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It is the juxtaposition of the didactic corollary.
 
azure said:
Funny, I can't even remember the last time anyone has made a negative comment to me about flying. Most are either impressed, excited (because I offer to take them for a ride) or totally uninterested. And among the women in my hiking group, MOST say they'd like to go up with me someday. The ones that aren't interested generally say directly that they either get airsick, just don't like flying, or are afraid of crashing. The last person who told me I was crazy was my mother, and that was mostly out of normal parent-worry.
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I think us girl pilots get different reactions than those boy pilots. However, that being said, I do not know any women right now who want to get in my plane. Men, yes. Women, no. Then again, that might be more about me as a person than their fear of flying. It often comes down to what they think about the pilot as a person - not anything else.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I think us girl pilots get different reactions than those boy pilots. However, that being said, I do not know any women right now who want to get in my plane. Men, yes. Women, no. Then again, that might be more about me as a person than their fear of flying. It often comes down to what they think about the pilot as a person - not anything else.
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Yes, well, we have seen your picture so that makes total sense. That men want to get in a little airplane with you. :yesnod:
 
azure said:
Why stop there? In a lot of people's minds it's a symptom of a MENTAL DISORDER that will probably be considered disqualifying for a 3rd class medical, given enough time and complaints to congresscritters about large metal objects falling from the skies. :rolleyes:

I'm sure glad I don't know too many of those people personally. :)
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I've never disagreed with a person who called me insane. I question my sanity on a regular basis and often come to the same conclusion.
 
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