Taking a Break From Flying After Ten Years

piloto206 said:
The question is, am I still getting the most I can get out of it? Lately the answer has been no.
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I had a similar thing happen to me last year. It's not flight related, but I think the general idea is the same.

Since the age of 16 (I'm now 45), I've played pool. I played and practiced everyday. There were tournaments, leagues, trips for tournament. It was what I did. I loved the game, the practice...everything about it. Even after getting married, my wife knew that I loved it and was very supportive.

Fast forward to the last couple years. After my daughter was born in 2007, I obviously a lot had less time to pursue pool. My wife was running her own business and I needed to be there. I tried to keep up with pool at a lesser level, but even that was difficult. Simply said, my priorities and responsibilities changed.

The thing I found through all this was that as I was away from pool, I found I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would. I still enjoyed the game, but I didn't get the same kick out of it. It had become the same thing over and over. So, I took the entire 2011 year off and didn't touch a cue. Surprisingly, I didn't really miss it as much as I expected. I did started playing again this spring, but at a much lower commitment level. I'm actually selling off some of my pool related items to help me fund a club membership so that I can fly cheaper.

Also, as I get older, I've found that the things I used to enjoy now don't seem to matter as much. The thought of missing my Pittsburgh Steelers on TV used to be unthinkable. Now, I have trouble making it to halftime before I move on to something else. Instead, I'm reading a book or playing with my daughter. I'm sure a lot of people have found the same thing as they get older. Your interests and perspective change and you move on to new things.

Maybe it is time to walk away for awhile. If you get the itch after some time off, you can always go back. If not, then you'll know. Or like others said, try a different type of flying. Maybe that would re-energize you.

After all this rambling, I guess what I'm trying to say it that maybe you just need a break. There is no reason to feel guilty about it. Do some other things and see where you end up. And as others have said, walking away for a bit isn't permanent. Simply get current and you'll be back at it again in no time.

Good luck!
Scott
 
If you don't really have a use for personal air transportation or a projected career as a pilot then the flying bug can easily die. In my case I love to fly and that is my passion, however once I stop having the need to fly back to my hometown then I am pretty much done. As flying circles in the local area in a 172 is as boring as driving a car for the sake of driving. Like someone said above, maybe flying an ultralight or glider would be more sporty or adventuresome. Plus, small planes are ineffecient modes of transportation unless of course, you fly a Cirrus ;) or have a pro taking care of the flight while you go on and do business.
 
AdamZ said:
So you joined POA today to tell us you were quiting flying,mmm ok so you are searching out kindred souls who have been down the path you are starting, not a bad idea. If ya don't have it in you you don't have it in you its that simple.

I'd suggest hanging out here on POA for a bit chat, talk planes, talk flying, meet some POAers and perhaps the flame will reignite. If not you have still met some good people. Welcome to POA!
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It is a cry for help. Hesitation marks, as it were. :wink2:

Hesitation marks - do not Google that, it is gross.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
In his defense he didn't make me buy lunch. I offered. And really, I wish I could do more than that, but I can't.
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I wish my safety pilots would offer to buy lunch :yesnod: I like having someone in the right seat, safety or not. I like company. But company plus free lunch is even better! :D
 
alfadog said:
I wish my safety pilots would offer to buy lunch :yesnod: I like having someone in the right seat, safety or not. I like company. But company plus free lunch is even better! :D
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I wasn't his safety pilot. That was a different pilot who is instrument rated. That day his SECOND (non pilot) passenger bought him lunch, even though I tried to. I just gave her money for my lunch. I wanted to give him something, but he said I'd saved him money since he normally has to hire a CFI to do his 6 approaches every 6 months thing. His foggles sucked, and I had my "cool ones" with me at the time - so I gave him mine. I let him try a few approaches with them on and he really liked them. I figure I won't need another pair, probably ever, or at least not for 2 years.

I always try to do something.

This weekend I'm helping park about 50 planes by arriving several hours early for a fly-in event with the manager in his plane and that is "helping" my pilot plus he had to fly to our meeting whether I was in the plane or not. I'll try to get him something if I can.
 
piloto206 said:
Hindsight-
Very interesting feedback and a very substantive post. However I have to say our married lives are very different. My wife has gone flying with me many times and has always been supportive of my passion for aviation, she’s definitely not high maintenance. We saved for months for our Australia trip and split the costs. We both wanted to go equally and I actually planned much of the trip. As far as the aircraft rental, the cost is not the biggest factor, and I can afford it. The question is, am I still getting the most I can get out of it? Lately the answer has been no.

Kimberly-
Thanks for your suggestions about aviation related activities like the WINGS seminars. I've always liked the ones where you get to meet an air traffic controller :)

Dale and Pilot117-
I appreciate your realistic perspective on my situation. Thanks for having my back. For at least the past two years most of my flights have been touch n go’s to stay current or a short flight over the city show off to a friend or co-worker, not for the love of flying. That is the honest truth.

When I first started flying people around after I got my PPL, they were really excited and enjoyed the novelty of flying. Most people were happy to pay half the cost. Not lately. The last guy I took flying asked me how long we were going to be up in the air. He spent a lot of the flight texting and posting on Facebook. I took my wife’s niece and nephew flying and they were playing video games for most of the flight. I guess in this age of instant gratification flying around in a Cessna 172 is considered pretty boring. I can’t remember the last time someone offered to pay me part of the rental cost. I'm sure that's part of my disillusionment that when I try to share flying with someone they don't really appreciate it.
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If you would like to share the cost perhaps you need to make more pilot friends. There are websites for doing this but the rules get tricky. My suggestion would be to ask around at flight schools, lots of pilots might need / want to have some time in a plane. Again, this has been discussed on POA at length, and you need to be careful about accepting money.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I wasn't his safety pilot. That was a different pilot who is instrument rated. That day his SECOND (non pilot) passenger bought him lunch, even though I tried to. I just gave her money for my lunch. I wanted to give him something, but he said I'd saved him money since he normally has to hire a CFI to do his 6 approaches every 6 months thing. His foggles sucked, and I had my "cool ones" with me at the time - so I gave him mine. I let him try a few approaches with them on and he really liked them. I figure I won't need another pair, probably ever, or at least not for 2 years.

I always try to do something.

This weekend I'm helping park about 50 planes by arriving several hours early for a fly-in event with the manager in his plane and that is "helping" my pilot plus he had to fly to our meeting whether I was in the plane or not. I'll try to get him something if I can.
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You are a gem, Kimberly Anne :yesnod:
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
If you would like to share the cost perhaps you need to make more pilot friends. There are websites for doing this but the rules get tricky. My suggestion would be to ask around at flight schools, lots of pilots might need / want to have some time in a plane. Again, this has been discussed on POA at length, and you need to be careful about accepting money.
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Here are my rules for sharing.
  • If we are doing what I want, then I pay. That is usually me practicing.
  • If we are doing something for both of us but you cannot be PIC - going to a seminar, for example - then help with the gas. I will tell you how much I want. You can fly the airplane except for take-off and landing and prolly take-off.
  • If you can be PIC then we split based on Hobbs/tach time.
I have a number of pilot friends and am always looking for more so I can usually find someone to fly with me.

Believe it or not, the fellow that lets me fly his Luscombe, I met in a bar near the airport. Just started talking to him. I talk a lot.
 
I left flying for 15 years. Don't sweat it. If the need or desire comes back, its just like riding a bike. Easy to get back into. You have a skill now that a very small percentage of the population has. Be proud of this accomplishment.
 
I left flying for 10 years. It was TOUGH to get back up to speed. Not like riding a bike
 
Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the great feedback. Reaching out to other pilots and talking this through has really helped. It reassures me that even though I will be taking a break, I can get back into flying when I’m ready. You guys have also planted the seed about flying other aircraft to make things more interesting.

Looking at my logbook I remember 5 years ago I was in a similar kind of slump. I had let my instrument rating lapse and had given up on becoming a commercial pilot because it was too time consuming. Also the rental costs at my California FBO for a Cessna 172 were skyrocketing. Like now I was just doing the bare minimum to stay current.

In 2007 I moved from the Bay Area to Seattle and joined another FBO similar to my club in San Jose. I was flying with new instructors, going to new airports, and studying a brand new sectional. I felt alive again. I’d gotten my second wind at aviation. Unfortunately it faded again and that’s where I find myself now.

My hope is that by taking some time off I will miss flying so much and jump back in to recapture the way I used to feel. I hope to give updates and check in from time to time to let you know how it’s going. I can’t imagine being inactive forever.
 
denverpilot said:
Why two years on the medical? He's been flying 10 years, he could easily be under age 40.

"A third-class medical certificate is valid for the remainder of the month of issue; plus

24 calendar months for operations requiring a third class medical certificate, if the airman is age 40 or over on or before the date of the examination, or
60 calendar months for operations requiring a third class medical certificate if the airman has not reached age 40 on or before the date of examination."

I get one more 60 month one. ;)
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What ever.

I guess you missed the point, trying to pick nits.
 
Damn, I'm going through the exact same thing. I've got around 425 hrs, the thrill is gone. I hardly even go out to the airport to check on my plane anymore. I just put a new Bruce's cover on it, had all the paint gone over as in taking care of any flaws, and put a new battery in. I've done most all of this over the phone, rather than drive the 15 minutes to the airport.

I don't even have three hours logged for this year so far.

I've been hassled since day one I started flying, it just isn't worth it anymore.

-John
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
If you would like to share the cost perhaps you need to make more pilot friends. There are websites for doing this but the rules get tricky. My suggestion would be to ask around at flight schools, lots of pilots might need / want to have some time in a plane. Again, this has been discussed on POA at length, and you need to be careful about accepting money.
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You don't get it, it has nothing to do with money, it's about the value of his time and energy.
 
John Baker said:
Damn, I'm going through the exact same thing. I've got around 425 hrs, the thrill is gone. I hardly even go out to the airport to check on my plane anymore. I just put a new Bruce's cover on it, had all the paint gone over as in taking care of any flaws, and put a new battery in. I've done most all of this over the phone, rather than drive the 15 minutes to the airport.

I don't even have three hours logged for this year so far.

I've been hassled since day one I started flying, it just isn't worth it anymore.

-John
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You need to find someone to fly it or you should sell it, IMHO. Not good for it to sit.

Re the thrill. How much thrill do you need? I do not find it thrilling to take the Arrow up but I like to do it. I want to master it. That might be a factor, you feel you have mastered whatever you have been doing in an airplane so far. Maybe you need a new challenge, There are plenty out there. But if you need a thrill, try bungie-jumping. :D

edit: I also put a very high standard on "master". Doing 45 hours so far in the Luscombe is part of mastering the Arrow. When I do acro, it will be part of mastering the Arrow. Sure they are fun for their own sake put the real reason I make the effort is for skills that transfer to whatever I fly.
 
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alfadog said:
You need to find someone to fly it or you should sell it, IMHO. Not good for it to sit.

Re the thrill. How much thrill do you need? I do not find it thrilling to take the Arrow up but I like to do it. I want to master it. That might be a factor, you feel you have mastered whatever you have been doing in an airplane so far. Maybe you need a new challenge, There are plenty out there. But if you need a thrill, try bungie-jumping. :D

edit: I also put a very high standard on "master". Doing 45 hours so far in the Luscombe is part of mastering the Arrow. When I do acro, it will be part of mastering the Arrow. Sure they are fun for their own sake put the real reason I make the effort is for skills that transfer to whatever I fly.
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I have a friend who flies it for me now and then. He is the one putting in the battery, he is an A&P. I've been trying to sell it for around a year now. No takers even at half of what I paid for it.

I've got 50 parachute jumps, never had much interest in bungee jumping.

I just bought a large CNC router, and have been working on mastering the software for a few days now. That does have all my interest right now.

Perhaps once this new toy starts generating income, my enthusiasm for flying might get rekindled. Burning up a hundred dollars just to go tooling around the sky right now, to me, seems more like a wast of time and what little money I have.

It could just be that I have had too many excuses not to fly. The weather, people futzing with my airplane, didn't feel like it, etc.

-John
 
I'm always amazed when I read a thread like this.

I've been flying since 1994. Got about 1600 hours. Add Mary's 700 or so, and I've been in the air (mostly in Cherokees and Cezzznas) for about 2300 hours.

Every flight is a thrill. I love the smell of my airplane, the way it handles, the incredible rate of climb an O-540 provides when lightly loaded.

I love the feel when the wheels get light, and the transition to flight begins. I love soaring out over the ocean on departure, turning hard to keep the sun-worshipers on the beach in view.

I love the squeal of delight from the backseat as I do an "up-down". I love the hushed amazement from my passengers as they see the sunset from 1000' for the first time.

I love dipping a wing in wispy clouds, and the feeling of nailing a difficult x-wind landing. I love taxiing back to the hangar, waving at the skydivers waiting to go up.

I love the tinking noises the engine makes post-flight, as it cools. I love polishing the propeller to a glossy shine.

If throwing yourself bodily into the sky is "boring" -- what else in life could POSSIBLY ever be "exciting"?
 
Jay Honeck said:
I'm always amazed when I read a thread like this.

I've been flying since 1994. Got about 1600 hours. Add Mary's 700 or so, and I've been in the air (mostly in Cherokees and Cezzznas) for about 2300 hours.

Every flight is a thrill. I love the smell of my airplane, the way it handles, the incredible rate of climb an O-540 provides when lightly loaded.

I love the feel when the wheels get light, and the transition to flight begins. I love soaring out over the ocean on departure, turning hard to keep the sun-worshipers on the beach in view.

I love the squeal of delight from the backseat as I do an "up-down". I love the hushed amazement from my passengers as they see the sunset from 1000' for the first time.

I love dipping a wing in wispy clouds, and the feeling of nailing a difficult x-wind landing. I love taxiing back to the hangar, waving at the skydivers waiting to go up.

I love the tinking noises the engine makes post-flight, as it cools. I love polishing the propeller to a glossy shine.

If throwing yourself bodily into the sky is "boring" -- what else in life could POSSIBLY ever be "exciting"?
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:yeahthat: Except that I only have an O-200 and a lot fewer hours.
 
Neal Howard said:
Or a Vans RV :yesnod:
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If you'd rather be home with your family... Boring or annoying is the same thing, if you're not being paid to do, why bother. If it's gonna cost you money, that's nuts. It's not the plane that's boring, it's that GA has no practical purpose for him. Maybe 1-2% of all pilots have any desire to do aerobatics.
 
Henning said:
If you'd rather be home with your family... Boring or annoying is the same thing, if you're not being paid to do, why bother. If it's gonna cost you money, that's nuts. It's not the plane that's boring, it's that GA has no practical purpose for him. Maybe 1-2% of all pilots have any desire to do aerobatics.
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Annoying or non-productive I understand -- but BORING? Never.

I've sold my plasma to fund flying. I've sacrificed nice cars, golf, and untold sums to flying. I've closed a very lucrative business in order to pursue the not-so-lucrative business of building aviation themed hotels, just to hang out with pilots and fly.

My name is Jay, and I am an addict. :lol:
 
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