The answer to Ben's question is...

[RotaryWingBob]

go out and have a little flying fun, Ben

Here's how...

I figured I'd get in some flying before the WX turns crapola tomorrow. The choice was to go hiking with some friends or fly. Flight won out.

So I figured why not fly out to where my friends were hiking and see if I could spot them? I flew west to avoid West Chester (not the place I would choose for an autorotation) and then southeast to a state highway. I overshot their cars about a half mile on my first pass (the open fields told me I was too far west), did a 360, and found the cars. I made several circuits of the woods but couldn't spot them among the trees. If I had another pilot on board and could have really concentrated on looking down maybe I would have spotted them. It was fun trying, though.

I didn't feel like heading back yet, so I flew east to Rt. 202, crossed it, and turned north when I was even with Immaculata College (and thus clear of N99). I hung a right at US 30, and proceded to fly over the "Main Line" suburbs. After passing Wayne, PA (I spotted the John Harvard Brew Pub), and being down to tad under an hour of remaining fuel, I turned north and intercepted Rt. 202 again, following it to the Rt. 401 exit.

I followed Rt. 401 (having to do a bit of a dipsy-doodle to avoid two towers that were higher than my 1,400' MSL) past Chester Springs up to Rt. 100, about 4 miles from my house, and hung a left on Rt. 100, and passing over the construction zone at Eagle, and seeing the traffic backed up about a mile each way, I thought to myself: "What a great time I'm having up here. This is why I learned to fly! And what a crappy time those people down there must be having...".

I followed Rt. 100 down to where I could see the twin towers near N99, made a bee line for them, entered the pattern and landed. 1.1 hours of quality time with the R22!

Life is great! Life is especially great when you're a pilot and go out and fly for the sheer fun of it

And that, Ben, my friend, is the answer to your question!

And you don't need a helicopter to do it either -- a J-3 Cub will do the same kind of flight quite nicely.

 

[spiderweb]

Thanks, Bob. This is the very reason I can't go for more than two weeks without flying.

Man, I am so addicted!

 

[Anthony]

Ben,

I think what you are going through is very common. Training is very addictive. Everything is new, you have a purpose, you have a goal and you're challenged. When its over, you are so used to the schedule you ask yourself, "What do I do now?" You end up just renting planes to bore holes in the sky to stay current and proficient.

Let me ask you a question. Does your wife like to fly with you? If not, that's a tough one, because time and finances get in the way as its just your hobby not hers. If she does like to fly, then plan trips to go places she likes. You'll like it too!

I went through the same thing, although my wife does like to fly. Renting was a pain though and I found myself flying less and less. It was either quit flying or buy an airplane. I bought an airplane six years ago and hav enot looked back. Now I HAVE to fly to justify owning it.

 

[TDKendall]

...And you don't need a helicopter to do it either -- a J-3 Cub will do the same kind of flight quite nicely.

A little 152 or 140 will fit that bill easily enough as well but it wouldn't be as fun as the Cub!

 

[RotaryWingBob]

A little 152 or 140 will fit that bill easily enough as well but it wouldn't be as fun as the Cub!

Agreed. But there's something inherently cool about little yellow taildraggers that have sticks instead of yokes. After all, God wouldn't have given us a right hand if He hadn't intended that we hold a control stick with it B)

 

[spiderweb]

Let me ask you a question. Does your wife like to fly with you? If not, that's a tough one, because time and finances get in the way as its just your hobby not hers. If she does like to fly, then plan trips to go places she likes. You'll like it too!

She does enjoy flying, but we don't agree on how often I think I need to fly. I have explained to her the concept of keeping proficient, so she does understand. She thinks I could get away with one flight a month--and I probably could--but I love flying too much to fly that infrequently. I think I need to get more family involved with this. More trips will mean more flying!

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

She does enjoy flying, but we don't agree on how often I think I need to fly. I have explained to her the concept of keeping proficient, so she does understand. She thinks I could get away with one flight a month--and I probably could--but I love flying too much to fly that infrequently. I think I need to get more family involved with this. More trips will mean more flying!

...or get your Comm/CFI so that you get paid for flying & can earn back all the money you've spent on your frivolous habit and finance your future habit as a solid wage earner, which makes the financial sense some people crave.
Yeah, that's the ticket...

 

[John J]

Ben;

I got to have a real nice day flying not long ago. I had a blast flying on the right side in my old plane, Beech Debonair. It was one of the best flights for I got to just fly and go where we felt like it. It was one of those days where the weather was just incredible. I asked my safety pilot if he minded if we look at the chart and point to an airport. That is what was so nice we just flew and gosh the plane did all the work. It was fun just to point the nose toward the next stop and visit another new airport. What fun and yes the landings got better as the day went on. It was great and the best part is the excitement of seeing new places and sharing the flying experience. I have been flying for a long time but I am still just as excited as I was when I first started years ago.

I hope you can get out and just go flying.

John

 

[spiderweb]

...or get your Comm/CFI so that you get paid for flying & can earn back all the money you've spent on your frivolous habit and finance your future habit as a solid wage earner, which makes the financial sense some people crave.
Yeah, that's the ticket...

Haha--I've come full circle!

Ben;

I got to have a real nice day flying not long ago. I had a blast flying on the right side in my old plane, Beech Debonair. It was one of the best flights for I got to just fly and go where we felt like it. It was one of those days where the weather was just incredible. I asked my safety pilot if he minded if we look at the chart and point to an airport. That is what was so nice we just flew and gosh the plane did all the work. It was fun just to point the nose toward the next stop and visit another new airport. What fun and yes the landings got better as the day went on. It was great and the best part is the excitement of seeing new places and sharing the flying experience. I have been flying for a long time but I am still just as excited as I was when I first started years ago.

I hope you can get out and just go flying.

John

Thanks, John. I feel that way when I fly, too.