You just got your PPL now I want to go ..........

D

drotto

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Messages
1,162
Location
NJ
Display Name
Display name:
drotto
To those new pilots out there (or anyone really), I know one of the big things I am excited about is being able to get further from home, and taking what would have been a long drive for a weekend trip and making it possible. This is dependent on getting the wife to go in the plane (in progress), but in theory it does open up a world of choices (until frustration drives me to get IFR training). So where do you want to go?

1. Ocean City, MD for me a great first day trip only 50 minutes
2. Cedar Point amusement park with my little roller-coaster freaks. 2:30 hours
3. Rutland or elsewhere in VT next winter for skiing. 1:30 to 2 hrs depending where.
4. Disney World!! (could not resist) about 5:30 hrs, but really does equal flying commercial when you take car travel time, and getting there ahead of flight etc.
 
Are you asking us what our choices are, or what you should choose?

As a new pilot trying to get the wife on board I'd suggest starting small. 50min is a nice short hop and she's unlikely to hate it.

2:30 might be pushing it for her.

Flying to the mountains in winter is probably not a great idea unless conditions are perfect. Conditions good for Skiiing are rarely good for flying.

see #2 for the answer to #4 as well.
 
drotto said:
To those new pilots out there (or anyone really), I know one of the big things I am excited about is being able to get further from home, and taking what would have been a long drive for a weekend trip and making it possible. This is dependent on getting the wife to go in the plane (in progress), but in theory it does open up a world of choices (until frustration drives me to get IFR training). So where do you want to go?

1. Ocean City, MD for me a great first day trip only 50 minutes
2. Cedar Point amusement park with my little roller-coaster freaks. 2:30 hours
3. Rutland or elsewhere in VT next winter for skiing. 1:30 to 2 hrs depending where.
4. Disney World!! (could not resist) about 5:30 hrs, but really does equal flying commercial when you take car travel time, and getting there ahead of flight etc.
Click to expand...

RUT can be a interesting place, you can get a good amount of chop off the hills all around the airport. I would be cautious about any night ops there
 
From your message I gathered your wife has not been "sold" on the idea. If this is the case, as Stink Bug above suggests, take baby steps with her. A few short trips leading up to longer ones. The last thing you want to do is launch, then either to contend with weather or her fears getting worse because of something like turbulence.

I would start with the Ocean City Maryland trip. OC is a nice airport and you can catch a cab into town and spend the day on the boardwalk or the beach.

I was fortunate that my wife is an avid GA flier and gets disappointed when I cancel trips. But I have friends who have spouses that are non-fliers. A few I know because they got scared out of it. "If hubby (honey) wants to kill himself (herself), that's fine. He (She) just ain't taking me with him (her)".

Getting the IFR rating will also help with your dispatch rate.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
My first flight with my wife was a $100 crabcake run to KCGE. It took about 30 minutes, which was just right. The next idea is a 45-60 minute flight to KOXB or KLOM.

For me, GA provides the most utility when I can turn a 6 hour drive into a 2 hour flight, but for me, GA isn't necessarily about maximizing utility.

At the present time, 50-100nm trips seem like they will be much more frequent than 200-300nm ones.
 
Be careful. I have a lady friend I can't get OUT of the plane! And I've only got two seats. ;)
 
Take the first few trips on good days and short distances. I like ocean city oxb or cape may NJ. Both boardwalks are accessible by cab.
 
Did want to see where others wanted to go. Always nice to learn about new destinations.
 
For me, Savannah. But before that a short 1.3hr trip to Dalton and Gainesville. I tried to get my wife up for the first time a couple of weeks ago but it turned into a lap around the pattern due to an engine issue. She wasn't phased in the least. My kind of passenger!:D
 
Cedar point is a nice park... Taken for granted around here. Nice 20 minute flight. Problem is getting there from port Clinton airport or whichever. KSKY was ideal. Unless you get there at the crack of dawn or on a school day lines are insane.
 
drotto said:
To those new pilots out there (or anyone really), I know one of the big things I am excited about is being able to get further from home, and taking what would have been a long drive for a weekend trip and making it possible. This is dependent on getting the wife to go in the plane (in progress), but in theory it does open up a world of choices (until frustration drives me to get IFR training). So where do you want to go?

1. Ocean City, MD for me a great first day trip only 50 minutes
2. Cedar Point amusement park with my little roller-coaster freaks. 2:30 hours
3. Rutland or elsewhere in VT next winter for skiing. 1:30 to 2 hrs depending where.
4. Disney World!! (could not resist) about 5:30 hrs, but really does equal flying commercial when you take car travel time, and getting there ahead of flight etc.
Click to expand...

Get your wife interested in going places and learning about new places to go by looking into the NorthEast Pilots Group. http://www.meetup.com/NEPilotsGroup/
They are planning fly-ins to While Plains and Lincoln Park this month. They have lots of fun events throughout the year, some are especially geared toward family events. Also, look through their older events to find out about airport or nearby restaurants and locations that you could go to individually.

Have fun. (Tell them Aunt Peggy sent you.)
600_6601098.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Start with some short trips with your wife and then ease her into some longer trips.
 
Check out some of the airports out my way. Here is some good ideas for you and the wife.

1. PA88 - Nemacolin Resort PA (private airport right at the resort. Casino, golf, good food)

2. KLWB - Greenbrier/Lewisburg WV (Towered airport near the Greenbrier Resort. High end resort. There is a very good restaurant on the airport I highly recommend if flying by)

3. 2G4 - Garrett County MD (Near a nice lake and ski resort. Fun place in the summer or winter. Nice airport and is at about 3000' MSL)

4. WV62 - Windwood WV (Havnt been there in a couple years, but if you want a bit of a challenge with a shorter strip in the mountains that isn't too difficult, it is a fun place. Restaurant there as well as ski resorts and golf.)
 
Start with Lunch runs on a beautiful smooth day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top