What made you choose flying?

Grandfather was an Army Air Corp pilot and fighter pilot trainer, great uncle was an Army Air Corp pilot, father was a flight instructor (he graduated from Embry-Riddle), cousin was a flight instructor and now a corporate pilot, so it is pretty much in the blood.

I've grown up with aviation my whole entire life. Since I was 1 years old I would go to air shows with my father and grandfather. Since 5 years old I've been flying with my dad...all the way into high school when he stopped flight instructing. About that time opportunities in the airlines turned sour and my Dad ditched his flying for hire dreams and went back to his previous career.

Through the difficulty I saw my dad go through in aviation, I still disregard that and don't care - I just want to fly and do my best to make the career work.
 
There is just something about flying that appeals to me. Everything about it. I love the way the jet fuel smells and the "ding-dongs" you hear when you are a passenger. i couldnt think of anything else to do and that is why I love flying.
 
Call me crazy, but I really, really dig instrument flying!! I'll take 1.4 of flying on the gauges over 2 of doing steep turns and eights-on-pylons!!!

I also love equipment...I'm a technical type of person, and things like engines and magnetos turn me on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
The reason I want to fly for a living is simple, yet complex. I got laid off in December 2002. I was selling advertising, and I was doing well. Yet doing well didn't save me from getting laid off.

That was one of the things that was holding me back from pursuing a living in flying. But when I realized that there is no such thing as a safe job anymore, that went out the window. And when I was finding a way to keep on flying even though my income fell by two thirds, I knew it was something I valued.

And there you have it. It will be a long, hard road, but you know what? I'm going to make it there.
 
I'm with Lloyd, Now that I've got my Instrument, I love flying IFR(even actual) 90 times better than VFR. That's why I think commercial is a joke other that aicraft performance and regs. They teach you VFR, blah, blah, blah. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif How dare you want to file an IFR flight plan for your cross country! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif You earned it, use it. That's another thing in your bag of tricks as a commercial pilot. Just my rambling $.02
 
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I'm with Lloyd, Now that I've got my Instrument, I love flying IFR(even actual) 90 times better than VFR. That's why I think commercial is a joke other that aicraft performance and regs. They teach you VFR, blah, blah, blah. How dare you want to file an IFR flight plan for your cross country! You earned it, use it. That's another thing in your bag of tricks as a commercial pilot. Just my rambling $.02

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HA! That'll change. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif It's gets old, kinda. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif I can't wait for the day, I can buy a nice perfectly restored Cessna 195 and fly VFR at 1500 ft. anywhere and everywhere. Now that's flyin'. IFR Shmi-FR. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Just something I've wanted to do for ages. When I was younger, every year when we went up to NH, we'd take a scenic tour in 172, even went once on a 185 on floats up at lake Winnepasauke. That really made me want to fly. I'm also in a way living out my Uncle's dream. He always thought that his vision was too crummy to fly, and he's got a week stomach. We're both in love with WW II aviation, and he got me into flying to begin with. Now I'm 15, 16 in October, and I've got 12.9 hours, not much, but it's something. Every time I get up there I just get this feeling, like I've found my calling. Can't help but to feel that i was born 60 years to late though...
 
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HA! That'll change. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif It's gets old, kinda. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


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Won't change until I start seeing flying as "just a job"... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

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I can't wait for the day, I can buy a nice perfectly restored Cessna 195 and fly VFR at 1500 ft. anywhere and everywhere. Now that's flyin'. IFR Shmi-FR. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

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Does nothing for me.....
 
Holy schneikies! Someone else that loves instrument flying...rare. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My whole instrument training was fun, and now my CFII training is good fun too. I dunno what it is, but it's something that I enjoy greatly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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Does nothing for me.....

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Poor guy, that's sad......(Just givin' ya a hard time Lloyd) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Once you get a decent amount of experience flying jets everywhere at FL370, you'll once again appreciate the simple things. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Don't get me wrong, I still love my job. I still love firing up those TFE-731's in the morning and shootin' through the cloud deck at 5000fpm. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif It's great! I just miss the mellow, relaxing beautiful low alt. VFR flying. Especially in a classic old tailwheel. Know what I mean?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
My dad had been been a sailplane pilot for years. Besides I was the only guy on the block that would be doing it. So like Pilot602 said, I may have just done it for the chicks. Oh ya I love the heck outta of flying too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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Call me crazy, but I really, really dig instrument flying!!

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I'm witcha on that! Haven't done it in a while, but the small amount of IMC I have, I enjoyed.

As for me - I chose aviation simply because it's been a life-long obsession. It's one of my life's passions. I love being around airplanes and airplane people.

There's NOTHING like flying in and over a cloud layer! Absolutely incredible. And sunrises/sunsets from the air? Breathtaking!!!

There are "politics", hassles and B.S. that go along with every profession. You either put up with it or you don't. It's that simple.

For me, the ultimate goal is to fly and to get paid for it. The rest, I'll take care of.

R2F
 
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Does nothing for me.....

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Poor guy, that's sad......(Just givin' ya a hard time Lloyd) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Once you get a decent amount of experience flying jets everywhere at FL370, you'll once again appreciate the simple things. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Don't get me wrong, I still love my job. I still love firing up those TFE-731's in the morning and shootin' through the cloud deck at 5000fpm. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif It's great! I just miss the mellow, relaxing beautiful low alt. VFR flying. Especially in a classic old tailwheel. Know what I mean?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Personally, I like flying low-level, navigating by pilotage, and not talking to anyone on the radio....to the max extent possible.

THAT is fun.

This high-tech FMS BS is for the geeks........

....to which I've now been indoctrinated. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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This high-tech FMS BS is for the geeks........

....to which I've now been indoctrinated. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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Hey, I was a 17 year old college freshman

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late Birthday Doug? I started college at 17 also, turned 18 that December.

Kind of interesting being away at school making all of these decisions and signing papers, knowing that legally I was still under 18 and should of had my parents take care of things.
 
When I flew for the first time, 13 years old, summer vacation with family to Walt Disney World -- US Airways from BWI-MCO

I immediately became fascinated with airplanes (really had always been as I grew up in Dover, DE around the C-5 Galaxy), and the hustle-and-bustle of airport life. Also, the view from the cockpit (as I once again saw flying down here to PR in a C-130) is an office view that parallels no other.

It's an emotion, a feeling, hard to describe.

My dream was/is to fly for the military, to fly for my Air Guard unit, which flies C-130s but is converting to the C-5. I want to fly, I want to be an officer.

I got a slot with my unit to fly the C-5 Galaxy, which we're getting from Dover (where I lived, what I saw flying around all of those years) as Dover converts to the C-17 Globemaster (C-5 is still better looking).

During my initial flying class physical, doc told me because of my lazy eye I couldn't fly. This struck hard, tore my heart up. After picking myself back up again, I found that due to my GREAT depth perception I could still fly, and pursued a waiver.

Doctor okayed it, now I'm waiting for them to finish what they need to do and send in the paperwork

HOPEFULLY the Air Force gives me the okay . . . I could ignore flying commercially to just fly in the military--if I fly commercially and not military, there will always be a part of my heart missing.

To fly, and to fly missions for one's own country . . . joy and pride that is hard to surpass.
 
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The chicks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bandit.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

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Lol, damn it. That was going to be my response. Pilot602 beat me to it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
This high-tech FMS BS is for the geeks........

I know whatcha mean. I'm starting to like the airplane more but 7 hours a day is too long to sit in a plane.
 
When I was brought home from the hospital after being born, my outfit had an airplane on it. I know my mom's got it packed away somewhere. Who knew it'd lead to this... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

First time flying ever was an AA 727 when I was 5, back in 1990, when my family went to Disney World, and I've been fascinated with aviation since; especially airliners. I didn't actually consider becoming a pilot until about 15 or 16. I went on my intro flight when I turned 17 and was hooked, and shortly after stumbling across jetcareers.com, I decided I wanted to fly for a career.
 
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Personally, I like flying low-level, navigating by pilotage, and not talking to anyone on the radio....to the max extent possible.

THAT is fun.

This high-tech FMS BS is for the geeks........

....to which I've now been indoctrinated. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

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A-men bro.
 
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