how many HAMBers are pilots?...

Private ticket summer of 1980. Most of my early lessons in a Grumman AA-5A Cheetah that I bought for that purpose. I was 45 years old when I walked into the flight school. Soloed in 8.1 hours. Childhood dream realized. Later owned a C172 and after that a C182. Stopped flying in 1991, but started again 2 years ago...stopped again 6 months ago. I guess it's done now, but I wouldn't trade those hours for anything.

 

KC-135's -A's and R's in the Air Force. 727's DC-10's and now MD-11's for Fedex. Driving my GTO is more fun!

 

I do car parts, I pilot, I pile stuff over there I pile it over here

 

I guess I overlooked this one when it was first up.

Flyer of the Handsome, High-performance C-130 Hercules. About 4000 hour before I was put out to pasture. Damn, I miss it.....

 

Its on my ToDo list, I just haven't made it a priority yet.

I used to jump out of the C130 Hercules that AnimalAin is talking about though

 

Yes - ticket in 1982 - high performance single - no longer active - but flying a 1800hp single still is vivid in my mind!

 

Lots and lots of time blowing up bad guys in F/A-18's, now bored out of my mind in 727's at FedEx. Pays the bills and gives me time to play with cars, so I don't have anything to complain about. Just wish I could find a 10 car garage with a small house attached to it...

 

Didnt know that, had heard of it. When I was in the AKARNG, used our Sikorsky CH 54 Bs to air lift a PBY from Dago Lake to Lake Hood for the Trans musiem there. Was still there last summer. Will see if I can find some pics of the Airlift.

 

Hahaha... another perpetual Student!

But that "Student Ticket" gave me the opportunity to fly or ride in aircraft that people could only dream about... T-6, T-28, T-33, T-37, P-51's, B-25's, Albatross, Duck, Chipmunk, Beaver, Otter, L-4 Cub, L29, many different Cessnas, DC-3, to Ultralites!

Got my ticket after 15 years as a Student... kind of Like how some people get their college degree....

This is what I call a short field exercise!

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That's pretty cool, I've always had an interest in aviation, anybody fly commercially ? Shit is amazing watchin a dc-10, 747 or any big plane for that matter getting off the ground.

 

My grandfather wanted me to be one... 37 years later I'm starting.
I seem to have it backwards though building the plane first before the license.

After reading about the K.C. Dawn Patrol realized I could build a WWI repliplane on the cheap. Helps that this guy lives close: http://www.airdromeairplanes.com

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Soloed in 1959. 6800 hours. Commercial, but never flew for money. Except for one dollar I made Old Don at Marlboro (Mass.) airport pay me. Also, A&P-IA and EAA for many, many years.

 

I'm no longer a pilot, I did fly some ultralights and powered parachutes a long time ago, but it's probably been 20 years. I have a balance problem with my ears now, so i can't bank without becoming disoriented. everything will just start spinning. I can't even fly as a passenger anymore. Now I build airplane parts, just got called back to work. Now I need to figure out how to catch up these bills, been laid off on and off for the last year. but back to making parts Monday

 

Once a pilot always a pilot!

 

a pilot who can't bank an airplane anymore. I never did the complex stuff, just the basic stick and rudder flying, where I grew up there was a grass strip cut out of the woods, where we had some cub drivers and some Luscombe drivers. In those days it was no big deal for them to show you the basics ,not because they got paid, but because they wanted to. with my family history I'm more then likely to end up with diabetes anyway, even if I get my balance problem corrected someday. that kills my medical, there's always sport pilot though. The last time I went up with someone, my head was spinning so bad they had to land, doesn't bother my stomach but i can't get oriented.

 

The four fans of freedom, baby!

 

Been around airplanes my whole life, came home from the hospital after birth in a C-54. Been flying since the 70's. Retired from Skywest. Can't remember how many airplanes I have owned, my first was a Luscombe 8A, 1571K. Here is my current ride.

 

Not a pilot , but the family owns an airport strip and I work in the Aviation field, does that count?

 

has anyone else ever had the surgery to correct a balance problem? it's got so bad I have to slow way down going around steep curved freeway ramps. no more flying, no more bikes, and walking with a somewhat list to the left.

 

Does this count?

 

OK, that is downright impressive! Almost VTOL!

As a former grunt, I want to thank you military boys, some of you might have even flown my ass around!

 

My first plane was an 11AC Chief, love those old 65 horse taildraggers. My Dad had a Champ he uesd to park on the front lawn of our house growing up, always liked Aeronca.

 

whats ironic is I now work in an aircraft factory and almost no one knows I used to fly, my wife doesn't even know I was a pilot. bad subject I guess snce I can't do it anymore until I get my inner ear corrected if it can be corrected.

 

Not a pilot, But before starting my own business, 12 years ago, I worked for an airline co. On 3rd shift. The guys who maintained the flight simulators would let me come over and taught me how to fly a DC-9 a DC-8 and a 767 simulator. Oh yeah.... My buddy is Jerry Springers personal pilot though!!!

 

Got to fly the Boeing 767 flight simulator once. My brother works there and got some sort of award and he got to bring 3 people in with him to have a little fun.

I set her down hard a couple of times and taxied into a building. Probably should keep my feet on the ground.

 

Thirty years now, There is nothing like your first solo. Learn in a tail dragger if you can, Hay hollywood, I built a weedhopper in 1984, and its still the most fun flyin' I do.

 

This is some great stuff, I did an introductory flight at Dahio airport when I was 14. Always loved aviation but never got a license. Wish now I had persued it.

 

Put my Aeronca down on a county road once just to go visit a buddy. Had to block a couple of cars just to take off again. My friend said the cops were looking for me after that. Riiight!

 

Been a pilot since '82, I've owned three aircraft, a C-150, a PA28-140 and a PA28R-200. PPSEL, A&P.

 

Started flying J3s in 1952. Too young to solo. Soloed in 1956. Still flying tail draggers, building 50s' customs and loving accapella Do-Wop. Presently own a Decathalon and a Kit Fox I built. Also have several hundred hours in hang gliders. Carry on!
Tinguy