Pilots/Aviation nuts? sound off!

[p-factor]

Noticed a few other users who are pilots and/or affiliated with aviation in some regard, what's your background? I remember seeing in passing a few members who were airline pilots, but I believe the posts I saw were many moons ago.

 

Thrustnut...that's a sweet looking Epic you have in your profile picture, do you work for them? One of the best looking singles out there, for sure.

 

DtsnLvr, are you a helicopter pilot or mechanic in your duty as a SFC in the Army?

[RTz]

Halfway to a commercial license.

 

I'm sure Braap, Globerunner and Proxlamus will also 'introduce' themselves

[hoov100]

I love planes, but if I'm having a hard time affording parts for the z, a plane is definitely out of the question.

[Dtsnlvrs]

 

DtsnLvr, are you a helicopter pilot or mechanic in your duty as a SFC in the Army?

 

In the civilian world, I would be called either a Flight Engineer or a Flight Mechanic...depending on the aircraft. I have crewed Hueys, Blackhawks, and Gulfstream Jets..so take your pick

[Globerunner513]

How do you tell if there is a pilot at your party?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

he'll tell you

 

 

Personally just a Private ticket holder myself. Going back to school this summer to continue towards a commercial lisence and never ending debt...

 

My dad is a commercial pilot and have grown up traveling and around aircraft my whole life. I actually still keep a current log book of all my flights. My mom started it for me at 3 weeks old, and I continued it when I was 8 or 9. I'm pretty proud of it. Kind of interesting to go back through it and see all the places I've supposedly been, but can't remember

[Tony D]

Sorry, no license, I suspect it's a conspiracy to keep me from flying into the IRS Building... oh waitaminit, that's been done. So why won't they issue it to me... I'm perfectly safe, maybe not before, but I'm feeling much better now. And every day in every way, I'm getting better and better...

[rat_ranger]

I am working on a packet to be a flight warrent with the army. Other than that it has been years since I was in a small plane.

[zgeezer]

500 hours, over 450 in a 1939 AirKnocker Chief... ceconite, no radio, no starter no flaps, VFR ALL the way, wood prop, and a tail dragger. Tie down the tail, throw down the chocks, walk around, pull the prop through four holes, two pumps of primer, magnetos, crack the throttle, pull prop down and step back as it fires up. Walk under wing, keeping a grip on struts, open door, hold on to fuselage, pull throttle back to idle. Pull chocks out from main gear with rope and store behind seat. Keep hands on fuselage and walk to tail gear. With one hand on Fin, untie rope securing tail wheel and pull it clear of the tie down ring on ground. Secure rope with one hand and walk to cabin...... do not let go of craft. Hold fin, hold elevator, stay close to fuselage and mount into cabin. Service ceiling about 13000 feet. This was a real floater, on a hot day it would fly at 18 inches off the deck in ground effect with throttle at idle. I took out about 4 taxi way lights at Sonoma once.... slow and easy... also embarassing before it stalled and dropped.

 

God, I loved that plane. Flew out of a grass field in Dixon, CA. Low and slow over the delta islands... saw Juday country up close from slightly more than 500 feet. Dodged and lived in fear hitting the wake of one of the hundreds of Starlifters flying out of Travis AFB... flying out to 'Nam with my generation and coming back with bodies, some alive and some dead, dope, and JDM parts for Datsun 510 SSS conversions in the Bay Area.

 

I never mastered the simple act of landing under power on the main gear: all my landings were full stall. I never did ground loop it, but the airframe log showed it's previous owner performed that rite of passage twice.

 

G

 

 

 

G

[proxlamus©]

Private Instrument rated..

 

Bacholers Degree in Aviation Technology .. my concentration was in Professional Flight Officer concentration.. changed it to Air Traffic Control Collegiate Initiative Training..

 

I was planning on doing the pilot route.. but the need and the starting pay for air traffic controllers is very rewarding! so ATC here i come

[kiwi303]

I glide, infrequently. The local gliding club has a couple of GROB 103 Twin Astirs, and I go up occasionally. haven't soloed yet, or even made a concereted effort to go for my gliding pilots licence.

 

I've also been up a number of times in Bantam B22 microlights, mainly through knowing the manufacturor they're nice small planes.

 

I'm happier 30M underwater than 300+M in the air.

[1 tuff z]

all my flying was military. began as a powertrain mechanic on helicopters, progressed to crewchief [hueys & jet rangers] then onto flight school-army, mother rucker 1985 [class 85-29 for those interested]. was a huey medevac pilot in the army reserves in upstate, ny. back to active duty after college, usmc, flew kc130's up until i completed my 4 year comittment, moved back home, started a family and flown a desk ever since.

 

few hours, quite a few aircraft, hughes 300 [2 seat helo], robinson r22, beech sundowner, queen air & king air, as well as the navy trainer-crazy fun and powerful.

 

bell jet ranger, huey, cobra, no blackhawk time except in the back.

 

think that's about it.

 

license, commercial fixed & rotary wing, instrument, single & multi engine land.

 

miss the helo's the most, especially flying noe in upstate, ny!

Edited February 22, 2010 by 1 tuff z

[p-factor]

Halfway to a commercial license.

 

I'm sure Braap, Globerunner and Proxlamus will also 'introduce' themselves

 

Braap's a pilot? Didn't know that.

 

I'm a corporate (technically Fractional) pilot. Been flying the Piaggio Avanti (in my profile pic) for 3 years. Before that I flew a Pilatus PC-12, and before that I was a flight instructor. Got my private 10 years ago and have since accrued about 4500 hours. All but 20 hours or so in props, hence the username.

Here's two of my birds enjoying the morning sun.

[Globerunner513]

Braap's a pilot? Didn't know that.

 

I'm a corporate (technically Fractional) pilot. Been flying the Piaggio Avanti (in my profile pic) for 3 years. Before that I flew a Pilatus PC-12, and before that I was a flight instructor. Got my private 10 years ago and have since accrued about 4500 hours. All but 20 hours or so in props, hence the username.

Here's two of my birds enjoying the morning sun.

 

Ever made your way to KBLI? I know there aren't a whole lot of those planes gracing the skies, and I've seen one fairly regularly on the ramp here. (I work across the ramp for Allegiant)

[proxlamus©]

Ohh man those Piaggios sound sooo bizarre when they fly right over your head... is it really quiet in the cockpit since the props are soo far back!!??

 

BTW my dream plane to own is a Pilatus or Meridian =)

[p-factor]

Ever made your way to KBLI? I know there aren't a whole lot of those planes gracing the skies, and I've seen one fairly regularly on the ramp here. (I work across the ramp for Allegiant)

 

I don't think I've personally ever been to BLI, but we have 55 airplanes and we fly all over the country, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas and parts of the Caribbean. According to FlightAware, the last P180 to visit BLI was one of ours, on the 17th.

 

Proxlamus, it is very quiet inside. Usually people don't believe me when I say that because it's noise signature outside is so unique. Technically it's not even *that* loud outside, it's just a different sound than we're used to so people notice it. 2000 rpm and 5 bladed props beating the exhaust makes it sound like a deranged weedwhacker. I can be sitting in my house, with the windows closed and I'll instantly recognize when a piaggio flies over, even if it's at 8000ft or so.

I digress.. yeah, it's quiet inside, passengers love it. We can easily have a conversation without headsets, especially at high altitudes when the wind noise is less. Down low at 260kts indicated it gets "wooshy".

 

The PC12 is an awesome airplane too. For a person with the means, I can think of no better aircraft for flying a family around. We often loaded it up with a whole family, dogs, bags, skis, coolers, ect.. and fly it in and out of small strips, as well as routine flights from the Boston/NYC/BaltoDC area to south Florida. It's not the fastest airplane out there but it has long legs. The Piaggio is better looking though!

[Globerunner513]

Down low at 260kts indicated it gets "wooshy"

 

you mean 250kts right? Don't worry I'll hold off reporting you for a ride! hahaha

 

On a side note, how do you like the living conditions of the corporate world? Have you done part 121 ops? Would you consider it more competitive for corporate slots?

Edited February 21, 2010 by Globerunner513

[cygnusx1]

I'm not a pilot...just an RC pilot. However, I have plans to get my sailplane solo license. I just got the life insurance to keep the family happy. This Summer I plan on jumping into the local soaring program. Flying has been a dream of mine since I can remember.

[hoov100]

500 hours, over 450 in a 1939 AirKnocker Chief... ceconite, no radio, no starter no flaps, VFR ALL the way, wood prop, and a tail dragger. Tie down the tail, throw down the chocks, walk around, pull the prop through four holes, two pumps of primer, magnetos, crack the throttle, pull prop down and step back as it fires up. Walk under wing, keeping a grip on struts, open door, hold on to fuselage, pull throttle back to idle. Pull chocks out from main gear with rope and store behind seat. Keep hands on fuselage and walk to tail gear. With one hand on Fin, untie rope securing tail wheel and pull it clear of the tie down ring on ground. Secure rope with one hand and walk to cabin...... do not let go of craft. Hold fin, hold elevator, stay close to fuselage and mount into cabin. Service ceiling about 13000 feet. This was a real floater, on a hot day it would fly at 18 inches off the deck in ground effect with throttle at idle. I took out about 4 taxi way lights at Sonoma once.... slow and easy... also embarassing before it stalled and dropped.

 

God, I loved that plane. Flew out of a grass field in Dixon, CA. Low and slow over the delta islands... saw Juday country up close from slightly more than 500 feet. Dodged and lived in fear hitting the wake of one of the hundreds of Starlifters flying out of Travis AFB... flying out to 'Nam with my generation and coming back with bodies, some alive and some dead, dope, and JDM parts for Datsun 510 SSS conversions in the Bay Area.

 

I never mastered the simple act of landing under power on the main gear: all my landings were full stall. I never did ground loop it, but the airframe log showed it's previous owner performed that rite of passage twice.

 

 

 

G

 

 

 

G

 

 

Well, that confirms my suspicion, that you are indeed, a crazy old man...

[p-factor]

you mean 250kts right? Don't worry I'll hold off reporting you for a ride! hahaha

 

On a side note, how do you like the living conditions of the corporate world? Have you done part 121 ops? Would you consider it more competitive for corporate slots?

 

"Down low" I consider anything below FL180. Besides that, I plead the Fifth. Y'all can't prove anything....tailwinds, yeah, strong tailwinds..

 

I've never done 121 ops, though I interviewed for some regionals years ago before deciding to go with the Pilatus job. The airline lifestyle doesn't interest me nearly as much, going to the same 20 or so airports all year long, and doing the same routes every tour. It's hard for ex-airline guys who come over to fly with us to get used to.... we don't know where we're going any given day until the night before, and even then it often changes during the day when an airplane goes down for mx or weather causes a delay in the system. We work 7 days on, and then 7 days off, all year long. So I know my schedule from now until the foreseeable future. Sure, I don't know where I'm going, but I know I'll be "on" that week or "home" that week. The really cake jobs flying the heavy iron are hard to get into, it's very much who you know and being in the right place at the right time. It's a very tough industry to survive in actually, I've been very lucky. I know a lot of guys who are on indefinite furlough from airlines and others who's airlines crumbled underneath them. It's crazy, no other industry is based solely on seniority like the airline industry is. It doesn't matter how experienced you are or what your background is, you could be Neil frickin Armstrong and you'd still start at the bottom when going to a new company.

 

*whew* I think i might've gotten into a little rant there...

[strotter]

I've always loved aircraft and flying, but I never really was in a position to do much about it. Did some aerospace engineering many years ago (structural analysis, including STS-61), though I have a BSMe. Last year I got tired of waiting so I bought a couple of old ultralights, thinking I'd rebuild one just to fly around. Much like with my Z, though, it has evolved into a redesign exercise. Dusted off the statics/dynamics textbooks, found some fea software, went berserk. I want to be careful with my delicate butt high above the unforgiving earth. Trying to do it without breaking the bank (translate, slowly enough that She Who Must Be Obeyed won't notice). Hoping to start cutting aluminum this summer.