Hello from Dayton!

Pilot? Student pilot? Future pilot? Interested in learning to fly? If you're reading this forum, you've got flying in your blood! SportPilotTalk is a great place to ask questions about this exciting new segment of (more) affordable aviation!

Moderator: drseti

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Moe
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:12 pm
Location: Beavercreek OH

Hello from Dayton!

Post by Moe »

I'm Moe and I'm a nostalgia nut. I own a Harley and an Airstream, and learned Morse Code for my ham license. For many years, every time I've seen a little yellow Cub, I've dreamed of flying one. In the past few years, with my spare time busy sailing, I've said flying looked like something I wasn't going to get around to in this life.

But recently, my attitude about that's been changing. I decided I wanted to learn to fly in a tail-dragger. Tens of thousands have over the years. I made my kids learn to drive in a standard shift so it just seems fair. I decided I'd prefer it to be on a grass strip. And if my dreams really came true, it would be in a Cub, or at least a Champ.

My wife and I went to the nearby Greene County airport today and talked to the folks there. I asked if they taught Sport Pilot. They said, "no, you can go to Waynesville for that." I asked if anyone taught flying in a Cub and they said, this time with a big grin, "Waynesville does." My wife jumped there many years ago, and we've ridden by several times, thinking it was just a gliderport. So we drove down just south of Waynesville, to Red Stewart Airfield, about 25 miles from our home of some 20 years now.

Talk about a dream come true! And literally in our back yard all these years. A 65HP J3 was sitting right out front and a Pitts warming up for take-off on the wide grass strip. They also have a second J3, 85HP, and a Champ which was restored by the EAA Chapter 284 that meets there and holds an annual "Taildragger Fly-In." The folks there were really friendly, and they train both Recreational and Sport Pilot licensing. I asked about doing ground school self-study and they said they encourage it.

So, I'm pretty sure where I'm going to learn to fly. I found a cool site with a Java J3 W&B calculator and it looks like there's a matter of me losing some weight to come in under MTOW with an instructor, so I'm targeting next year, after spending the winter studying. I'm pretty motivated now!

Thanks for hosting this site.
Moe
CTflyer
Posts: 188
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:17 am
Location: eastern Connecticut

Post by CTflyer »

Moe- welcome to the bunch!

Question: why did you chose to go Sport Pilot and not a full Private Pilot?

Also, you could learn the J3 from any CFI with conventional gear experience - you don't need a special CFI to learn Sport Pilot.

Thanks.
Tom
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Moe
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:12 pm
Location: Beavercreek OH

Post by Moe »

CTflyer wrote:Moe- welcome to the bunch!

Question: why did you chose to go Sport Pilot and not a full Private Pilot?
Good question, Tom. First, it's unnecessary expense to fly a Cub. I don't sail at night and don't plan to fly at night either. I intend to acquire the knowledge required of a private pilot before flying. That's not only to make myself better, but to know and understand the perspective of the majority of the other folks in the sky and better predict what they might do in a given situation.

Second, I don't feel like going through the hassle of a medical and an Authorization of a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate for Type II diabetes and hypertension, both of which have been under control for several years now. I also don't want to unnecessarily risk getting caught in the Sport Pilot-Catch 22.
CTflyer wrote:Also, you could learn the J3 from any CFI with conventional gear experience - you don't need a special CFI to learn Sport Pilot.
True. One CFI suggested I could do much of the dual in a Super Cub, if I could find someone who'd teach in one, then do the solo check ride in a J-3 once I'd lost the weight necessary. I need to lose the weight anyway, so this is good motivation, and I'm not going to have the time to devote to instruction until next Spring.

Thanks for the welcome!
Moe
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