Changes in life some personal observations

[rab23us]

Long time member low poster and some changes in life approaching.

My aviation journey to this point in my life, back when I was in college (the middle 1980’s), I was in the Army reserve and part of an aviation unit. I took a commission, graduated starting working as a law enforcement officer and in 1993 was activated and sent to Fort Rucker Alabama to begin my flight training, as things started to get fun and interesting and what I considered the most adventurous time in my life, my wife and I were advised that there was a “budget shortfall” and myself and 15 of the 17 currently in the class were “rebranched” and I went from army aviation to infantry, some of my classmates went to chemical corps, signal, and armor…….

To say I was bitter was an understatement. I completed my training returned and completed my active reserve component while working as a law enforcement officer went to the individual ready reserve where I was ultimately honorably discharged from service with my service time being 1986 to 1999, with my discharge showing Aviation (15A) as my MOS (gotta love government record keeping).

I have always had a thirst a yearn and desire to want to fly to learn to fly it was one of the biggest reasons I entered military service to fly. All these years later I have been following the private and sport pilot side of things in 2004 when sport pilot became a reality I was excited and it appeared a lot of other people were as well except for people who ran flight training in my area statements from there’s no way to “learn” to fly that cheaply and so on an so forth. Life a wife, a couple of kids and of course the dogs the job all kept creeping into what I would have loved to at least begin “learning to fly”. I can still pass a flight medical I have no medical conditions other than carrying more weight than I did when I was in my 20’s and 30’s LOL I consider myself lucky.

Fast forward to 2020 as I am planning my retirement from Law Enforcement (happening in early 2021). I have been keeping up with everything and I am finding now that my children are grown and two of the three are married I find I now have more money, more time and I am thinking “finally” I can possibly start my aviation journey again. The big thing I have noticed is while fuel may be more expensive the cost of the training outside of the fuel really has not changed all that much.

What has changed from my perspective when first watching the sport pilot and private pilot realm has been that 15+ years later sport pilot appears to be moving forward with possibilities of more weight more speed and possibly down the road a different class of aircraft. ( I watched the Dan Johnson seminar on Youtube that was produced in September from the Mt. Vernon Illinois show). Also as far as PPL goes you now have the basic med take your physical pass it and if I have been reading right do not have to take another one for 10 years…

I am hopeful the Mrs., will let me restart my journey of flight. Have a great day everyone.

[drseti]

Ron, I definitely encourage you to start your journey now. Don't wait around for those promised changes in the LSA rules (which may not happen for another decade, if at all).

[JimParker256]

Ron, slight correction on Basic Med: You must pass one (1) FAA flight physical, either "outright" pass, or by having a "Special Issuance" if there's something outside the norm. From that point forward, as long as you don't develop any of the disqualifying conditions, you need to see your personal physician at least every four years, and take (and pass) the Basic Med certification course every two years. With that, you're good to go. There is no "every 10 years" requirement to take an FAA physical.

If the Light Sport / Sport Pilot rules meet your flight mission (day VFR only, pilot + maximum one passenger, <120 kts cruise speed, <1320 lbs gross weight, etc.), why even take the risk of the FAA physical? If you get declined, you cannot fly even as a Sport Pilot until the FAA issues you a standard (or Special Issuance) medical.

The advantage of flying under the Sport Pilot rule is that as long as you have not been denied an FAA medical certificate (including withdrawing one already in progress, by the way!), and hold a state-issued driver's license, and can self-certify that you have no disqualifying medical conditions, you need NOT ever go through the FAA physical process. So if you have ever been treated for something (or have some undiagnosed congenital condition such as a heart murmur) that might cause disqualification on an FAA physical, you could still fly under Sport Pilot rules, but might need a "Special Issuance" from the FAA medical team before you can fly under Basic Med.

An sad story example (from a real life friend) is treatment (with drugs) for teenage depression. Truthful responses on the FAA application (under oath and penalty of law, remember) resulted in the FAA requiring a Special Issuance. So even though said treatment began at age 14, ended at age 15, and the applicant was now in their early 50s with absolutely no recurring issues, it required many thousands of dollars in tests, visits to psychiatrists, etc. to obtain the SI medical approval. Had that pilot simply chosen to pursue Sport Pilot certification, none of that would have been required, and he would have been flying 2 years sooner.

Another friend of mine got declined because the AME suspected he might suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. He had to spend thousands of dollars on tests to prove that he did NOT have OSA before the FAA would issue his medical. Fortunately, he passed the sleep tests...

So, again, unless you want to fly something outside the Light Sport category, or need to fly at night, on instruments, carry more than one passenger, or fly faster (or higher) than Sport Pilots can legally fly, why take the risk?

PS – I'm not a doctor, and I didn't sleep at the Holiday Inn last night. I'm just a fellow pilot (and former Army helicopter instructor pilot) that loves to fly, and am currently enjoying flying a Light Sport airplane.

[ShawnM]

Welcome back Ron and it's never too late to learn to fly. We always wish we could have done it "sooner" but as we all know life happens. All good points posted by Paul and JIm. I'd simply suggest define your flying "mission" and then decide if a LSA and a sport pilot rating or a certified aircraft and a PPL fits that mission better than the other. I think this is the best approach to finding the right path and aircraft to fly and/or own.

And maybe fuel is expensive in Illinois but it's cheap here in Florida. $3.60 for 100LL at my airport (which I don't use) and I pay $3.25 for MOGAS at a nearby airport.

[Warmi]

Welcome back Ron and it's never too late to learn to fly. We always wish we could have done it "sooner" but as we all know life happens. All good points posted by Paul and JIm. I'd simply suggest define your flying "mission" and then decide if a LSA and a sport pilot rating or a certified aircraft and a PPL fits that mission better than the other. I think this is the best approach to finding the right path and aircraft to fly and/or own.

And maybe fuel is expensive in Illinois but it's cheap here in Florida. $3.60 for 100LL at my airport (which I don't use) and I pay $3.25 for MOGAS at a nearby airport.

About 30 miles south of Chicago I got $3.95 for 100LL and $4 for 91 non ethanol Mogas and $4.30 for UL94.

[3Dreaming]

If the Light Sport / Sport Pilot rules meet your flight mission (day VFR only, pilot + maximum one passenger, <120 kts cruise speed, <1320 lbs gross weight, etc.), why even take the risk of the FAA physical? If you get declined, you cannot fly even as a Sport Pilot until the FAA issues you a standard (or Special Issuance) medical.

That is not entirely true. You can still fly gliders, even motor gliders with a failed medical. You can even do it commercially, like rides for hire. There is also balloons if that is your thing.

[3Dreaming]

Ron,

I am not too far from you. I am based at the Olney-Noble airport. Unfortunately I can't help with sport pilot training at the moment, since I don't have a light sport airplane now. I can offer to be a resource if you need it. It seems there are far to many CFI's around the area that still don't know much about the sport pilot rules, and some of the special endorsements you need. The only flight school that I know of in the southern part of the state doing sport pilot training is at Mt. Vernon. They have a pair of Aeroprakts that they use for training.

Tom Baker

[JimParker256]

If the Light Sport / Sport Pilot rules meet your flight mission (day VFR only, pilot + maximum one passenger, <120 kts cruise speed, <1320 lbs gross weight, etc.), why even take the risk of the FAA physical? If you get declined, you cannot fly even as a Sport Pilot until the FAA issues you a standard (or Special Issuance) medical.

That is not entirely true. You can still fly gliders, even motor gliders with a failed medical. You can even do it commercially, like rides for hire. There is also balloons if that is your thing.

Sorry – I was thinking about conventional powered aircraft, but didn't so state... Good catch!

[3Dreaming]

If the Light Sport / Sport Pilot rules meet your flight mission (day VFR only, pilot + maximum one passenger, <120 kts cruise speed, <1320 lbs gross weight, etc.), why even take the risk of the FAA physical? If you get declined, you cannot fly even as a Sport Pilot until the FAA issues you a standard (or Special Issuance) medical.

That is not entirely true. You can still fly gliders, even motor gliders with a failed medical. You can even do it commercially, like rides for hire. There is also balloons if that is your thing.

Sorry – I was thinking about conventional powered aircraft, but didn't so state... Good catch!

A motor glider is a conventional powered aircraft.

[JimParker256]

Where's that "I surrender" emoji?

[drseti]

Where's that "I surrender" emoji?

I think it looks like a white flag.

[ryoder]

Don’t wait to get back into aviation. Life is too short and you may develop conditions that will not allow you to fly.
My recommendation is to find friends with airplanes and get up in the air while taking lessons. Also, go get your medical now so that you can fly basic med for the rest of your life. Happy flying.