So what's everyone's story on why you're here and not in a real cockpit?

[Pajeezy]

I've been an aviation buff since I was a wee lad, as was my father. He married very early, and never really "got around to it" as far as military aviation, but he'd always wanted to. The most he'd done is fly privately with Cessnas and the like.

 

While it was and really still is the only thing I wanted to pursue in my life, I never really had the drive or motivation to do so. Call me lazy, but the "stuff" required to become a fighter pilot seems beyond my capabilities. I'm a bit of a pessimist most of the time, and tend to go with the "easier" route. I was the guy who just didn't care when I got to high school and did the bare minimum to pass most classes (slept a lot there also). I play a lot of PC games (including DCS, of course) and just like to relax. It's weird, the pilots that I admire and envy and the jobs that they have are/require the exact opposite of what kind of person I am it seems...I'm approaching the age of 26, and while I try not to think about it much, I see F-18s fly over semi-often from the NAS nearby and get that sharp pain in my heart...And I wonder to myself why I couldn't push myself then or now to become the person required.

 

Also, my vision is horrid and the eustachian tubes in my ears are smaller than normal, so ascending and descending in an aircraft hurts like a *****. Those factors also kind of deterred me haha.

 

So what's your sob stories, folks?

[Kenan]

There's no sob story here. Due to the circumstances (health related) and that I simply didn't care for it, I never went for the real thing. But I do know I loved flight sims since I was a kid, started with ACE (C64) then moved on to Amiga (Fighter Bomber, F18 Interceptor, F29 Retaliator etc..).

[Aginor]

Well, I guess I'm not the right person for it. While I could have been a pilot health-wise my initiative was a bit sapped by the fact that I am German. We have, like, 20 fighter jets (I'm exaggerating of course, there are ~100 fighter jets) and there is a huge competition and also they have lots of people to choose from.

And then you almost don't fly because the whole Luftwaffe has the budget of one USAF squadron, most likely you won't have any action in your whole career because Germany is not interested in conflicts (which is a good thing) and so on. Also when you are a member of the military it is not uncommon for people to hate you. It is quite possible that you walk through the streets in your uniform and people call you an idiot or a murderer (been there, done that). Not a bit of appreciation for you service.

So yeah, not something I'd like to do. Especially since my other job interests went into computer science and if you want to get a good job you should study early.

And civil flying... I could start flying gliders regularly any day, my brother keeps asking me. Flying Cessnas is ridiculously expensive here, compared to the US for example, and so is learning to fly them. And we have only very limited air space to freely fly around in (try to fly more than 50 miles in a straight line in Germany...), and have lots of limitations. So I won't start that any time soon either.

 

Much more fun to do it virtually. And cheaper. Also technology is improving so the experience also gets better. :)

[Flagrum]

I am not an aviation buff.

 

Uh oh ... there, now I said it - openly and on this forums ... :o)

 

To explain that a bit more, it never occured to me that aviation were something I might be really interested in. Because of health/fitness issues and my type of personality I never had aviation in my field of view. But I love fiddling around with stuff and gear. I love ... well, "systems". The more complex, the better. And I like learning in general (I am blessed that this is usually easy for me). That's why I became a software engineer instead.

 

But as flight sims (i.e. DCS) became more and more realistic and, yeah, complex, I found myself one day sitting in the Hog. And Blackshark. And Huey and everything else. And today I like even flying ... :o)

[Griffin]

Well I use contacts outdoors and glasses at home so military aviation was never an option for me.

Just last year I applied to a partly government funded ATPL school but two weekends in a row working overtime and a stubborn flu effectively rendered my brains useless. Plus the competition is of course stiff. That would have cost some 12 000€ and the other option, a private ATPL school, costs 100k€ more is not an option. I could reapply in two years and continue to apply as many times as I want but then again I have a job in aviation maintenance industry where my prospects are good and if I wanted, I could save for ultra light aircraft license.

Civilian pilot market is also very overheated and not worth pursuing IMO despite the possibility of a great job. It could become a terrible job just as easily though.

 

So flying small planes in my free time and military aircraft (those I couldn't fly IRL anyway) sims suffice for me and keep me happy.

My interest in aviation started from reading a fiction WW2 fighter pilot book so I didn't dream of becoming a fighter pilot immediately. First it was learning about the exciting WW2 aerial warfare and relive the thrill in WW2 sims. Gradually the interest expanded into other parts of aviation and became a way of life and a profession.

 

Though, sometimes certain bastards appear on Youtube like Rodrigo David who sting that little needle of envy into my heart but it doesn't last too long. :D

Edited March 20, 2014 by Griffin

[SAM77]

No lie my first memory was poking myself in the eye with the pitot probe of F-18 model my dad was building. Navy test colours as well.

 

****ed up upbringing, developing mental issues in teenage years and becoming bipolar meant I never even followed a dream.

If things had been stable for me in my developing years then yeah I had the brains and yeah I definitely had the body to go for it.

 

One thing would have pissed me off if I did make it was having to fly with Australians. I would choose US anyday. Heck even Singapore where I was born would be better.

 

 

 

I say to you that you are young enough to still try.

You feel the pain in the heart now then ****ing do it..... Or at least try.....

 

26 is not old to be cutoff from trying so try.

 

That pain is something you are going to have to live with for the rest of your life if you dont try.

 

If you try the pain is gone forever.........

 

You are still young and I'm screaming at you to ****ing try cause I have that pain for the rest of my life and its no fun getting used to it.

 

 

If you need some goddamn inspiration to follow your dreams type Brian Shul into Youtube

Edited March 20, 2014 by SAM77

[Trooper117]

Used to fly light aircraft for about 3 years, but got to the stage where I couldn't fly and pay all of my bills at the same time :(

Reality kicked in and something had to go, my flying or my house etc...

So now I get my fix by simming.

[104th_Maverick]

Childhood asthma ... otherwise I would have been straight into the RAF!

[Rangi]

You need discipline, motivation and a willingness to follow the moronic orders of politicians and higher ranks to be an Air Force pilot, which I found I had none of when I served in the Army. Not to mention the waste of money and resources which characterize the military and Air Forces in particular. Also the use of recreational drugs is generally frowned upon in the military.

[xxJohnxx]

Coming from Austria I find myselfe in the same situation as Aginor. The biggest diffrence actually is that our Airforce only has ~14 jets (not counting trainers).

Comercial aviation is not getting paid very well, and other jobs just pay out better.

So I will probably keep flying jets in the simulators, while I will take out the flight club's C172 from time to time.

[BIGNEWY]

EX-Army now a stay at home dad caring for a sick wife.

 

While I was in the armed forces worked a lot with helicopters, airmobile, slingloads ect

 

If I had paid attention at school I would have tried for flight, I ended up in the infantry :)

[Lizzard]

When I was in school my biggest dream was becomming a Fighter Pilot..then I went to a Glider-Club and startet flying Sailplanes (Age 16 or 17). One of my Instructors was a retiered Luftwaffe F-4 Pilot...an he told me what "beeing a Fighter Pilot in Luftwaffe" really means... I lost interest very quickly...so I switched from Fighter Pilot to Rockstar (still working on it)

[Revan]

my eyesight is bad enough that i am disqualified from being a military pilot here in the US.

[TaliG]

My dream was to become a military pilot but eyesight prevented me from becoming one...:cry:

If I could afford the money, I would definitely follow the commercial pilot path..

 

In the end I followed my other hobby and became an electronics eng. :)

 

Anyway, I am grateful that technology has advanced and continue to advance, so I can get my fix from flying virtually :joystick: :thumbup:

[RagnarDa]

Born with 50% hearing on both ears (only treble on one ear, only bass on the other ear, yeah it's weird). My father had me hooked on airplanes when I was little, he used to take me to air shows and museums and it was a nice way to bond. Still, I sometimes kind of wished he hadn't. I was always aware of the fact that I could never become a pilot how ever intensively I wished I could. Still gravitates to things that I need good hearing to be able to do, like trying to become a rockstar, and it's always a uphill battle, so I guess I'm kind of masochistic in that way.

[Griffin]

One of my Instructors was a retiered Luftwaffe F-4 Pilot...an he told me what "beeing a Fighter Pilot in Luftwaffe" really means... I lost interest very quickly...

You got me interested about what it's like to be a Luftwaffe pilot?

[Irregular programming]

I know a Swedish fighter pilot once described his job as getting paid to play floorball a lot.

[xaoslaad]

Eyes. Always wanted to fly choppers in the military, but wasn't going to happen. Went ground instead, loved it anyway. Still want to get a civ license, but that will be down the road a ways, if at all, due to the expense.

[Lizzard]

You got me interested about what it's like to be a Luftwaffe pilot?

 

 

The first thing he asked was.."So Boy..how often have you seen Top Gun?"..I said "100000000 Times...an awesome Movie..." He replied.."so..I have to crush your dreams a bit...this movie has absolutly nothing to to with the real Fighter Pilot Job..a Fighter Pilot does 10% actual flying, 70% Paperwork and 20% absolutly nothing":)

[Cali]

Flying a real jet is and would be fun, but it's not all fun and games like it is here. I know what real pilots have to do and go through and I'd rather sit in front of my computer and have fun. Being a pilot is a lot of work. My wife said I should be a pilot years ago and I told her why I wouldn't.

[outlawal2]

Always been an aviation buff, Hell it was a tossup between dinosaurs and helicopters when I was about 4.. (Still haven't answered that question at 44) Anyway, I am good with computers and systems, processes etc. but my math skills suck and that is one of the main criteria when weeding folks out for the flight positions in the military. So I have gone the way of flight sims basically my entire life.. Started out with a VIC-20 and moved on from there.. Later in life (the last 5 years or so) I was able to pursue some of my dream of flying but after 22 hours of flight time in a helicopter the costs involved are just not reasonable... $400 per flight HOUR for training is beyond insane and I just can't justify it.. (I know airplane lessons are quite a bit cheaper but Cessnas just don't get my blood going like a helicopter does)

 

So DCS and my home pit is the best option for me at this point...

[Lizzard]

Later in life (the last 5 years or so) I was able to pursue some of my dream of flying but after 22 hours of flight time in a helicopter the costs involved are just not reasonable... $400 per flight HOUR for training is beyond insane and I just can't justify it..

 

yap..I was also interessted in a Helicopter Licence a few Years ago..but here in Germany you pay for a PPL-H (you are just allowed to fly for fun during day and nice weather) ca 25000,- € for a R-22...and 35000,- € for a Turbine Chopper like the Bell 206...insane..:(

[Griffin]

The first thing he asked was.."So Boy..how often have you seen Top Gun?"..I said "100000000 Times...an awesome Movie..." He replied.."so..I have to crush your dreams a bit...this movie has absolutly nothing to to with the real Fighter Pilot Job..a Fighter Pilot does 10% actual flying, 70% Paperwork and 20% absolutly nothing":)

Haha! Well this week at work I had 70% of absolutely nothing and 30% of paperwork. So I would give my left ball to turn 10% of that time into flying! :D

Edited March 20, 2014 by Griffin

[leafer]

My life in three words. :D

[Lizzard]

Haha! Well this week at work I had 70% of absolutely nothing and 30% of paperwork. So I would give my left ball to turn 10% of that time into flying! :D

To me Top Gun has always been just a corny 80ies movie. ;)

 

:) Top Gun is mostly known as the most expensive commercial ever made.