What do you need to fly a real plane?

[EtherealN]

A very common occurance when I'm out doing PR and demonstrations for my local aviation club is the big hurdle is of convincing people that they actually can learn to fly. Besides the common obstacle of simply being afraid of flying (which it's hard to do anything about through argumentation) this is by far the most common one. The thing with "I can't afford it" is relatively easy after all - I just tell whomever I'm talking to how much I spent to get my license and they are usually "oh... Hm... I thought it would be way more than that."

 

Well, If this woman can become proficient in flying, you can too. Don't miss out on the best sport in the world. :)

 

 

Love the shirt: "Look ma, no hands!" :D

 

I was very impressed with one of my instructors who became paralyzed waist-down after an automobile accident. He's still flying, but with customized controls to allow him to control rudder in spite of being without the use of his legs. But this thing is way above.

 

Also, tests have been performed in the UK with doing the flight training (for gliders) on simulators - and that's desktop simulators just like the ones you've already got - and they were often able to release students to their first solo flight after only 5 real flights instead of the more normal 20ish.

 

Go find your local club right now. :)

Edited December 8, 2009 by EtherealN

[airea]

Nowadays, paragliding seems to be the easiest, cheapest and most practical way of flying...

[EtherealN]

Ouf, I'm not really sure of that. At least not on the note of "practical" nor "easiest". I'd rate wing-flying better on those unless of course you're talking about powered paragliding (which is an awesome sport that I have yet to try, but the owner of a hotel I'm a regular at does it and it seems like an amazing close-to-nature way of flying cross-country).

 

Issue with paragliding is that it is high on maintenance per flight while wings or soaring (though you can soar with wings as well, I've even shared thermals with wingflyers :) ) have relatively little work to be done for each flight. I personally fly gliders (trained on Bergfalke III and IV, Puchacz, and PW-5 and ASW-19b for solo flights, SF25 for powered flight) and generally speaking all you have to do to get up in the air is the regular pre-flight checklist. No unpacking or such - just be prepared to pay the ~20 euro tow fee if you (like me) haven't saved up for your own SLG (Self-Launching Glider) yet. If your club operates a winch-tow it's even less money though - and I've seen some absolutely amazing winch-launches from composite cables in germany. 0 to 1400 meters AGL in 90 seconds is better than a lot of powered aircraft. :)

 

(Though most winch-launches are limited to between 400 and 800 meters AGL, depending on wind and pilot skill.)

 

On the note of practical especially it really depends. Paragliding, wingflying and soaring is extremely impractical if you need to get from A to B because they are all extremely dependant on weather. TMG's (like the SF25 or S10) are a good compromise there, especially the latter since it's engine is retractable to allow for efficient soaring when thermals and/or wind allows.

 

But winch-launches generally are a really good idea for those airfields that can support them (requires a long airstrip). 5 euros will get you to an altitude that costs 4 times as much when towed by a Pawnee, and 8 times as much when towed by less capable aircraft like Cubs. (Last time I flew before the season ended our Pawnee had been found to need an engine swap, so we leased a Cub, but even though the Cub uses far less fuel it's so weak compared to the Pawnee that it ends up cheaper to use the fuel-guzzling Pawnee.)

 

EDIT

Here's a few adventures you can achieve with relatively little money as long as you do the training.

High altitude flight:

Aerobatics (this one is from my own club): http://www.youtube.com/user/SegelflygKarlstad#p/u/1/LD6Kwo5-_cU

Edited December 8, 2009 by EtherealN