Landing a PA-22 for beginners?

[EddieFoy]

Well the airport I base my planes at has no fence, but also is empty as a ghost town. New T hangars, full up, but RARELY see anyone flying or tinkering with their airplanes. Every now and then you'll see a plane from elsewhere do touch and goes, and the local crop-dusters doing these no radio outlawish lack of proper pattern entries, but that's another story in itself.

Unfortunately, I see the same thing.

[EddieFoy]

23 years at AA and I never heard one pilot say "I hate flying."

I agree Steve that the future for airline pilots seems bright with all of the retirements and all. But unfortunately, a lot of airline pilots hate flying (I know, I couldn't believe it either but I heard that all the time on the flight deck). Many state, "I picked this career out of the military because of its pay and time off, I could care less about small airplanes"....ugh.

The problem is attracting more pilots (particularly young pilots). And, whether you like it or not (and I DON'T), most want to fly the "cool new stuff" and have very little interest in our rag and tube airplanes. And thats a shame.

That being said I would rather have them in the fold with their prejudices against us than have an avocation that is dying out. We cant afford to ignore them or say the hell with them. It will cost us in the long run. You say our airplanes need nothing more than a grass field and some auto fuel. That is true, until the lack of GA activity causes the airline controlled privatized ATC to regulate us out of the sky for "safety sake". Think it won't happen? I wouldn't bet against it. At any rate the small our numbers the less political ability we will have to stop it.

[Steve Pierce]

This was a camp out we did abut a month ago. Pacer, Super Cruiser, 2 Maules, 3 Super Cubs and a Bird Dog. Age of pilots was 21 to mid 50s. 2 guys are pretty well off the rest were me, a guy that flies pipeline, a construction worker and a guy that owns an FBO. 9 airplanes with pilots and their kids. There is hope.
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[Gilbert Pierce]

I know at least 50 Fedex and Delta pilots. All of them have a fun airplane or two at a local airport. I know one of them who told me he hated his job; but, he built a Mustang II and has flown it to Alaska at least 10 or 12 times.

A Delta pilot friend of mine has a Starduster II at our Grass field. He comes out still in his uniform, changes his clothes and does aerobatics for awhile. He says at Delta he is just a systems manager, turns the magic on at 500' and off at passing back thru 500' on the way down. He said he ocassionaly turns it off and hand flies in cruise to break the boredom and maintain some semblance of proficiency.

With all the crap from the TSA these days I can understand airline pilots hating their job. That and the airlines have closed a lot of crew bases forcing them to commute or move.

[John Umbach]

I do not participate in Y.E. flights any longer. IMHO, the EAA's philosophy of "show up and get a ride" is contributing to the "instant gratification" mentality of today's youth. I suggested to my chapter that we begin a series of seminars that include career information, theory of flight, basic aeronautical knowledge, etc. In order to get to the ride, the kids had to have attended all the prerequisites. However, we just continued doing things the same way...Here is your free hot dog, Twinkie, and plane ride. And, you could tell that the kid's priorities were just about in that order!
Another wet blanket on the fun of flying for me was the complete lack of disrespect of our planes, and the effort expended by the pilots to do the rides. This disrespect was not just from the little ingrates, but their parents, too. I had a similar event as you experienced. A young boy who was assigned to fly with me, was brought out with the group of kids and their parents. When the kid realized he was going with me, he began to pitch a fit because he wanted to ride in....wait for it!... the CIRRUS! His loudmouth Mom pops off with...Why does my son have to ride in the "old piece of junk"?! Needless to say, it took all my willpower to keep my mouth closed and let my more tactful EAA members deal with the issue.
The final straw for me was when I had to spend about 4 hours fixing damage to my plane caused by another Game Boy playing Twinkie eater. No more!
The Y.E. Program just facilitates the "what have you done for me today" mentality. The kids have no skin in the game, and that philosophy has made it's way into aviation careers. Believe me, the applicant pool truly drying up would be a boon to those of us that busted our ass to make it, respect the profession and those that paved the way, and demand that those coming behind us do the same! Too many from the "Barbie and Ken School of Aeronautics" that are all hat...no cowboy!

A big Amen brother,

When I started in the mid 80's, a Navajo Captain was a 5k pilot, and the F/O was a 2k instructor.

My F/O on the Dash today was a 1500. Hr wonder complaining that he wasn't flying Jets to exotic locations like his friends. No feel for flying and no desire to up his game. It's the new normal.

[Steve Pierce]

The kid that worked for me 2 winters from Alaska and we flew his 90 hp Super Cub to Anchorage 6 years ago tomorrow now has his ATP and flies right seat in a Dash 8. He loves it. He came down to Sun & Fun and we got to hang out and catch up. He can't believe they pay him to fly. He just sold his 90 hp Super Cub and bought one with 160 hp. I am sure we can all know pilots at both ends of the spectrum. Glad there are those with passion, that is what is infectious and helps draws others in.

[59pacer]

When I started in airlines 40+ years ago on 707s, I was an absolute rarity and looked on as mentally defective for flying light aircraft in my spare time. Most of our pilots then were ex military, and you couldn't have got them in a light aircraft no matter what. I had a Captain say to me that he knew from experience that the more you flew, the sooner you died! One ex-RAF Captain refused to fly with his newly-minted Commercial Pilot son because it would be in a single engine aircraft.
Ten years later we had an influx of mainly young ex-GA types and the numbers involved in light aircraft increased markedly. By the time I retired a few years ago, the interest in flying and building/restoring had gone through the roof.
Since retiring, it's become obvious how few young people have any interest in flying. In our club of about 250 pilots, you can count on one hand the 'youngsters' actively flying. 'Adventure' seems to be deciding whether to press 'return' or 'delete'!

[EddieFoy]

At end, I hated my job at AA but I never "hated flying."

[dmark1]

23 years at AA and I never heard one pilot say "I hate flying."

Guess you were lucky. I heard four at my 22 years there. Mostly during DFW-HNL legs back home? Maybe all nighters had something to do with it

[dmark1]

The kid that worked for me 2 winters from Alaska and we flew his 90 hp Super Cub to Anchorage 6 years ago tomorrow now has his ATP and flies right seat in a Dash 8. He loves it. He came down to Sun & Fun and we got to hang out and catch up. He can't believe they pay him to fly. He just sold his 90 hp Super Cub and bought one with 160 hp. I am sure we can all know pilots at both ends of the spectrum. Glad there are those with passion, that is what is infectious and helps draws others in.

I hate to be a cynic but give him 20 years of TSA. reserve, PEB, pissed off militant gay flight attendants and contract negotiations.