How many of you were over 40 before you received your PPL?

lacofdfireman · #1 08-29-2010, 07:45 PM

I was just thinking the other day that time is slipping away for me... I will turn 39 this year and have loved aviation for as long as I remember.. I haven't grown up around planes, airports or anything like that but have wanted to get my PPL Ticket for as long as I remember... I was just thinking that I want to get my license before I am 40. That could be a huge milestone for me since I one day want to build an RV 7A... So as I was thinking this I was going through a bunch of different topics here and was kinda noticing that it seems most everyone on these boards must have been in there early 20's or so when they received their PPL Ticket... I am curious if any of you over 40 people might want to share there experience of getting there PPL and why they took so long also... Was it a financial thing, sudden desire to fly that they never had before, time commitment etc... Thanks for sharing and inspiring those of us who are not yet Pilots...

Also along the same lines how many of you were over 40 when you started building your RV? What age where you when you started?

UnPossible · #2 08-29-2010, 07:51 PM

I wasn't 40, but started and finished my PPL in my mid-30's. It was something I always wanted to do, but for a multiude of reasons didn't get around to until then.... BTW - I startedmy RV-7A before I finished my PPL.

Go for it...... you only go around once.

WyoDave · #3 08-29-2010, 08:02 PM

I had wanted to since I was a kid. Took ground school when in my teens, but no money to fly

Over the years I would look at the airplane magazines, but never saw planes that looked: fun to fly, affordable to buy/fly, and useful for traveling. Then in Flying magazine, of all places, I saw an article talking about something called an RV6. Now I have one

I wish I had known of a way to accomplish that earlier in life. But under the circumstances I just didn't know of a way that seemed financially responsible to do it. I'm very happy with how things have turned out

Joe Parish · #4 08-29-2010, 08:15 PM

Like most, it was something I had always wantede to do. We got our finances in order(out of debt) which made it affordable. Now at 43 I am preparing to build a RV9

Paul K · #5 08-29-2010, 08:25 PM

I think I was 47. It's not to late!

hydroguy2 · #6 08-29-2010, 08:37 PM

first lesson at age 18, 1979. 2nd lesson was age 43, 2005. PP-ASEL age 44.

Funny how hobbies take a backseat when raising a family. But with the kids grown and gone, it's our time. I'll fly my RV-7 before I turn 50.....at least that's the current plan.

gmpaul · #7 08-29-2010, 08:39 PM

We started building 05. Got my PPL and flew our (9) in 07.
I'm 62 now with my bride of 35 years. The people you meet in an RV
are the very best.

hgerhardt · #8 08-29-2010, 08:41 PM

I started my RV-6 project when I was 38, got my PPL when I was 41 (in a Citabria 7ECA) and did first flight in my -6 at 44. Wish I had done it 20 yrs earlier, but the $$ situation wasn't there yet.

fstringham7a · #9 08-29-2010, 08:46 PM

Hi

I was 53 when I got my PPL from Dixie College Flight School. Boy do I regret not getting it years earlier. Money/Family/Jobssss/ you name it slowed me down. But, I still know that I could have worked it in. Missed out on a lot of fun/learning/flying/friendships/.......

So at 63 the 7A is done and I am flying but I know time is growing short. I can only hope for as many years as my CFI friend Cliff at 92 who is still flying/giving BFRs/training ......................but the reality is I know that the health trigger may be pulled on me at any time.

So at least start the training and before you know it the family/responsibilities/work/church/community will give you wiggle room to fulfill your dream.

Frank @ 1L8 ... RV7A ... Flying and Tracken MT-RTG

WenEng · #10 08-29-2010, 08:52 PM

It was rough but he made me a better pilot. I had second thoughts letting my future air force pilot/ Alaska Air captain son- (back then he was a lowly CFI/CFII/MEL A&P) teach me. You could call it payback. You could call it torture. If the windsock was straight out crosswind, I would suggest we come back the next day. He would say, prep the warrior. Under the hood, he directed me into every turbulent air mass he could find. I did get my PPL at 42 hours. He went on to T38s,KC135,C141,C17 and now predators in the reserves. Somehow he manages his full time job flying for Alaska. I just want to get my RV6A done so I can do what I should have done 20 years ago......