Bi Decade Flight Review.....

I don't know if I am alone on this subject, But, I started off in the 80s with getting my PPL, went through 80% of my instrument training and then had to stop...I had a family, I gave up flying to raise my family. Today, I went up with my CFI in the eastern sierras, KMEV for the BFR. I have been studying for months, all the FARs, FAA Wings programs, and technology changes that have occurred in the last 22 years. My CFI started in the 80s also and was impressed with my knowledge of taking out the sectional chart and using that. Flying again for me was like riding a bike, amazing and very exciting like my first solo, but it just felt natural. He signed off on the BFR and was satisfied with the flying aspect of all the required Checks. I will go up with him a few more times just to make sure I am totally up to date and safe. Just thought I would share ;-)

Congrats, Bret! Your story is mine, too. I'm returning to flight after licensing in the 80's followed by a long break to raise my family.

Best wishes on both your build and your return to flight!

--
Stephen

p.s. your build site looks great; if your project's as nice, it'll win awards.

Y'know, as a working pilot, we get really burned-out easily. During the spray season, it's fly...load....fly...load...all day long and man, does it get old! On weekends, we tend to stay as far from the airport as we can...until I got my RV It really made the weekends and holiday days so much fun again!

Now, we look for fly out destinations and "Where can we go today?" trips.

The RV's put the fun factor back into flying!

Congrats, guys,

Impress your CFI on your next flight, just call it a FR, they did away with the term BFR a few years ago. Trivia you probably just didn't care about!

Todays biggest lessons were starting a FI engine, fired right up, and flying with a CS prop. I was on the fence with this decision of FP-CS prop delema until I flew one today. My home field is 4700 ft. and putting this thing pointing up and still flying has enlightened me. I can not describe how excited I am about flying again after 22 years, So if you can remember your first solo, this is how I feel today!

Congrats!

Same boat jsut haven't done the BFR/FR! Probably later this year (along with a medical of course!

Bob

Interesting... where pilots start, pause and start again. A dream for me not realized until I was 49! Better late than never...bought a nice cherokee, my son Ben and I learned flying together...10 years ago this month I soloed! Doesn't time fly...like us! Now flying RV-4 and Ben building an 8. Don't you just love the RV's! David flying N22755 Now 59 yrs young

FR with C/S

Bret,
congratulations!!
You are likely more up to date, with all your recent studies, than many of us old flyer's.

With your home field at 4700 alt I am sure you will appreciate your C/S in the summer. I fly your state from top to bottom 3 to 4 times a year and I love my C/S at your higher and summer hot airstrips.

My compliments to you for taking your entering back to flying with a safety conscious attitude. You have my respect. Good job.

Bret, I'm in the same situation. Stopped flying when my son was born, now he is graduating from college this year. I turned 50 this weekend and I'm ready to start thinking about being a pilot again. Got a motivational flight a couple of weekends ago in an RV and still have a big smile on my face just thinking about getting my project completed and flying. I'm hoping the riding a bike analogy works for me. Playing with the flight simulator on the computer is fun, but not like the real deal. Time to find an instructor around here and get my own FR completed.

bruceh said:

Bret, I'm in the same situation. Stopped flying when my son was born, now he is graduating from college this year. I turned 50 this weekend and I'm ready to start thinking about being a pilot again. Got a motivational flight a couple of weekends ago in an RV and still have a big smile on my face just thinking about getting my project completed and flying. I'm hoping the riding a bike analogy works for me. Playing with the flight simulator on the computer is fun, but not like the real deal. Time to find an instructor around here and get my own FR completed.

Click to expand...

WOW, small neiborhood, I lived in Ramona on La Brea in the late 90s

Same situation

I'm hoping to return to flying this year. Building and family have put it on hold since 2003(not in that order). I've really really been itching to get back in the left seat lately.

Similar story

I started building my RV9A in 2006. My flying had stopped in 1983. Just a couple of years off. I worked on my plane for three years, before I started flying again in 2009. At that point I only had 82.3 VFR hours. Three years later, my plane is still a project, but I am up to 150 hours flying a Gobosh and Remos at the local flying club.

When I went back for lessons, my CFI went up with me for a total of 4 hours before signing me off on the FR. After that I spent another 15 before taking passengers up. Seems like a very common story. I have talked with lots of guys who got their license early in life who had to a take a large chunk of time off. It just gets to expensive when you are in your 20's and 30's.

My flying started at the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at El Toro, I was finishing up my active duty tour when I started. the Base had an aero club, and at the time, a 152 WET rental rate was 28.00 Hr. I was use to landing on 250 ft wide runways @ NZJ. During my check ride My CFI has me land, (20 minutes in the air after 22 years of no fly) at M45 alpine co. a sloped mountain terrain 50 ft field. I think he was testing me. a little intimidated at first but kept the rubber side down. went on with engine out procedures, slow flight, ect.

Bret,Steve,Bruce and Pete,

I was in the same boat. Something like 23 years to finish license. Family,kids,college,
grand kids, divorce, etc.

I did it.

Got the license, building and remarried. Keep it
up and you WILL be there. Just keep pressing on.

I still fly old school with a map. Got to love it. New passengers
love to look and observe. It keeps them sane too.

Last flight before I had my plane was with a CFI in a Diamond 20.
I told him I liked the airplane because of the tip up canopy,center console,
low wings and I need transition training for the RV that I was building
and he thought that was cool. Although SLOWER.

Had a handheld GPS with suction cup that I use now. Lowrance 2000C
and he was impressed with that and my chart. All I used was the radio
and transponder. Go figure.

Went out and did spins and he got a kick out of that and said
that no students would EVER ask to go do spins for the fun
of it.


KEEP Buildin ON--You won't regret it.