You know you're getting old when....
...you remember that your student pilot certificate was just that, a large yellow certificate that would fit into a picture frame.
...you occasionally dig out your old FCC Radio Telephone permit and wonder why they were ever required? When you look at it now you notice that you don't have the same appearing signature?
...you fondly remember that the Champ you soloed in had a 7 transmit crystal radio, a flip-flop Omni receiver, and a coffee grinder "whistle" tuner Narco Super Homer with 27 tubes total. It also received the marker beacon signals if you pulled the volume knob out a click. You also noticed that if you pushed the transmit button at night, maybe those position lights did dim? The receiving frequency would also drift as the radio warmed up. You knew if the radio failed because the AC hum would disappear.
...you remember that only 5 years earlier, the Private Pilot written was only a 20 question written test and the flight test consisted of the examiner remaining on the ground watching you do a spin entry and recovery.
...you never got to practice using the low frequency receiver in the Tri-Pacer because the last low frequency radio range was too far away, but you always wanted to at least try using the dit da...da dit....hummmmm method of navigation.
...you could rent a Cessna 140 for $9 per hour wet, and aviation 80 sold for 42 cent a gallon.
...an aircraft check-out usually consisted of a couple of touch & goes. A tail dragger check-out required at least 5 touch and goes if you never flew one before. (I soloed in a 7FC Tri-Champ and did the 5 touch and goes to transition into the 7EC)
...you remember the cheap Air-O-Ear Japanese made Nav-Com that attempted to compete with the SuperHomer and OmniGator.
....you remember when anyone could walk into a GADO (FSDO) at anytime to take a written test for free.
...you remember that the only requirement for landing at a controlled field was to give them call 5 miles out. Every controlled airport in the country monitored a basic frequency. You would listen on the published frequency.
...you remember when there was no such thing as Terminal Information...the tower controller had to repeat the information to all new arrivals.
...you remember when only the military had transponders.
...you remember when your CFI was right there on your Commercial and you didn't have to get it renewed every couple of years.
...you remember taking your instrument check ride using basic instruments, with the gyros covered, and only one VOR receiver! (I wonder if anybody still does that?)
...you remember when Sectionals cost 35 cents and were printed on only one side.
...and finally, you remember renting a military aero club T-34 for $8 wet. Of course your basic military pay was only $235 a month before taxes, so it was all relative.
