What's the reason ?

Re: Fear of heights

Originally posted by Jorgo
Hey, I’ve always been scared of heights.
However it doesn’t bother me when flying aircraft.
Upside down, very high, very fast and very low.
Strange huh? …and I’m still scared of heights.
🙁

Nothing strange about it at all mate, I’m the same and yet as a telephone engineer I found that swinging around at the top of a 32 foot telegraph pole scared the living daylights out of me

Fear of heights

Hey, I’ve always been scared of heights.
However it doesn’t bother me when flying aircraft.
Upside down, very high, very fast and very low.
Strange huh? …and I’m still scared of heights.
🙁

RobBelc,

yes am a regular at Popham – with a green / white tent 🙂

Yesterdays was a good event – lovely weather and even lovlier aircraft

Originally posted by 25L – EBBR
A bit late in replying, but only joined up yesterday and am reading through the posts. I like the forums – not too techy for me!!!

I have been a spotter since 1964 and like many others wanted to fly but was let down by eyesight and a less than fantastic academic record. Like others girls took their toll and most of the contents of my wallet, but after a divorce my then new wife suggested I do something to fulfill my wishes, even though cash was limited.

As I lived in Linclonshire close to Kirton Lindsey I had noted the gliding activity so one Saturday afternoon my missus told me to go and enquire as to cost etc – 20 minutes later I was being winched aloft and for the next 2 years spent much time learning the art of unpowered flying.

The cost of gliding is much less than for power and the thrill of being “up there” is incomparable. After soloing I had a day when I was duty pilot and towards the end of the day my instructor said to have the last flight in the K13 and land back at the hangar. Unfortunately, as I came off the winch I hit lift and spent the next 55 minutes climbing to 4000′ , flying back to the field where more lift took me back up again. An unbelievable experience which is hard to beat – me in control and it working!!!

I was 40 at the time so age need not be a factor.

I hope all who want to fly get the opportunity – I’d love to do more but financial considerations still apply – maybe one day!

25L – EBBR

You are lucky, my first wife was all in favour of me learning but we couldn’t afford it.
now my present wife keeps finding projects to make sure we can’t even though the kids have grown up,all because she hates flying and nothing I can say will change her mind

robbelc – don’t let the tubulence put you off!! Like you I hated heights and was very averse to turbulence, but you would be amazed how quickly you get used to it. In my first month flying (started in April this yr) I was tense every time I flew and could barely bring myself to look down (flying a C152 there is no wing to block the view down either!) Yet now after five months I can sit in the circuit being bounced and bumped around and it doesn’t bother me at all – when you actually have to fly the plane you forget all about the weather. Likewise the height doesn’t bother me either. One of the biggest buzzes of learning to fly has been overcoming this. So if you are ever in the air and start to feel sick, just ask the pilot if you can fly for a while!

A bit late in replying, but only joined up yesterday and am reading through the posts. I like the forums – not too techy for me!!!

I have been a spotter since 1964 and like many others wanted to fly but was let down by eyesight and a less than fantastic academic record. Like others girls took their toll and most of the contents of my wallet, but after a divorce my then new wife suggested I do something to fulfill my wishes, even though cash was limited.

As I lived in Linclonshire close to Kirton Lindsey I had noted the gliding activity so one Saturday afternoon my missus told me to go and enquire as to cost etc – 20 minutes later I was being winched aloft and for the next 2 years spent much time learning the art of unpowered flying.

The cost of gliding is much less than for power and the thrill of being “up there” is incomparable. After soloing I had a day when I was duty pilot and towards the end of the day my instructor said to have the last flight in the K13 and land back at the hangar. Unfortunately, as I came off the winch I hit lift and spent the next 55 minutes climbing to 4000′ , flying back to the field where more lift took me back up again. An unbelievable experience which is hard to beat – me in control and it working!!!

I was 40 at the time so age need not be a factor.

I hope all who want to fly get the opportunity – I’d love to do more but financial considerations still apply – maybe one day!

25L – EBBR

Thanks for that Moggy and futurshox,

In my opinion the CAP is probably the best GA aircraft yet built! It can do everything reasonably well. It is relatively fast (does about 115 kts on 7 gph or 130 kts on 10.5 gph) and has an endurance of almost 5 hours in economy cruise. It will take full fuel and two average male occupants plus a modest amount of baggage when loaded to normal category standards. However a little care is needed when planning an aerobatic flight with two up and parachutes, in which case the fuel is limited to about 1:40 as not to exeed the aerobatic category loads.

As an aerobatic aircraft, it is reasonably capable. I think you would have to be a professional aerobatic ace to use everything the aircraft has to offer. Even with my modest aerobatic capabilities I´ve managed reasonable standings in the aircraft in the intermediate category.

It is also the perfect aircraft for the sunday flight around the circut, with light, responsive and perfectly harmonized controls coupled with unparallel visibility.

The downsides of the aircraft are mainly a weak gear arrangement that can easily damage the wing in the hands of ham-firsted pilots during heavy landings. It is also very slippery, and will build up speed at an alarming rate when the nose is pointed at the ground. This has caused some accidents when inexperienced aerobatic pilots have overstressed it during high speed pullouts.

This is, I think, the perfect aircraft for most private owners, but not really suited as club hacks or flight school machines.

Regards,
Galdri

This will confuse you all! I have been a spotter for about 25 years I love all aircraft,but mostly civil ones. BUT I actually hate flying! I am ok once I get in the air as long as there is no turblence and its straight and level. I have flown in everything from a 747 to An2,Mil 17, to a Tiger Moth!Yet I still don’t really like it. I am also really scared of heights:rolleyes: .

By the way had a lovely Sunday at my summer home of Popham. About 80 visitors Puss Moth,DH60 moth,Stearman, lots of vintage Cessnas, and visitors from Ireland,Holland,France and Sweden but no Icelandic CAP’s:( . Any Popham regulars on here?

Cool registration, too!

Oooooooooooh

That’s a pretty aircraft 🙂

Moggy

I don´t know why this forum is not as active as the others. I always take a look but seldom contribute :confused:

Here is picture of my CAP 10 taken last september during a Fly-In at Vestmanneyjar (Westman Island) of the south coast of Iceland.

I check this forum frequently. I too am not a pilot but I am fortunate enough to get quite a bit of flying on a regular basis in aircaft such as Extra 300, Jodel D18 and Piper Arrow as well as a couple of others.
I would like to do my PPL but as with others I just can’t see that happening yet.

Neal

Originally posted by Moggy C
Mike,

I’m not unsympathetic.

I’ve been there, done that and borrowed the t-shirt cos I couldn’t afford to buy one.

I’m really just trying to act as the voice of your conscience.

In all truth I could probably have started flying a few years before I did. But you get into an “I can’t possibly afford it” mindset.

Just keep checking that your slight disposable income, and the cost of a few flying lessons don’t cross at some point without you noticing it.

You are a long time dead.

Moggy

It’s ok Moggy, I knew you were’t being unsympathetic.

I do, as you say, keep checking the small amount of disposable income. There is just one problem though, as soon as it starts to look promising the other half comes up with another project around the house or says “we can’t afford that”…..well she always says that she’d get more sense out of me if she turned herself into an aircraft(how true, and se wouldn’t answer back either

Originally posted by mike currill
sorry, forgot to finish what I was saying.
If I started learning I could not bear to give it up without going through with it

Mike,

I’m not unsympathetic.

I’ve been there, done that and borrowed the t-shirt cos I couldn’t afford to buy one.

I’m really just trying to act as the voice of your conscience.

In all truth I could probably have started flying a few years before I did. But you get into an “I can’t possibly afford it” mindset.

Just keep checking that your slight disposable income, and the cost of a few flying lessons don’t cross at some point without you noticing it.

You are a long time dead.

Moggy

Roger, it looks like the pilot in your picture is taking full advantage of the GA Air Conditioner. 😀

sorry, forgot to finish what I was saying.
If I started learning I could not bear to give it up without going through with it

MOggy I agree that if you want something enough you can do it.
This presupposes sufficient income to leave a pretty large surplus after the bills are paid without working overtime.
In my job I’m either at work or asleep so I don’t have the time.
If you’re married with a house, garden and car to keep then the surplus tomgo flyinug on is just not there

Moggy, I totally hear what you are saying, but right now I have reasons. I’ll PM you.

Mike, Jo,

I know that feeling.

I was a spotter from the age of about 10 with an ambition to fly Haker Hunters and Lightnings for the RAF.

My eyesight thwarted the career ambition, girls distracted me away from the real things in life for quite a while. I knew I wanted to fly, I had no idea how.

But if you want something bad enough, you can do it. Really.

Even here in the UK with flight training costs far higher than in the US almost anyone could afford enough lessons, spread out over time, to at least do a first solo.

This normally falls between 10 and 20 hours training. I spread it out over about six months. Say 200 quid each month at today’s prices. You could even put it on a low interest credit card and pay it off over two years say 70 quid per month.

Even if you stop then you can still proudly say “I’ve been a pilot”

Really, really want it and it can be yours. Don’t just give up and say “I’ll never be able…”

Best wishes,

Moggy. Pilot 🙂

I’ll have a contribution in a few days… Picture post of aircraft from Fairoaks. 🙂