2021 Aviation Goals

[skydvrboy]

I really appreciated last year's thread started by @Seth, so I thought I'd start on for 2021.  It made me pause, assess where I was in my aviation journey and where I wanted to take it.  In hindsight, I accomplished exactly ZERO of my stated 2020 aviation goals, but I still think it was/is a good exercise.  My 2021 goals will remain much the same as last year, and I still had some accomplishments even if they weren't stated goals.

So with that said, what are your 2021 aviation goals and your 2020 accomplishments.

2021 Goals:
Take a family vacation in the plane
Finally get that instrument rating
Fly another 100 hours
Set a new trip distance record
Obtain formation wingman card

2020 Accomplishments:
Completed first owner assisted annual
First business use of airplane (started a new business)
Another year flying with no bent metal

Edited January 2, 2021 by skydvrboy

[0TreeLemur]

Once this stupid virus situation is under control, we plan a big loop to visit family, friends and new acquaintances.   From Alabama to Colorado, Washington State, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas and back.  Hopefully in Sept.

[tmo]

IR. Flying somewhere nice. The Summit.

[ohdub]

I plan to get my commercial license this year and I look forward to getting back to traveling places. My wife and I are looking forward visiting friends/family in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa and NYC, as well as going to Oshkosh, attending another Mooney Summit and going a few other places that are on our list.

[gsxrpilot]

2020 wasn't as bad as it could have been. I'm thankful for the flying I was able to do.

2020 Accomplishments

• Commercial Pilot
• Tailwheel endorsement
• Another 100+ hour year

2021 Goals

• Get N252AD back from SWTA as an Encore with a fresh engine.
• Fly to Mexico
• Fly to Alaska
• Get the CFI done
• Build tailwheel hours
• Find a partnership in a tailwheel airplane

[Andy95W]

I just want to go to OSH for Airventure.

[Sabremech]

My goal is to finish and get the new carbon cowling certified. I sold my Mooney to Hammdo and he’s enjoying it and keeping me up to date on how it’s flying. 
David

[Skates97]

I finally updated the panel with GPS in the fall and passed my IFR written in December 2020. I will complete my instrument rating this year. 

7 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

Once this stupid virus situation is under control, we plan a big loop to visit family, friends and new acquaintances.   From Alabama to Colorado, Washington State, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas and back.  Hopefully in Sept.

If you are anywhere near Southern California I'd be happy to meet up for lunch somewhere. 

[0TreeLemur]

55 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I finally updated the panel with GPS in the fall and passed my IFR written in December 2020. I will complete my instrument rating this year. 

If you are anywhere near Southern California I'd be happy to meet up for lunch somewhere. 

Thanks Rich.   Hope that happens!

-Fred

[Immelman]

I'd like to finish -- or get close to finishing -- my goal of landing at all public airports in California. I figure I've already done more than half (and most of the fun ones, but a few cool ones remain), why not collect them all?

4 trips ought to do it, but there is a seasonal element to it. We'll see how it works out with this covid situation for this winter.

138 down, 110 to go....maybe more than 4 trips.

Edited January 3, 2021 by Immelman

[Seth]

Thank you! I actually did start a 2021 aviation goals thread but a few days early. I’ll bump that one However keep rolling with this one! It’s all good.

-Seth

Edited January 3, 2021 by Seth

[amillet]

On 1/2/2021 at 6:47 PM, Immelman said:

I'd like to finish -- or get close to finishing -- my goal of landing at all public airports in California. I figure I've already done more than half (and most of the fun ones, but a few cool ones remain), why not collect them all?

4 trips ought to do it, but there is a seasonal element to it. We'll see how it works out with this covid situation for this winter.

138 down, 110 to go....maybe more than 4 trips.

Your post inspired me to review my log books.  Since I got my PPL in 1989 I have landed at 59 different Washington airports.  Looking at the charts it appears there are only about 12 that I haven’t yet landed at (public use, paved, >2500) most on the far (eastern) side of the state.

Also landed at 122 different airports in other states and British Columbia 

 

[Ross Statham]

So glad you posted this topic!  I have a few of these myself:

• Fly the northwestern states with a pilot buddy over a week, preferably this Summer, and finish up my having flown all 48.
• Trip with a bud to Key West.  That’s SOUTH Florida.
• Week long trip with my darling bride at a destination of her choosing.
• Day to “First Flight” (Kitty Hawk) with a couple of EAA pilot friends, perhaps as a group, probably this Fall

[rbridges]

To get everyone on Mooneyspace to donate to my panel's GoFundMe page. 

[David Lloyd]

Thought for sure I put a few things on this list.  I did have some goals this year:

Maintain instrument currency.  Check.

Maintain night currency. Check.

SureFly SIM.  Check.

Mooney Service Center annual.  Check (AGL).

Panel update. Check (dual 275s).

Keep everything working. Check.  Did have the autopilot quit and have it repaired.

Don't bend any metal.  Check.

Got a hangar.  Yeah!

Lost 25 pounds.

Go flying with Jackie, the 65 pound Lab mix.  Check (and she did pretty good on a 6 hour trip to and from KY).

There were a few items that did not work out for 2021.

Add color to more states on the map.  Plans fell thru for a northeast tour to include MA, NH, ME, RI and DE.  Will do in the spring 2022.

Trip out west to see Penny's brother.  Time constraints had us on the airlines.  2022 will get another trip, this time by Mooney.

2022 will also see a prop and governor overhaul.  Maybe paint.

Autopilot still won't capture the GS.  Sometimes has become never.  Trip to the shop maybe in January.

Loose another 10 pounds.

 

[Skates97]

On 1/2/2021 at 5:29 PM, Skates97 said:

I finally updated the panel with GPS in the fall and passed my IFR written in December 2020. I will complete my instrument rating this year. 

Checkride 9/29/2021 - Completed 

[Raptor05121]

2020 Accomplishments:
Successfully maintained a flying job through COVID (172 survey). Achieved 1200hours
Bought a house in FL. Left the next day and moved to Maine for work
Got hired by 135 cargo flying a kerosene burner. Flew ~300 hours in some crappy NE icy nights while toting 40lb Jepp charts. Achieved 1500 hours
Ferried an Aztec from ME-FL-ME and finished my 25 MEL hours for 121 mins
Got hired by 121 airlines flying something new and fancy. No longer toting 40lb Jepp charts
Finally got the Mooney back into a hangar after 3 years on a waitlist.

2021 Goals:
ATP & Type Rating (next week)
Go after my CFI
Fly the Mooney more and start putting more money back into it
Start to relax and actually enjoy life, travel more

Edited December 27, 2021 by Raptor05121

[Andy95W]

Good luck on your checkride, Alex.

[The Other Red Baron]

On 12/27/2021 at 8:48 AM, Raptor05121 said:

2020 Accomplishments:
Successfully maintained a flying job through COVID (172 survey). Achieved 1200hours
Bought a house in FL. Left the next day and moved to Maine for work
Got hired by 135 cargo flying a kerosene burner. Flew ~300 hours in some crappy NE icy nights while toting 40lb Jepp charts. Achieved 1500 hours
Ferried an Aztec from ME-FL-ME and finished my 25 MEL hours for 121 mins
Got hired by 121 airlines flying something new and fancy. No longer toting 40lb Jepp charts
Finally got the Mooney back into a hangar after 3 years on a waitlist.

2021 Goals:
ATP & Type Rating (next week)
Go after my CFI
Fly the Mooney more and start putting more money back into it
Start to relax and actually enjoy life, travel more

Seeing someone go 121 without CFI gives me hope.  My #1 goal for 2022 is pass the commercial checkride.

[Raptor05121]

On 1/4/2022 at 5:03 PM, The Other Red Baron said:

Seeing someone go 121 without CFI gives me hope.  My #1 goal for 2022 is pass the commercial checkride.

Its 100% doable and while CFI is great because it gives you that nerdy book knowledge, a lot of people scraping by the 1500hr rule have done so because they have like 1,000 dual given, so they only have 500 actual hours flying a plane. Hell I just took my oral checkride yesterday and my examiner said: "i dont see any college transcripts or a CFI ticket on file, thank god. you probably actually know how to fly a plane"

Survey is a GREAT way to build hours. We were doing anywhere from 80-150hrs a month in 172s with a company credit card in our back pocket and almost free reign on where we went. My task before I left was to map the entirety of South Carolina. I spent 3 months jumping from college towns making friends and having fun every night with people my age and then getting paid to wake up and go fly and do it all over again in another city the next night.

[hammdo]

Met all of my 2021 goals 

100 hours

Dual G5s

Update avionics 

Start IFR training 

Easy First Annual

2022

Find a new CFII (again!) and get the IFR!

TruTrak (damn it!)

100 hrs

And fly longer trips…

-Don

[RoundTwo]

2022 Goal…

Get my butt back in the left seat after a 30 year hiatus. Unfortunately, the recent meteoric rise in prices will most likely have me handling over my credit card to the FBO each time I want to fly.

R2