Any of you guy's ever think about hanging up this flying thing?

[Joe Larussa]

I've been flying for over 22 years. Probably no where near as much as some of you I'm sure. Lately I'm thinking maybe I'm done with this.

If you think about all the things required to stay in the game, it makes your mind spin. Regular maintenance, fixing crap that breaks, as well as stuff previous mechanics didn't do correctly, annuals, IFR certs, keeping proficient, keeping up on your approaches, medical stuff, insurance, keeping Nav data current as well as your electronic charts and apps. I'm sure there's more that I'm not thinking of. Ah yeah, and it's expensive! Lol  Flying can be fun and challenging and that's what I've always enjoyed about it. Just doing some soul searching. Thanks for your time.

[midlifeflyer]

I think about it as something in my future. Otherwise, I enjoy it too much to even think about stopping. If I didn't enjoy it, I would stop.

[toto]

In my weaker moments, especially after major unexpected aviation expenses, I daydream about going experimental.

 

[Yetti]

there are times when it seems like alot.    Then I go fly and get that little yipee on take off and it makes it worth while.

[eman1200]

No.

[Mooneymite]

53 minutes ago, Joe Larussa said:

I've been flying for over 22 years. Probably no where near as much as some of you I'm sure. Lately I'm thinking maybe I'm done with this.

 Just doing some soul searching.

Every time my insurance comes up for renewal.

It's in May.

Want to buy a couple of airplanes?

[201er]

53 minutes ago, Joe Larussa said:

If you think about all the things required to stay in the game, it makes your mind spin. Regular maintenance, fixing crap that breaks, as well as stuff previous mechanics didn't do correctly, annuals, IFR certs, keeping proficient, keeping up on your approaches, medical stuff, insurance, keeping Nav data current as well as your electronic charts and apps. I'm sure there's more that I'm not thinking of. Ah yeah, and it's expensive!

I think all those problems are dwarfed by losing friends to aviation tragedies or screw ups. Making mistakes is probably the thing that bring me closer to those thoughts than the cost/effort.

[MooneyMitch]

"Any of you guy's ever think about hanging up this flying thing?"

 

Short answer, yes! 

Longer answer..................I have!  Not giving up flying per se, but owning and maintaining my own aircraft. After nearly 50 years of such [on and off], I'm done............I think, for now anyway...........LOL.  I cannot predict the future.................

Incredible memories for me with my flying for fun career.  I would not trade all that for anything.  I love perusing my log books, beginning in 1973.  I'd mostly make side notes about each individual flight.  That makes for lots of special reflections of my life.

The huge responsibility of doing my own maintenance/care of the airplanes [under the guidance/supervision of an FAA certified inspector], I'm happy to be done with that task.  It's been most gratifying!  I've got some other fun machines I own/maintain, so I'm certainly not sitting in the house each day watching Days of Our Lives.    

In addition, during my flights, I'd find myself doing little things that made me think that I was possibly getting a little behind the curve.............maybe age related.........hmmm.  I've had senior aviator friends that honestly made me think and say to myself ...............man, this fellow should probably consider not flying as PIC anymore.  I have never, ever wanted to be labeled as one of those.

I think of my friend, Captain Harry Moyer who just turned 101 1/2 years young.  Harry very recently passed his beloved Mooney on to his son.  Harry knew when to quit [100 years of age and made it into Guinness as the oldest solo pilot in the world!.............amazing!!}

So, for now, kaput!  We'll see....................

[kortopates]

Hell no! 42 years now, over 20 in my current Mooney. The accident statistics scare me away from considering experimental even though I have a uncompleted Lancair. Loss of a couple friends at no fault of the plane stole my enthusiasm for completing it, and long since I bought a more capable certified aircraft. Plus i have the credentials to do my own work and enjoy doing it - not just as much as flying for sure. But love the Mooney, and love traveling with my instrument rated wife in it!

[carusoam]

Joe,

Are you OK?

You know we have a thread like this already…

See if you can find it…

There is a time to hang up your spurs… but by then… you have more challenging things to take care of…

Hope all is well…

Best regards,

-a-

[Bartman]

Before March 12th 2020 we flew often, more than enough to remain current and enough to justify ownership. Since then we have done several 4-6 hour trips but have not done our usual mission which was KILM, KDTS or really wherever the sun was shining on my 7on 7off schedule. My work has become increasingly invasive on my time and I have mentioned selling and joining the local flying club several times, but my wife keeps telling me we would regret selling. 

I am blessed. 

[A64Pilot]

No,

     Once I age out I’ll do what some of the older guys in my neighborhood have done. Go LSA, self insure. Quit IFR and long trips, don’t do them now anyway

Actually to be perfectly honest I’m having a hard time Justifying the Mooney, a small flying boat like a Searay and a tail dragger look to be more fun and applicable to the flying that I do, but giving up, flying? No. Changing what and how I fly, yes.

There are two types in my neighborhood as they age one type keeps the Bonanza but doesn’t fly it at all anymore, it just sits in the hangar, the other type usually sells the Bonanza and buys an LSA or two.

‘I don’t know what class a Searay is, but they are getting very popular around here and as the area is full of lakes and in Florida it seems you can land on any lake I can see the attraction.

Edited April 29, 2022 by A64Pilot

[Ragsf15e]

Sometimes, but what else are you gonna do with your time and money?  It takes a lot of both, but I can’t think of what I’d do with them that would give me as much satisfaction.

[toto]

11 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

I don’t know what class a Searay is, but they are getting very popular around here and as the area is full of lakes and in Florida it seems you can land on any lake I can see the attraction.

Every SeaRey is an LSA. You can buy them as a kit or as a factory-built. 

I have a little SeaRey time - they’re a hoot to fly. I’ve often considered getting one, if I could shoehorn it into the back of the hangar. They do have a folding-wings kit that might make it easier to do. One of these days..

[Raptor05121]

3 hours ago, Joe Larussa said:

I've been flying for over 22 years. Probably no where near as much as some of you I'm sure. Lately I'm thinking maybe I'm done with this.

If you think about all the things required to stay in the game, it makes your mind spin. Regular maintenance, fixing crap that breaks, as well as stuff previous mechanics didn't do correctly, annuals, IFR certs, keeping proficient, keeping up on your approaches, medical stuff, insurance, keeping Nav data current as well as your electronic charts and apps. I'm sure there's more that I'm not thinking of. Ah yeah, and it's expensive! Lol  Flying can be fun and challenging and that's what I've always enjoyed about it. Just doing some soul searching. Thanks for your time.

Not getting out of flying but getting out of owning sure is in my mind a lot for all the reasons you listed. Work makes it easy to deal with most of those but having two sides to flying is almost harder

Edited April 29, 2022 by Raptor05121

[0TreeLemur]

As long as I'm healthy enough to earn a medical, I plan to keep it up.  I quit flying because of family/setting/busy for 15 years and didn't really miss it.   Now that my kids are out of the house, I have a better job, and live in a place where it is easier to fly (not Wyoming), I am loving owning/maintaining/flying our M20C.  It is my passion.  If it ever stops being my passion- I'll find another.

If it creates financial stress, that is a big negative.  Luckily I can afford to own/operate the least expensive Mooney of the M20 series, the "lowly" C. 

 

[Joe Larussa]

I guess I'm having a hard time with is this still fun. Plenty of frustrations with minor mechanical issues. I do a lot

of my own maintenance with my A&P which I enjoy. My home field has a ton of training going on. I call them " the touch and goers".

Every time I come back from flying it's almost impossible to feed back into the pattern. It's like three 172's park themselves in

the pattern for three hours at a time. By the time I land I'm frazzled from trying not to have a mid-air. Not complaining, I feel

very fortunate to have these problems. I have a wonderful bird that I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into and wonder if

in today's crazy market, is now the time to retire.    

[Yetti]

And then there was that year I got on a spark plug reduction program.   Several four wheelers went away and other engine devices went away.

[Sabremech]

4 hours ago, Joe Larussa said:

I've been flying for over 22 years. Probably no where near as much as some of you I'm sure. Lately I'm thinking maybe I'm done with this.

If you think about all the things required to stay in the game, it makes your mind spin. Regular maintenance, fixing crap that breaks, as well as stuff previous mechanics didn't do correctly, annuals, IFR certs, keeping proficient, keeping up on your approaches, medical stuff, insurance, keeping Nav data current as well as your electronic charts and apps. I'm sure there's more that I'm not thinking of. Ah yeah, and it's expensive! Lol  Flying can be fun and challenging and that's what I've always enjoyed about it. Just doing some soul searching. Thanks for your time.

I did exactly this when I sold my C model to Hammdo. I’m still heavily involved in aviation but now have little interest in flying anymore. I don’t have the mental want to anymore and the cost just reinforces it for me. Not looking back and enjoying other things in life.

David

[carusoam]

2 hours ago, Bartman said:

. 

I am blessed. 

Favorite MS quote of the day….!

 

-a-

[A64Pilot]

12 hours ago, nosky2high said:

I’ll never quit flying. However I’m predicting that insurance (already happening) and further government overreach will make certified GA pilot/owners performing IFR cross country missions out of reach for those of us in the normal pay scales.  

Ozark?

I used to live in Ozark, in 2002 to 03. 

I tell people stories about Ozark no one believes, like no one locks their houses, UPS man if it’s raining and your not home comes in and leaves the packages on the kitchen table etc. I even had the Walmart manager offer their refrigerators hearing the Army hadn’t delivered ours yet, he told me to just come in the back door and put my stuff in one of the fridges they had, they were open 24 hours so anytime I wanted to was fine.

On answering noise complaints from Army helicopters, Mayor was quoted as saying “sounds like money to me”

I really like Ozark

Just don’t take their seat in church  

Edited April 29, 2022 by A64Pilot

[Fly Boomer]

24 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

Just don’t take their seat in church

Made me laugh.

[Hank]

29 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

Just don’t take their seat in church  

That's small towns all over the South!

I live almost a Mooney hour north of Enterprise Municipal right next to Ozark.

[Fly Boomer]

1 minute ago, Hank said:

That's small towns all over the South!

It's not just the South -- BTDT in Kansas City.

[A64Pilot]

35 minutes ago, Hank said:

That's small towns all over the South!

I live almost a Mooney hour north of Enterprise Municipal right next to Ozark.

Trust me, if you head South from there before long your going North again. It’s different in Central Fl and REALLY different in S Fl.