Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Realize What Is Happening Three Feet From You!
Why so much ignorance when it comes to aviation? I woke up this morning in such a bad mood...I have the local NPR affiliate set on my alarm clock radio next to my bed. Waking up with the news...
Well, they announced proudly that Lakeland Linder Field would be home to a new set of solar panels that will power several thousand homes near the airport. That's great news, I agree.
But not even a mention to what started today at the same airfield. Not once. Nothing about a fly-in or trade show or airshow going on at Lakeland Linder Field today...did NPR conveniently forget about Sun-N-Fun?
Why would the second largest airshow of it's kind on the planet get little coverage from the media? Well, then again, this is NPR we are talking about. Extreme environmentalist people who are all about green (which is not a bad thing, not by a longshot) try to quell the hype of all the revenue that this airshow will bring to Central Florida, all the business that it brings from all over the world, and believe that airplanes are toys for the rich who deserve to give up what they earned and give it to the poorer, even if they work less to make money.
I have been an avid listener to NPR. It's nothing like the starkness of commercial talk radio, or the repetitiveness of music radio. I listen to NPR because it's different from everything else. But to quash the advancement of an industry to push an agenda is not right.
The many people who put their lives into aviation must be given their due respect and thanks for what they do. The flight instructor doesn't make much, but flies happily knowing he is contributing to the collective safety record aviation prides itself in. The airline pilot has had a lot taken away from him, but continues to fly, continues to be away from his family, all the while, making flying safe. The lineman at the FBO gives his all in every type of weather to do his job faithfully, while keeping his eye on the prize: his wings as a pilot.
Those that give their all and fight for aviation deserve respect. If flying was as routine as driving, everyone would have an airplane and everyone would be a pilot. But such is not the case...it takes a special person to fly. It's an art that can be learned.
To all my flying brethren, blue skies, and enjoy Sun-N-Fun!
-GDN
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Little on Me...
I like to consider myself as having been in aviation all my life. Why? For as long as I can remember, I have been around airports and airplanes. My dad used to fly before I was born, and the gene went into me as well. I love flying, and I enjoy sharing my love for flight with others.
My official entry into aviation began when I was in my senior year of high school. I began flight training then. I wasn't one of those kids that mowed the lawn at the FBO in exchange for flight time (there weren't any lawns on the south side of Santa Monica Airport, where I started my training). I couldn't work as a lineman (California labor laws made it very difficult for me to do this, as I was still a minor then). My parents funded my flying.
After high school, the entire family moved to Florida. There, I resumed my flying temporarily until the first round of hurricanes blew through, and messed everything up for me. But that did not dampen my love and fire for aviation.
In 2005, I began attending Everglades University in Boca Raton. It was my brightest and darkest period, as I was learning so much about flying...at the same time, my faith wavered. At the end of 2005, I began paperwork to transfer to Embry-Riddle's extended campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In 2006, I fulfilled the dream I had in middle school...attending Embry-Riddle. That is where reality set in. Before, I thought my life would only involve lift coefficients, fuel flow, flight planning, and regulation. I took on a greater view of aviation...not just the pilot perspective. Management principles, labor relations, budgets and accounting, among other things...things I never thought would pertain to me.
After stopping my flight training, I have only flown twice. Once in December 2008, and again last month.
It has been an unending fight to the finish for me. I will continue to fight this good fight to fly. And I will share my chronicles here on this blog.
Many career-oriented young people who go to the big schools for aviation have it easy, willing to take on hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to fly professionally. Yes, it's a fast-track, but what they lack is an appreciation for flying. I remember reading an article mentioning a student at a large flight academy here in Florida had difficulty recognizing a Cessna 172 from a 182 (hard to believe this same person was training to fly for a regional carrier). That's what I'm talking about. This student mentioned in this article is so intent on flying for the airlines, he or she has no regard or care for general aviation.
The pilot population is decreasing. There are many factors causing this, and this is one of them. This student probably has his or her CFI rating, but only uses it to build time, rather than teach effectively. Quality of training has decreased, especially now in the economic downfall, where flight schools are struggling to stay aloft. Cost, however, is the big gorilla in the room. The cost to rent an airplane has gone up exponentially. The cost of aircraft maintenance and fuel has risen, but not to the extent that would justify such a stark increase in the cost of rental or instruction.
But, enough of my pandering for now. Please join me in my journey in flight. Next week, my first trip to the Sun-N-Fun Fly-In! I'm really excited about going, so expect a full digest of next week Saturday's occurrences and photos that will be up both here, as well as on my Facebook page.
Blue Skies!
My official entry into aviation began when I was in my senior year of high school. I began flight training then. I wasn't one of those kids that mowed the lawn at the FBO in exchange for flight time (there weren't any lawns on the south side of Santa Monica Airport, where I started my training). I couldn't work as a lineman (California labor laws made it very difficult for me to do this, as I was still a minor then). My parents funded my flying.
After high school, the entire family moved to Florida. There, I resumed my flying temporarily until the first round of hurricanes blew through, and messed everything up for me. But that did not dampen my love and fire for aviation.
In 2005, I began attending Everglades University in Boca Raton. It was my brightest and darkest period, as I was learning so much about flying...at the same time, my faith wavered. At the end of 2005, I began paperwork to transfer to Embry-Riddle's extended campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In 2006, I fulfilled the dream I had in middle school...attending Embry-Riddle. That is where reality set in. Before, I thought my life would only involve lift coefficients, fuel flow, flight planning, and regulation. I took on a greater view of aviation...not just the pilot perspective. Management principles, labor relations, budgets and accounting, among other things...things I never thought would pertain to me.
After stopping my flight training, I have only flown twice. Once in December 2008, and again last month.
It has been an unending fight to the finish for me. I will continue to fight this good fight to fly. And I will share my chronicles here on this blog.
Many career-oriented young people who go to the big schools for aviation have it easy, willing to take on hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to fly professionally. Yes, it's a fast-track, but what they lack is an appreciation for flying. I remember reading an article mentioning a student at a large flight academy here in Florida had difficulty recognizing a Cessna 172 from a 182 (hard to believe this same person was training to fly for a regional carrier). That's what I'm talking about. This student mentioned in this article is so intent on flying for the airlines, he or she has no regard or care for general aviation.
The pilot population is decreasing. There are many factors causing this, and this is one of them. This student probably has his or her CFI rating, but only uses it to build time, rather than teach effectively. Quality of training has decreased, especially now in the economic downfall, where flight schools are struggling to stay aloft. Cost, however, is the big gorilla in the room. The cost to rent an airplane has gone up exponentially. The cost of aircraft maintenance and fuel has risen, but not to the extent that would justify such a stark increase in the cost of rental or instruction.
But, enough of my pandering for now. Please join me in my journey in flight. Next week, my first trip to the Sun-N-Fun Fly-In! I'm really excited about going, so expect a full digest of next week Saturday's occurrences and photos that will be up both here, as well as on my Facebook page.
Blue Skies!
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