Who else flies something?

[Neal Clayton]

I retired in 2010, for the last 10 years before retirement I flew one of Dassault's finest pretty much all over the planet.

For the life of me I can't figure out why Gulfstream is so synonymous with high end private aviation, whereas by the numbers the Falcon 50 (and its newer variants) looks to be a superior airplane in terms of cabin dimensions, comparable speed, and can still go from NY to London non-stop for a much more fair price.

[Kevin Bourque]

Been flying for 20 years, mostly SEL. I pretty much stay within 200 miles. I really just like joyriding.

[Phil Thien]

My neighbor flies jets for a large corporation based in Milwaukee. I find the work pretty fascinating.

[Jim Andrew]

When I was young, thought that crop dusters were cool. Fortunately, I avoided getting into it. A buddy in college found a great deal on a Cessna, a few years after we graduated, he flew one way to Florida, went and bought the Cessna, and after he took off, found out why it was cheap. Managed to put it down without crashing, took off the fuel hose, blew through it and out came a bug. He still has the Cessna, but can't afford to put it back into use.

[Martin Shupe]

Never, ever buy a plane without a pre-buy inspection by an unbiased A & P.

I have a 1946 C-140 in my hangar that needs a new engine. I have too many hobbies, and kids in college, so it will have to wait.

I flew several jets in the Navy.

TA-4J's, in training, were the most fun. There is nothing like flying low-levels at the speed of heat.
Flew S-3B's off the boat in the Red Sea during Desert Shield/Storm.
Instructed for 4 years in the T-2C. Not pretty, but a great jet for teaching and inverted spins.

For two years, I flew Baron 58P's for the US Forest Service as a Lead Plane pilot over fires all over the west.

At my current job, I have flown the 727, A-300/310, and 777.

I am also typed in the 737, but have only "flown" the simulator.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Is Fly fishing counts? Always want to fly - but afraid of heights.

Ed.

[Dick Latshaw]

TA-4J's, in training, were the most fun.

Always liked the look of the A4. But I tended to like most Douglas aircraft (C-133 not included).

At my current job, I have flown the 727, A-300/310, and 777.

I am also typed in the 737, but have only "flown" the simulator.

(Showing my age)
My license says I have type ratings for:
Douglas DC-3, 6/7
Convair 240/340/440
Lockheed L300 (C-141)

[James Gunning]

Stumbled across this thread today. Got my SEL in 1978 and went to Army flight training the same year. Flew Kiowas, Blackhawks, Hueys for 12 years. Hired by Comair and flew for them over 23 years until Delta shut us down in 2012. Now past 65 and 18,000 accident-incident free flying hours behind me. Loved it, but enjoying being home most of the time instead of the other way around.

[Rick Potter]

Not a pilot, but I thought this might be of some interest.

My son, who is in his middle 40's, had a 1948 Stinson, in beautiful shape. He recently traded it to another pilot for a 1940 Fairchild, which at one time belonged to Howard Hughes aircraft company. He has the original log books, new to now, showing it was purchased used by the government and used to carry messages for various VIP's during the war. It is in beautiful condition. Tim says his favorite feature is the roll down windows.

75 years old, that's older than even me.

[Neal Clayton]

Always want to fly - but afraid of heights.

Ed.

So am I.

The effect on your mind is different. 5,000 feet or 25,000 feet...it all pretty much looks the same. You don't even really appreciate ground proximity until you're down into final approach altitudes (~2000 above the ground).

I can fly approaches at low altitudes in turbulence for hours and it doesn't bother me. Now, rooftops and ladders? No thanks...

[Curt Harms]

So am I.

The effect on your mind is different. 5,000 feet or 25,000 feet...it all pretty much looks the same. You don't even really appreciate ground proximity until you're down into final approach altitudes (~2000 above the ground).

I can fly approaches at low altitudes in turbulence for hours and it doesn't bother me. Now, rooftops and ladders? No thanks...

Funny, I'm the same way. Never did like ladders and falling off one as a youngster didn't help. Thank goodness it was cold and I was wearing lots of clothes. Only PITA with turbulence is keeping heading and altitude in the right neighborhood.

[Randy Rizzo]

Boy I'd sure like to hear the psychology behind this, I'm pretty much the same way. Can't stand ladders and nervous as hell when I'm on the roof. Can't stand tight enclosed spaces. But, stick me in a metal tube at 40,000' bouncing all over the sky, not a problem!

[Scott Shepherd]

So am I.

The effect on your mind is different. 5,000 feet or 25,000 feet...it all pretty much looks the same. You don't even really appreciate ground proximity until you're down into final approach altitudes (~2000 above the ground).

I can fly approaches at low altitudes in turbulence for hours and it doesn't bother me. Now, rooftops and ladders? No thanks...

Well, in all fairness, ladders don't have much of a glide path

I found it amazing, in the smaller planes, when you pull the power, and do the math, it might take 6-7 minutes before you'll hit the ground, and that's from fairly low altitudes. 6 or 7 minutes to find a place to land is a lot more forgiving then falling off a ladder

[John Coloccia]

Well, everyone's always considered that I have an unnatural fear of heights, but I've never had any problem in an airplane, especially when I'm flying myself, and it really doesn't matter what I'm doing in it/to it. I think I actually have an unnatural fear of falling, which is generally not a problem in an airplane.

[Brett Luna]

It's a bit out of date (I've upgraded my TPM panel) but here's an older shot of my "cockpit":