The Spirit of Local Aviation is Apparently Alive and Well

When my dad first learned to fly a tail dragger at Beverly Airport in Massachusetts in the 50s, it was possible for a kid to ride his bike over to the airport and find a way to do odd jobs in exchange for airplane rides. When I began to exhibit my desire to fly in the late 80s and early 90s, my dad would tell me that "those days are over". Getting your pilot's license isn't cheap as you need an instructor and a plane, and that's going to cost over $100/hour.

Even so, I freakin' love planes and I've always wanted to be a pilot. So I was pleasantly amazed to find (just in the past 2 hours) that "those days" are not over. The spirit of local aviation lives on... it's just the mechanism that has changed.

On my PC here, I just discovered a group of local pilots who enjoy flying to local gatherings and teaching new people about flying and getting their license. Within an hour of joining the group I received two invitations to go flying!

I have to admit that I am intimidated by this, as I don't feel that I have the resources to commit to becoming a private pilot. But then again, I think not learning how to fly is a terrible thing to regret as I grow older. I just don't want to be seen as a mooch if I take up these offers and fail to pursue my license. But what an opportunity!

I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.