Simulator Flight Training - My Next Step???

There is a great article in the January 2013 Flight Training Magazine about how Jerry Gregoire and Redbird's Skyport are a "Game Changer" in learning to fly.  Redbird manufactures full motion simulators, and the company is changing the way flight schools will operate in the future.

The military and airlines have long used simulators as a key in their training, but private pilots have been taught mostly by instructors in planes.  One off-duty commercial pilot I spoke with on a recent trip said that the simulator is the best way to train, as it allows you to try maneuvers that cannot be replicated in flight (that very day he had been at training and had an engine catch fire in his training.  Not something they can teach live when he is up in a 747).  He said the simulator allows one to safely experience how to handle a situation and if you make a mistake the end results can be less severe.

As I explore the idea of learning to fly this option is appealing.  Some pilots had scoffed at my interest in going this route, but others said that it is by far the better option.  The commercial pilot mentioned above said he used to be a CFI, and while he had not heard of Redbird or Skyport, he was thrilled to see the article because it was really the right direction to bring general aviation into the world of current technologies.

The best part of this for me is that Redbird is headquartered in San Marcos, Texas.... which is only 30 minutes away from my house.  I ended up on their mailing list after meeting some of the folks (I met Jerry Gregoire briefly, and he clearly a true entrepreneur!!!!) at the AOPA event that sparked this whole interest in flying.  I have enjoyed the information they have been sending me, and this article solidified my interest in what they are teaching and how they are teaching it.

While the time and cost of going to the Skyport training lab is not yet in my budget (yes, I have a budget for time and a budget for money... and both are limited), I did get a recent email with a holiday promotional offer to come experience their simulators.  I am going to sign up for this introductory offer to test my ongoing interest in learning to fly.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

People Are Interested In Aviation

With my newly found interest in aviation, I am surprised how often I find people who want to talk about flying.  I bring copies magazines (like AOPA's Flight Training) with me on commercial flights, and those sitting next to me will almost always comment on my reading materials.  Some are pilots, others want to be pilots, while others still just think it is cool to fly.

When I read BusinessWeek or FastCompany Magazine I never get a comment.  One issue of Flying, and wammo --- I am chatting with the person next to me about airplanes.

This brings up an a paradox.  The number of pilots is decreasing and those in the general aviation industry are clearly worried about attracting the next generation of pilots, and yet the average person is at least curious about flight.

I asked a non-pilot, who dreams of flying, why he does not take the actions to get his private pilot certification.  He was quick to answer that it is expensive, takes a lot of time, and is difficult.  I am finding that while all of that is true, it is not nearly as daunting as many believe.

If you have a desire to fly, do not just assume that the process is out of your reach.  While I am taking it very slow to make sure I know what I am doing (and to ensure the desire lasts before I commit the time or money)... it is becoming very clear to me that becoming a pilot is a real possibility for anyone who wishes to learn to soar in the sky.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Flying Is No Longer The Same

As a professional speaker I fly commercially all the time (over 50 flights last year)... but since I began studying aviation everything is different in how I experience travel.

This is not a bad thing (in fact, it is pretty cool), but my attention to the airplane, airport, crew, and other aspects of the flight experience is definitely changing.

I find myself looking closely at the shapes of the planes, the wings, etc.....  I get into conversations with people about flight.  I look out the window as we takeoff and land.  I review the shapes of the clouds and study the weather (and wonder if I was in a private plane how the differing weather might impact my flight plan).

Flying is no longer the same.  It is not just an ends to the getting me from point A to point B.  It is now something that has my attention.  I am inspired by flight, and I think about how much cooler it would be to be in a Cirrus than in a big jet.  ;-)

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Building Community With Those In Aviation

I spent some time today talking with another would-be pilot.  He has had his love of flight since three years old, and began his flight training while in the Air Force.  While about 40-years-old he is still working his way to his dream of being a pilot.

The realities of life got in the way and with a career, family, and other distractions he has not yet earned his certificate.  He pointed out the time and money involved can be a lot when you have other responsibilities.

We talked a lot about the need for more people to become pilots.  He had strong thoughts on how the industry should work to attract people under 50 to learn to fly, as with few young people becoming pilots the whole system of General Aviation will be threatened in the long term.  It is not something only for the wealthy, but we agreed there should be more exposure to the opportunities for the whole population.

Our discussion also moved to the things I was learning in my online ground school class about the basics of aerodynamics.  It was fun to chat with somebody about the subject and the more we talked about flight the more I was excited about building community with others in and around aviation.

I am surprised each time I talk about flying with others who those who are pilots (or want to be pilots) come out of the woodwork to encourage my interest.

Reality is that I am talking little baby steps on what is clearly a long journey... but it is a lot of fun.  A wise man told me that keeping the enthusiasm is going to be paramount to my success in this endeavor.  I can tell that the community is going to be key.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary - Do Not Skip The Small Stuff!!!

For several days I have been excitedly beginning my online ground-school class.  I am trying to dedicate an hour each day to explore the material with a keen eye to detail.  I am taking notes like crazy in the notebook that came with the course, and am convinced that I will run out of pages long before I finish all the sections.

I am engulfed by the amount of vocabulary and understanding of the construction of a plane that I am reading.  Also each chart and illustrations of planes, wings, propellers, etc that I am reviewing is making me think about they all the details involved with being a pilot.  It is not like getting a license to drive a car.  A month ago I never thought much about this stuff, and now I cannot wait to see what comes with each new paragraph.  It is interesting.

But the information is very detailed, and important, thus my progress is slow.  At this rate I may be in ground-school forever.

However, I am overwhelmed with the comparisons that pop into my mind about building my business.  Often entrepreneurs get tired of the details and forge ahead without digesting all the important details.  Wanna-be pilots cannot do this or they may be destined for disaster.... but many business owners meet a negative fate because they are not patient and do not learn the specifics that I feel one must when they are seeking to fly.

I am quickly discovering that the commitment to being a pilot goes farther than just learning to fly a plane.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

I Might Want To Learn To Fly?

It has only been two of weeks since my flight in a Cirrus Aircraft.  It was a random series of events that put me in that plane, but everyday since then I have thought about the experience.  Driving my car I wonder about taking off and landing.  I look up at the sky each time I hear a plane. I wish the flight had lasted longer.

A conversation with a smart man with an eclectic career who now works in and around aviation got me thinking about all if I had what it took to be a private pilot.  He encouraged me to explore what it would take to earn a certificate.  He thought it would be good for me to understand general aviation at a deeper level.  He made me feel that being a pilot was something very special.  He also explained that there is a need for the next generation of pilots.

Over the past 14 days I have read magazine articles, scoured the web, talked to pilots, and keep coming back to an interest to discover more.  Yesterday I began taking on online ground school class (www.asa2fly.com).  From just the first few hours of the course I can tell that this is not something to approach lightly.  There is much to learn.  The vocabulary alone may turn some people off to the process. But I am excited to go back and push through the whole class.

I am not convinced that I will go all the way with this fascination for flight. I was advised to take it all slowly to ensure that my purpose for flying is clear.  It involves both time and money, and I am not sure if that is where my attention needs to be as an entrepreneur with a growing business.  But at the same time I see stunning similarities between growing a company and learning to fly.

No matter what happens, there is no failure.... so I have decided to record the journey on this blog.  Maybe my experiences can help someone else who wants to fly.

I feel like a kid in a toy store right now.  There are so many exciting things all around me, that I am giddy with delight.  Several pilots whom I have talked with these last weeks have said that my enthusiasm reminds them of their introduction to general aviation.  One even thanked me for flooding her with memories she had not thought of in years... but was grateful to remember her own excitement of learning to fly.

If you stumbled upon this blog, come back from time to time and see where it goes.  Maybe I go all the way, or perhaps I just learn about something that is clearly very exciting.  Either way I can tell I am already better for the community I have discovered in and around aviation.

Have A Great Day

thom singer