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