Up We Go

Setting up my "Discovery Flight" with the gift certificate that I received for Christmas to the RedBird Skyport Flight Training School for the first week of March.  I am fortunate to live close to this facility, as I am impressed with their mix of simulator training along with traditional flight education.

I am looking forward to touring the school, learning more about the program, and taking another flight.

Since my experience at the AOPA Aviation Summit in October of last year I have been slowly learning more about General Aviation.  While I am not ready to commit to the lessons (I do not want to do that until I can afford the financial and time commitment), I am enjoying moving myself along the path.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Learning To Fly A Plane Is Like Starting A Business

As I continue to learn about flight I am amazed at how many thing one has to remember all at the same time.  Each lesson of my online "Ground School" class adds another dimension of something to remember.  Another ball to keep in the air (so to speak).  I have not yet gotten into a plane (other than as a passenger), but the amount of information that I realize I need to know keeps growing.

This is not really that different from starting a business.  Each day there is something more complex to add to the mix, and I am always reminded how delicate the whole infrastructure can be, and that I am the one in charge.  There is always something to be thinking about, and a mistake can be costly.  My business is more than just me, as everyone around me is linked to my successful navigation of my journey.

I may have mentioned it on this blog before, but I think that all wannabe entrepreneurs should also study to become a pilot.  Aviation is not something to be entered into lightly, and neither is starting a business.  Both can bring great rewards, but there are not any shortcuts that will get you there without sacrificing safety.

Slowly I am progressing as a someday pilot and as a current entrepreneur.  I am excited about both adventures, but seem to constantly be overwhelmed about what I am undertaking.  I have tied the two together, as I need the business to be more successful to be able to afford the flying lessons, and once I have my pilots certificate I can better travel to my Texas clients (and beyond).

At least I am having fun with all of it!!!

thom singer

Pilots Care About Those Who Want To Learn To Fly

I continue to be amazed by the pilot community.  I presented (keynotes / breakouts) or was the master of ceremonies at several events in 2012, and made many friends in a variety of industries.  With over 50 events I encountered more people in 2012 than ever before.  But with talks in the legal, engineering, medical, technology, government, and other industries.... I did not find myself wanting to become a lawyer, doctor, etc....  However, my exposure to the world of aviation at the AOPA Aviation Summit was unique.  I left wanting to learn to fly.

Additionally I keep hearing from people I met at the event. Both attendees and vendors took an interest in me.... and my early interest in flight.  I still get emails from those who want to check in and see if I still am seeking the path to flight.  I have had magazine articles mailed to me and suggestions on where in Texas to get my education / instruction.  The enthusiasm with which people seem to care is wonderful.

My exposure to aviation sparked an interest in flight, but it was the people and how excited they were about a newcomers child-like excitement that keeps me learning.  I cannot afford the time or money to jump in fully right now, but I am becoming more convinced that I want to get my certificate.  I teach people about connecting and community... but I have a lot to learn on this topic from pilots!!!

I heard from someone today who I met at AOPA.  I was so touched by their words that I had to come write something on this blog.  If you think you want to learn to fly, simply go meet pilots.  Express to them your interest, and you will discover people who want to help you along the way.  

While that is not 100% of the people in the aviation world (I have encountered many who are indifferent), the ones who are reminded of their own entry to flight by your excitement are all over the place!!!

Have a great day.

thom singer

Merry Christmas - Introduction to Redbird

For Christmas my wife and kids gave me a gift certificate for a two-hour introduction to Redbird Skyport (and their simulator based training center).  I have been doing a lot of research about my pending flight training, and the offering at the San Marcos Redbird facility is the most interesting.  Nationally it is getting a lot of attention, and the fact that I live 30 miles away makes it a geographic bonus.

The good news is I am excited to schedule my two hours visit. The more I learn and experience, the more interested I am in becoming a pilot.  The bad news is that the cost of getting my flight certificate is higher than I had imagined. With personal and business necessities, I might have to put this off a little longer than I had hoped.  I have to be realistic about our budgets (home and for the business), and I cannot add another expense until I overcome some previous commitments.

Yet this is not necessarily a bad thing.  Since my first exposure to general aviation in October, and my desire to explore the whole process, I have tried hard to be realistic and honest about my level of desire to fly.  I did not want to be seduced by the coolness and newness of the concept.  Being sure that this was something I was committed to has always been important (did not want a "shiny object syndrome").

The journey might be a long one... but I had coffee yesterday with a guy who has postponed his pilots certificate for over a decade because of the expense and time commitment.  I am fairly confident that I will not need to wait that long.

As I have said all along, I am going to go one step at a time.  My next step is to set up my visit to Redbird.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

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