Some real-life aviation experiences and milestones today

[neilends]

A really cool aspect of KSEZ-Sedona, Arizona, is that one of the most gorgeous hiking trails anywhere consists of a complete circumference around the airport. It's perched up on top of a plateau so you can imagine what the views are like. What this means to me: I can burn some calories, and nerd out by walking in to the real airport for the first time in my life. Since I've been flying from the MSFS airport frequently, it was pretty surreal walking around it IRL. MSFS featured KSEZ as one of its enhanced airports, so they hand-crafted it to look real. I definitely recognized it.

I didn't want to creep out people inside by taking random photos of the interior, so instead I was content with taking a picture of a picture. This was a panoramic shot hanging up on a wall:



Related point: there's a gentleman in England who will hand-craft a livery for you for 10 bucks (USD). Below is his creation for me, which I am totally in love with (pictured near KSEZ as well). Link to contact him below the picture.



His name is Jon and you can reach him here: https://flightsim.to/profile/ThatLiveryGuy

Finally, today is another big IRL milestone for me because I can officially call myself a student pilot. I signed up for ground school, through an online program. I intend to finish the online course and pass the written test, before moving on to in-person flight school. Funny enough, in the first 4 hours of coursework I have gone through so far, it's all material that I am already very familiar with because of MSFS and previous sims. I know that will change very soon but MSFS has clearly given me a leg up in understanding some basic concepts.

[shb7]

A really cool aspect of KSEZ-Sedona, Arizona, is that one of the most gorgeous hiking trails anywhere consists of a complete circumference around the airport. It's perched up on top of a plateau so you can imagine what the views are like. What this means to me: I can burn some calories, and nerd out by walking in to the real airport for the first time in my life. Since I've been flying from the MSFS airport frequently, it was pretty surreal walking around it IRL. MSFS featured KSEZ as one of its enhanced airports, so they hand-crafted it to look real. I definitely recognized it.

I didn't want to creep out people inside by taking random photos of the interior, so instead I was content with taking a picture of a picture. This was a panoramic shot hanging up on a wall:



Related point: there's a gentleman in England who will hand-craft a livery for you for 10 bucks (USD). Below is his creation for me, which I am totally in love with (pictured near KSEZ as well). Link to contact him below the picture.



His name is Jon and you can reach him here: https://flightsim.to/profile/ThatLiveryGuy

Finally, today is another big IRL milestone for me because I can officially call myself a student pilot. I signed up for ground school, through an online program. I intend to finish the online course and pass the written test, before moving on to in-person flight school. Funny enough, in the first 4 hours of coursework I have gone through so far, it's all material that I am already very familiar with because of MSFS and previous sims. I know that will change very soon but MSFS has clearly given me a leg up in understanding some basic concepts.

Why don't you tell us about your whole life! Just kidding.

[lnuss]

Great, Neil. Glad to hear you're started on your training. I'd offer you a thought or two though. I wouldn't wait to pass the written before starting the in flight portion. Properly done (and most flight schools can) ground school and in flight training can be synergistic, that is, each reinforcing the other, each helping you to understand the other portion. Especially, there are parts of the ground school that are easier to understand if you've actually flown a bit (beyond the sim, that is).

Getting a good start on the ground portion is a good idea, though. Luck...

[neilends]

Great, Neil. Glad to hear you're started on your training. I'd offer you a thought or two though. I wouldn't wait to pass the written before starting the in flight portion. Properly done (and most flight schools can) ground school and in flight training can be synergistic, that is, each reinforcing the other, each helping you to understand the other portion. Especially, there are parts of the ground school that are easier to understand if you've actually flown a bit (beyond the sim, that is).

Getting a good start on the ground portion is a good idea, though. Luck...

I will have to keep that in mind as I proceed, and appreciate the advice. I made this decision after listening to several CFIs talk about it, in podcasts and other sources. They seemed to heavily favor (and in fact, are impressed by) students who came in to their programs already knowledgeable. That said, I am not doing this in a rush and if a good CFI (I have not found one yet) tells me that some more ground school on any particular topic would be helpful, I'll go for it.

There's a second reason this plan works me in particular: I don't know if my wife is fully on board with this whole flying business at all. She's not the type to just tell me no, she doesn't want me to do it. (Instead, it's worse, it will be the day I am supposed to go flying for the first time and THEN it will all come out, lol). So if I ease into this situation she's more likely to feel better about it by the time I actually fly my first plane.

[neilends]

Why don't you tell us about your whole life! Just kidding.

It all started on a cold January day in Ontario, Canada. That was the day I was born...

[chicagorandy]

As a HAPPILY divorced geezer I can suggest that "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody gonna be happy." lol

As a life-long aviation enthusiast and EAA member I offer the following.

The expense to become a real-life pilot, whether Light Sport or full Private is most considerable - $5000 to $10,000, as is the monthly budget tithing (figure $1500 a month to be on the safe side) to fly enough to stay proficient, it's best IMHO to have all the financial partners on-board.

Even more so should you take the huge leap and become an airplane owner. It is not for the faint of wallet heart, and is why ALL my actual flight experience for all these decades has been via sims. - lol

[neilends]

As a HAPPILY divorced geezer I can suggest that "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody gonna be happy." lol

As a life-long aviation enthusiast and EAA member I offer the following.

The expense to become a real-life pilot, whether Light Sport or full Private is most considerable - $5000 to $10,000, as is the monthly budget tithing (figure $1500 a month to be on the safe side) to fly enough to stay proficient, it's best IMHO to have all the financial partners on-board.

Even more so should you take the huge leap and become an airplane owner. It is not for the faint of wallet heart, and is why ALL my actual flight experience for all these decades has been via sims. - lol

Well said.

The worst thing that will happen at this point is that I will change my mind, possibly affected by the wife's views if not finances, and I will become a better-educated simmer.

[chicagorandy]

Good onya mate! The more you learn about "real" aviation, the more fun sims like this one become. Win-Win.

I should also add that learning to fly and then continuing to fly ISN'T 'too expensive', I just can't afford it.

[neilends]

Good onya mate! The more you learn about "real" aviation, the more fun sims like this one become. Win-Win.

I should also add that learning to fly and then continuing to fly ISN'T 'too expensive', I just can't afford it.

Yeah, understood. Wife and I are both full-time professionals so I can maybe afford this hobby to some limited extent, but what exactly that extent is remains to be seen. Neither of us are exactly trust fund babies who will be purchasing a brand new Beechcraft Bonanza for me to play with as my toy. I'm looking more at used Cessna 172s on some future day, or these "flying club" situations that some hobbyists seem to participate in.

[HornetAircraft]

nice! welcome to the club! I started with flight sims and got my PPL at 18. 19 now working on my instrument rating! if I can take one thing away from my PPL training, this is to learn to fly without a GPS. using a non electronic E6B and not having a GPS or foreflight but rather a paper flightplan is one of the best things I was told to do. don't get me wrong, I love using a GPS, and I've used a good few, (Gtn400, Gtn430, Gtn530, Gtn650, Gtn750, and soon G1000nxi) the ability to use paper and find your way is a far more valuable skill becoming a child of the magenta. good luck!!