When Were You Hooked?

[Murdoch]

So I just got back from a half hour intro flight. I was taken up in a Sweizer 300C and got to try my hand at hovering (cyclic only) and some casual flying at 1300 ft.

I knew that I wanted to fly but now I know that I HAVE to or I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

 

So, here's the question: When did you know that you really truly wanted to fly as a career? Let 'er rip

 

Cheers

Murdoch

[NG Limited]

I developed an interest in aviation after a flight on a PWA 737 when I was six.

Around my tenth birthday I went for a ride in a Okanagan 214B in the mountains at Mica Creek and I was hooked. From that day on I knew I wanted to fly helicopters and nothing else.

 

Cheers!

NG

[Cole]

Theres lots of times really, but heres the two that stick out.

 

When I was little I used to go out to the airport with my dad to watch 259 panther squadron's gliders for a while. When I was old enough, I joined 259 and did the cadet thing for a while, that got me gliding and fam flying, then eventually for a ride in a jetbox. The second we lifted up I was hooked.

 

It has become quite a time and money consuming hobby, and will be a fun career to start in '08 or '09

 

Cole (Isnt this kinda like TQN's post?)

[transquebecniece]

You did it, Murdie! :up: There's no hope for you now! I've been wanting to do that just for the sake of doing it. And I will do it. But I don't want to fly...don't want to become "hooked" as you say...so I hesitate. Good for you!

[volition]

When i was doing my walk around on my c172, then heard a roaring thunder going down the victoria runway, i looked up, cool!!! A cf18 taking off. Then again when my instructor gave me a ride in a b407, that was a great feeling.

[412driver]

i went for a ride in high school back in 1980. it was so cool and i asked how much it cost to train? they said $8000.00! :shock: $#%t i thought...i can't afford that.....

 

then around 1985 i was hanging around the airport fence (cyxx) and watched a 206 take off. i went in and asked how much it would cost and they said $16000.00 :shock: :shock: $#%t , $#%t, $#%t i thought, i should have done it when it was 8K...i can't afford that........

 

by 1988 i was well into farming mode, my family had 4 farms in the cyxx area. one of which bordered the airport. i was working at that farm one day and i heard one of Frontiers 205's start up. i stopped working to watch. he picked it up at started to climb out on what i now know is the helicopter northwest route. as he passed over, the helmeted pilot looked down and i waved. he waved back and i threw him the thumbs up which he responded in same. i watched him fly off into the distance. i threw the tools into my truck and drove over to the flight school.

 

how much i asked? $27,000.00! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

what do you need right now? $1000.00 deposit. i wrote them a cheque and said see you in september.

 

that night at the supper table i told my parents that this was the last crop i was bringing in, that i was going to learn to fly helicopters! my mama cried and my daddy asked how much and how was I going to pay for it!!

 

i said that i had 10k saved, i could get about 7k from the gov't and that i needed his help for the rest...........

 

he said: "you spend your 10k, then the gov'ts 7k and when you have done that i will come to the school to check your marks ect. if any of your marks are under 95% you won't get a dime!" i said DEAL!

 

well, i got my licence and now almost 20 years down the road it was the best move i could have made. sure, had i stayed farming i would have been better off financially but i'm happy to go to work everyday! and that's what counts! :up:

 

as i look up from my desk i have models that i had made when i was in the philippines of all the a/c i have flown. my delta 206 to my Helijet SK76 to my Schweizer 300CBi and many in between. i just got my air ambulance model a few weeks ago to top off my collection. it's been an awesome time but i still have a ton of adventure yet to come..............

[Swissmatt]

:up:

 

my story is somewhat similar to yours 412Driver .. I looking out the window of a mountain chalet when an Alouette III appeared right in front of me, climbing over my head .. waved at the pilot and the guy waved back .. that was that .. 13 years later my parents gave me one flying lesson on a R22. The instructor was amazing .. we flew to the hinterland of Switzerland and touched down on some farmer's field. He proceeded to explain the different controls to me and we started hovering with me first only controlling one control at a time (1st pedals, then collective, then cyclic) followed by the combination of two (pedals and collective) and eventually giving me control .. it was absolutely amazing and completely sealed the deal .. Now, another three years later I'm following my dream, finish grad school and fly! :punk:

 

Great thread Murdoch! :up:

 

412D .. I'm collecting models too, unfortunately I can't say I've flown them all (or any of them) but I'm accumulating all sorts of SAR helis as that is what gets me going .. good times glueing those things together and painting and all .. plus they look great!

[Ryan]

Now if only Tango was actually that clean!

 

Knew since I was a knee-high that I wanted to fly. Didn't care what, just fly. In the beginning I had dreams for flying Beavers out in the sticks, as I had the typical F/W pilot's mis-trust of helicopters. I didn't admit it to my fellow plank'ers but I had a secret love affair of helicopters. Though I knew nothing about em and didn't trust them... they were just too cool a machine.

 

Then I had a ride in one over Maui... it was a MD500 if memory serves me. It lifted off the ground and turned my life around. Flying Cessnas became as mundane as driving down the highway. I dropped out of the F/W flight school and started researching heli schools across the country.

 

Two years later I'd found my school and the rest you know. :up:

 

Here's a current pic of Tango in the background

 

[twinstar_ca]

nice model and nice story, 412D... you need to post some pics of all your models.. love to see the 206.. same size and res?? makes a nice wallpaper!! :up:

[412driver]

as you wish.....