Aviators! Please chime in

[Deleted member 136962]

Hi folks!

Yes I am a new person to the forum and have been flying my MA2 a ton for the past week. Yup the past week!

But some background....I have been flying RC Helis for about 15 years....(I still suck but I try)

I have also flown some pretty successful Glider flights (again I am not a pro)

I have also built a few "multi-rotor" things that have had a ton of issues LOL!
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So Bei9ng the "New guy" here on the forums.....I would love to know everyone's background!

I'll start....

USAFA grad 1990

AFSOC guy from day one!

Retired in 2010

Now I work for Jeppesen/Boeing and if you fly to an international location/US location I have probably "touched" it

 

[Rchawks]

Hello AnglerMike
I also have a background in RC and flew gliders for 20 plus years as well as a few helis. Always been crazy about aircraft.
I've only been on a few commercial flights in my lifetime and was in awe at how the pilots handle such complicated machines. A few of my fondest memories was spending the day flying with a couple of retired TWA pilots flying a ASW 17 glider and towplane. Also got to fly a RF4 homebuilt for 20 min which was amazing as well as a Autogyro.
I've been flying a MM since Jan this year and a MA2 from July. Very impressed with the difference between this hobby and the one I came I came from.
Worked in Machining all my life. Graduated in 77.
Looking forward to honing my skills at flying with my new hobby.

 

[old man mavic]

my interest in model aircraft flying goes back to my childhood,my father and I used to make free flight models some gliders and some rubber powered also dabbled in control line ,then many years later got interested in RC offroad type cars ,and raced electric and IC powered versions ,tried heli flying but could never quite get the hang of it ,also have a RC sailing boat ,then about 4 years ago i discovered drones ,and i started with cheap models and worked my way up to the DJI family of drones ,i also like model making and during my younger years i made static models i have always had an interest in aviation in its many forms ,and for me being able to fly my drones is something that i can afford ,I was never lucky enough to be able to afford the cost of being a pilot in manned aviation ,but that has not discouraged me from the thrill of flight

 

[Cw4bray]

my interest in model aircraft flying goes back to my childhood,my father and I used to make free flight models some gliders and some rubber powered also dabbled in control line ,then many years later got interested in RC offroad type cars ,and raced electric and IC powered versions ,tried heli flying but could never quite get the hang of it ,also have a RC sailing boat ,then about 4 years ago i discovered drones ,and i started with cheap models and worked my way up to the DJI family of drones ,i also like model making and during my younger years i made static models i have always had an interest in aviation in its many forms ,and for me being able to fly my drones is something that i can afford ,I was never lucky enough to be able to afford the cost of being a pilot in manned aviation ,but that has not discouraged me from the thrill of flight

Now I'm going to have to get an RC sailboat ! The power of suggestion.

 

[rconradvt]

I have always been into RC toys. Off road cars and I did have a RC sailboat. As soon as I could, I got my private pilot license (VFR) at 17. I was headed to the Air Force when I got derailed by love, wife and family. Now I run a construction company and fly drones for fun. I have not piloted a Cessna for many years, too expensive.

 

[Martysticks]

I was always enamored with flight. My dad was a student pilot but gave it up when us kiddies (all six of us) came along. I was always a big fan of MS Flight Simulator but that's as far as it went. I have several friends who are/were pilots; one of them an ATP (worked for United). I spent my career in technology (The IBM operating systems world) but never pursued any real flying. The joke in our family was that I don't like to fly because they would not let me steer. Anyway, last year my BIL introduced me to his then-new DJI Mavic Air and I was hooked. I bought one almost immediately and then joined this amazing group. After flying that for awhile I bought a Mavic Pro Platinum. Then onto a Mavic 2 Zoom with the SC. Actually I just sold my MA Being a 'technical' guy I wanted to learn more so I did some research and decided on Pilot Institute for getting my Part 107 (even thought I have no interested in flying commercially). I studied, took the test and got a 97%. Pilot Institute offered me a significant discount on their Private Pilot course, so I took them up on that with no intention of getting into a real plane. I just wanted to know more. Well, I got about 15% thru on that course and started looking for a flight school I have 11 hours logged in a Cessna 162 Skycatcher, soon in a Cessna 172F and I'm going for my Private Pilots certificate. Yesterday my actual Student Pilot card came in the mail and sits in my wallet right next to my sUAS Part 107 card.

Be careful; it's addicting

 

[Jeff A]

Around the time i was 6 or 7 years old, my Dad got his Private Pilot Certificate. I can still remeber going flying with him and it was exciting. Even when I was in Middle school I remember reading a book about the Stinson Aircraft Company. I wanted to fly! I served in the Army and late into my term, a team came around to my Unit trying to get people to join Army Aviation. I was qualified to do that except you had to have 4 years of service remaining aftere all of your training and I had already served nearly 3 years so I didn't apply. After the Army and after I married, at age 23, I began flying lessons with the intent on continuing to be a Commercial Pilot. At first, I became a Flight Instructor and ultimately became a Corporate Pilot. My first Corporate aircraft that I got paid to fly was a Cessna 310 light twin. I felt that I had died and gone to Heaven! I finished my flying career rated as an Airline Transport Pilot flying Lear Jets, Citations, Gulfstreams , Challengers and many others. I flew more than 18,000 flight hours and never tired of it. I still miss flying 13 years later.

I am fascinated by R/C Aircraft. specially Scale R/C but not foolish enough to participate. I couldn't stand the thought of crashing. I started flying Drones less than a year ago and now have my 107 Certificate. I enjoy it and it has awakened a desire to try Photography. I have a lot to be thankful for.

 

[Jeff A]

<SNIP> I have 11 hours logged in a Cessna 162 Skycatcher, soon in a Cessna 172F and I'm going for my Private Pilots certificate. Yesterday my actual Student Pilot card came in the mail and sits in my wallet right next to my sUAS Part 107 card.

Be careful; it's addicting

Man, you got me on the Cessna 162! With thousands of hours in Cessna's, I had not heard of that one, or maybe worse, I don't remember!

 

[Cw4bray]

Hi folks!

Yes I am a new person to the forum and have been flying my MA2 a ton for the past week. Yup the past week!

But some background....I have been flying RC Helis for about 15 years....(I still suck but I try)

I have also flown some pretty successful Glider flights (again I am not a pro)

I have also built a few "multi-rotor" things that have had a ton of issues LOL!
---------------------------------------

So Bei9ng the "New guy" here on the forums.....I would love to know everyone's background!

I'll start....

USAFA grad 1990

AFSOC guy from day one!

Retired in 2010

Now I work for Jeppesen/Boeing and if you fly to an international location/US location I have probably "touched" it

I for one, am thrilled that Mike has started this post. I really hope that this will ultimately lead us as a community of friends, and pilots into a new direction of safety oriented discussions, stories, and recommendations. I know there are a lot of people out there reading these posts with questions about flying, and maintaining DJI stuff; if you're one of them, this is an excellent place to voice your question or story!

 

[Rchawks]

AH, I forgot about the RC sailboat and Airboat.?

 

[Brockrock]

Air Transport Pilot here Typed in the Cessna Citation 5 Series (C-560). I also have my Airframe & Powerplant Ratings, and my total flight time between 1990 and 2001 was approx 7000 hours. Since then, with a little Flight Instructing and flying for fun, I've added about 200 hours. My issue was, and the reason I ended up taking more of a ground based job in 2001, I'm a home-body. Not a big travel guy, at least not all the time. My last job was working for Executive Jet (NetJets) out of Columbus, Ohio, and it was great to have seen what I did. Eventually though, yeah...I'm a home-body. Prior to that, I flew most, light-single and twin-engine aircraft building time - Instructing, Air Taxi, Maintenance and Ferry Flights...you name it. I lived it large and loved it. Now, at 54, I take great enjoyment in flying my UAV's. The user manuals are longer and more complex than those of some small aircraft that I've flown, so yeah. This hobby is a great way for me to engage my 'Air-minded' interests, and yes, that is real term:

Air-Minded

Adjective:

1) Interested in aviation or aeronautics.
2) favoring increased use of aircraft.

 

[MA2 317]

My career is not as exciting.

Started off with paper airplanes and then dime store kites.

Glued and painted car / aircraft models to be eventually blown up later with firecrackers.

Still flying my DJI Spark since it was released in 2017 and the Mavic Air 2 since August 2020.

I always liked aviation of any type and always look up when I hear them. ?

 

[Brockrock]

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My career is not as exciting.

Excitedness is subjective. Probably the most excited that I have ever been regarding anything airborne was the little gas powered plane kit that I built at 9 years old, and it was tethered by twine, so you stood in a field and spun around in circles until it ran out of fuel, and then you promptly fell over......

 

[MA2 317]

Excitedness is subjective. Probably the most excited that I have ever been regarding anything airborne was the little gas powered plane kit that I built at 9 years old, and it was tethered by twine, so you stood in a field and spun around in circles until it ran out of fuel, and then you promptly fell over......

I remember those.

Cox models. ?

 

[Sacrotor]

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I remember those.

Cox models. ?

.049 cub on monofilament, flew one loop, crashed....

 

[Rchawks]

Yep, U Control.

 

[Deleted member 136962]

OMG folks! Great that there are other like minded people here!

I too had a Cox that was tethered. I flew that thing so many times (and crashed it a ton as well). I think that got me addicted to flying. My RC Heli stuff was fun but I will be honest, it was really hard for me. That is why I started building "quads" and enjoyed them alot. I can tell you this though, this MA2 is a DREAM to fly! I was also very surprised at the ADS-B functionality. Super impressed with the alerts I get and sometimes I have started it up w/o getting airborne to just see things around the house! Very neat!

 

[Rchawks]

A friend of mine had her roof redone due to hail damage and it was a breeze to inspect it for her from the air, amazing tool.? Her neighbor behind the house on the hill upon seeing me flying close to her roof was pacing back and forth just like Groucho Marx giving me the Evil Eye because he thought I was trying to see in her windows. After a while when he realized that wasn"t the case he waved to me and smiled, too funny!?

 

[nhgill960]

Awesome to know that you are a USAFA Grad! I’m currently in high school and I know I’m going to join the Air Force. I really want to fly in the military. I’ve been looking at USAFA for a while now, so I hope I can get accepted! (I know this isn’t really a background, but hey, I figured I’d post) Glad to hear from all of you guys!

 

[Jeff A]

Awesome to know that you are a USAFA Grad! I’m currently in high school and I know I’m going to join the Air Force. I really want to fly in the military. I’ve been looking at USAFA for a while now, so I hope I can get accepted! (I know this isn’t really a background, but hey, I figured I’d post) Glad to hear from all of you guys!

Goog luck in your future endeavors!