What is your passion in aviation.

BTD · Post by **BTD** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:21 pm

With all the negative threads going around, I thought I'd start one a bit more positive in nature. It will probably still spiral down.

What is your passion in aviation? Examples

Departing on a summer evening into the sunset in your ultralight?

Aerobatics over a crowd of spectators?

Or an approach in CAT II/III weather conditions with a load of pax in the back?

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:23 pm

Speaking as weekend warrior, I'd have to say the serenity of a falls sunset VFR flight, hard to beat it at my level of flying.

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:30 pm

Speaking as an overworked pilot....

My paycheck and time off.

stl

looproll · Post by **looproll** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:39 pm

hahaha priceless, stl

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:04 pm

Flying antique airplanes just for fun.

A couple of weeks ago I got to fly a Beech 18 DS when we went to buy the Husky.....The Beech 18 DS was the first real airplane I learned to fly many, many moons ago and it was a trip back in time to get to fly one again....

and the dealer has a Stearman and a Beech Stagger Wing that I have been invited to fly next spring when the weather gets warm......

and to really make me salivate there is a Grumman Tiger Cat on the same airport that I would kill to fly....

Ref Plus 10 · Post by **Ref Plus 10** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:24 pm

Sunset in the mountains at the end of a long, hard day's work...giggity giggity

Tubthumper · Post by **Tubthumper** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:55 pm

Not many offices have a view like a flight deck view...... one my passions about it

...and nothing beats the view of something like these following you....

....just a few of the many I've experienced. Sorry for the long post but... I had to.

Four1oh · Post by **Four1oh** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:13 pm

sipping a single malt as the airliners fly overhead

newfycontrol · Post by **newfycontrol** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:35 pm

picking up ice IMC in the climb and then looking outside as it gets brighter and brighter...then climbing above it all and seeing a sunrise that you just have to stare at for a few seconds.

bmc · Post by **bmc** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:47 pm

Going flying during the first hour or last hour of sunlight in the summer.

Dave T · Post by **Dave T** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:49 pm

Taking off in a nasty blizzard or rain and fog, only to break out into clear blue sky. Still one of the coolest things that we get to do on a regular basis.

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:55 pm

I'm with you, Cat. Some of the guys I worked with flew them in California as tankers and even with a bulbous tank underneath they flew like rockets. Kinda like an A26 but built by Grumman... I like Grumman.

Oh, my passion? Like STL, getting paid.

Flying a floatplane into a difficult coastal spot, having to sail back into a float, picking up some guys who are really glad to see you then getting them home safe.

Landing on rivers where you have to touch one float then go around a corner to stop.

Flying a big-ass airplane with large engines into difficult areas and getting it right.

Spot-landing contests into crappy little loon-shit airstrips with a Dash7 where you have to land short cause you can't turn around and you have to get off again. SAR, I'd love to really work a Buff.

Taking a new crew and training them from scratch to fly a complex airplane and watching them improve and gain skills, pass a good ride and go confidently off to fly their 'new' aircraft.

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:06 am

Pushing off the dock on a perfectly calm morning as the sun is just coming up, the water is glass smooth, not a hint of wind, airplanes empty, a little bit of mist dancing on the water as the 985 warms up. Cool crisp air.. Not a worry in the world!

Ballsssssss · Post by **Ballsssssss** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:17 am

The sound of radial engines. Like a sore dink....you can't beat it.

bmc · Post by **bmc** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:24 am

Rowdy wrote:Pushing off the dock on a perfectly calm morning as the sun is just coming up, the water is glass smooth, not a hint of wind, airplanes empty, a little bit of mist dancing on the water as the 985 warms up. Cool crisp air.. Not a worry in the world!

I often ask people what their dream job would be. What would they be doing if they didn't have to assume all of life's stresses. My dream job as always been to fly a Beaver on the west coast ONLY if I can pick my load and pick my weather.

Soak in all of the love of what you do, Rowdy. Someday, you may be looking at a glass cockpit, turning on the autopilot on rotation and listening to someone on the radio telling you when to climb, turn, descend and land. Love and absorb the moment you're in. And burn the memories into your mind, cuz there's a chance that you'll look back and remember this time as the best in your life. Flat broke, old car, wanting the plumb flying job that's a couple of hundred hours away. But flying a grand old gal of a plane.

After 26 years in this industry, I firmly believe guys flying planes that float have the greatest job in the world. I wish you plenty of calm mornings with the sun cracking the horizon as you power up.

Keep the oily side down.

Ballsssssss · Post by **Ballsssssss** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:44 am

[quote="bmc I often ask people what their dream job would be. What would they be doing if they didn't have to assume all of life's stresses. My dream job as always been to fly a Beaver on the west coast ONLY if I can pick my load and pick my weather.

Soak in all of the love of what you do, Rowdy. Someday, you may be looking at a glass cockpit, turning on the autopilot on rotation and listening to someone on the radio telling you when to climb, turn, descend and land. Love and absorb the moment you're in. And burn the memories into your mind, cuz there's a chance that you'll look back and remember this time as the best in your life. Flat broke, old car, wanting the plumb flying job that's a couple of hundred hours away. But flying a grand old gal of a plane.

After 26 years in this industry, I firmly believe guys flying planes that float have the greatest job in the world. I wish you plenty of calm mornings with the sun cracking the horizon as you power up.

Keep the oily side down.

[/quote]

Gave me goosebumps and brought a tear to my eye...well said

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:56 am

Flying with the angels around pouffy cumulus clouds on a nice day.

l_reason · Post by **l_reason** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:24 am

Winding up the inertial starter on a big radial, then watching the flames float by the right window starting up early in the morning before sunrise.

Having the freedom to take my girlfriend camping on a beach for the weekend.

Going flying for no good reason at all, no schedule, no destination, good weather and 4 hours of fuel.

bmc · Post by **bmc** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:29 am

Pretty Luscome. Where is it based?

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:07 am

"Lone Wolf" in a 215/415 getting the upper hand on a cluster of fires. Poppin the top off the first Heine at the end of a real long day. "Submarine patrol" up the middle of Lake Superior between Sault and TBay, 20 feet off the water and waving up to the bridge hands on the lake boats.
Flying a D18S on floats anywhere. Takin off and landing on eskers in a Twin Otter, then jumping out the door real quick with shot gun in hand and bagging a few Ptarmigan.
Coming home after a long deployment and having the wife and dog happy to see me then curl up around me.
There are plenty of aircraft I wish I could get my hands on but probably will never get to do more than dream and look. A Herc would be at the top of the list.