One of the thread titles from cac when we gnawed on this subject ad infinitum last year was: "Please no more suggestions re: flying!"

that was a good idea then, and its an even better one now.

This will be my final post on the subject.

You people simply do not listen.

What I lost was not the ability to fly small airplanes. What I lost was the big time. large, multi-engine, turbine powered aircraft of the sort that is only flown by those who can obtain a class 1 medical certificate. military/commercial/airline, etc.

this was not a choice.

it is ~gone~.

It ain't coming back.

ever.


I am not blaming my son. and GOD DAMN YOU for saying that. I can't even THINK of appropriate cuss-words to respond to that. Thats gotta be about the worst thing anyone has ever said to me. Why don't you go take some more zoloft? do me a favor, and take the whole fcuking bottle, ok? What a rotten thing to say! and you've been in "therapy" for how many years? guess what, honey. it hasn't done you a bit of fcuking good.

this happened 15 years before he was on the scene. what a ridiculous statement!


I did the piper cub thing. I got my ticket in 1982, on my 17th birthday. I know what it costs. My dad has owned airplanes...I know what THAT costs. I also know what 6 kids, private school, and 14gph represents. (Bonanza? 210? ) But apparently, one has to go to music school to learn how to do math. dude, it means I make a tiny fraction of what you do. and that's fine, and good for you; I'm sure you earned every penny.
And good luck to your son. I was one of those kids...and you know what? it WAS a whole lot easier to come up w/ flying money then than it is now. (champ: 4gph, auto-gas, ~1$/gallon in '80). Last time I checked they were about $100/hr. I could move to Kansas and come up with a few bucks, maybe. But for what? a little bit of amusement? that is all it would be. It wouldn't fill any gaping hole in my life. Because again:

that is not what I lost.

did I mention that life insurance doesn't cover this sort of flying? did I mention that I can't just go buy life insurance with this heart condition? renter's insurance, without a medical certificate? are you kidding??
none of that is a choice.
I have responsibilities, dammit.
But mostly, I'll say it again: for what?? nothing more than a few hours of amusement.

This whole thread just underscores my previous assertion of the frivolity of discussing this, or anything like it, with anyone, ever. I won't make that mistake again.