Does Anybody Fly on Here?
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Thornton
11-Jan-23
I bought a Piper PA22 last week and I'm hoping to use it for trips down to my friend's ranch in Oklahoma, bird hunts in SD, and local deer scouting. I found quite a few bucks in the summer when I was renting a Cessna 172. Does anybody else use their plane for hunting?
From: Bou'bound
11-Jan-23
From: JohnMC
11-Jan-23
I downloaded a free fly simulator app one time.
From: RK
11-Jan-23
Before you were born but not for hunting Mostly fishing destinations. Hard to believe considering how dumb I am
From: smarba
11-Jan-23
I grew up in Alaska, my family still up there, my dad's had a bush plane since I was a little kid...yeah, that's the number one thing I miss about being up there is flying with my dad. Totally different perspective on the world and you get to see lots of cool stuff and critters! I'm jealous of you, enjoy your flying!
From: drycreek
11-Jan-23
Not no, but hell no ! I wrecked my red wagon when I was kid !
Actually, I never had a red wagon, but I don’t like flying. My Daddy told me to never get any lower than digging taters and no higher than picking corn……
From: Thornton
11-Jan-23
I figured I'd see more pictures like this one. Note the extra oil he has ready. These old planes burn or lose quite a bit I'm told.
From: Ziek
11-Jan-23
I have something over 22,000 hrs. I got paid enough, and had enough time off to be able to go hunting. Does that count?
From: Cheesehead Mike
12-Jan-23
Not nearly as many hours as Ziek but I've been flying and have owned a plane for 30 years. I've used it for a lot of scouting but no actual hunting.
From: Altitude Sickness
12-Jan-23
I completed the Private Pilot training and was logging hours for the Solo. All through the training they pound into your head to guard against “Get homeitus” And other ego driven defects pilots can have, such as flying above your skill level and rating.
All through the training, those things nagged me. And I finally stopped flying because I knew they were describing me. I am not wired to be a pilot. I would push through in weather that I shouldn’t and every other cardinal sin of flying.
So I leave it to the guys that are wired correctly for piloting a plane.
I may have matured enough now for it. But lost the interest.
From: RonP
12-Jan-23
if you had a 'copter some of us would hire you to transport us so we could hunt public land that is otherwise not accessible.
i have plans to hunt a piece in CO this coming fall where they consider it an easement and don't prosecute corner hoppers.
From: krieger
12-Jan-23
Is that PA22 a nose dragger? I've lost touch with GA. Very cool...yes 30 years ago when doing airwork for check rides, I always seemed to end up over my deer spot. Not sure how that happened...;)
From: Grey Ghost
12-Jan-23
I've been up a few times in a buddy's 2-seater (sorry, I'm not a plane guy, so I don't know the model). Anyway, I don't find it too useful for scouting. It does provide a unique prospective of the lay of the land, but as far as actually spotting animals, not so much. I think a helicopter would be better for that purpose.
Matt
From: x-man
12-Jan-23
Back in the 90's when I lived in Denver, I flew a Piper Warrior and occasionally a 177 Cardinal cross-country back home to MN for visits. Moved back to MN and that winter we had mega snow (1997). The following spring my basement flooded and destroyed the cardboard box with my flight papers and log book.... I haven't been behind the yoke since. Never owned my own plane and its just not as pretty in western MN as it is along the foothills of the Rockies.
From: GFL
12-Jan-23
From: Whocares
12-Jan-23
Spent a lot of time in helicopters and yes, that would be really fun to use for scouting or looking over country. Love em.
From: Groundhunter
12-Jan-23
I think the planes are cool. In 1970 I was in my second air crash. Coming into Kadena AFB with 2 engines left, my flight engineer told me, don't fret, that's what the sand pits are for, ha ha. Make sure those marines are strapped in. Luckily my 26 year old AC, was a great pilot. Just some bruises.....ha ha
From: Bake
12-Jan-23
I keep threatening to do it. My wife is supportive. Uncle has a plane he'd let me use. Just time and money to do the training, and time is something I have very little of anymore.
I also worry a little about what Altitude Sickness described. I'm definitely the type to push, especially if it was just me in the plane. I'd have to get over that for sure.
From: Cheesehead Mike
12-Jan-23
Well Bake if you decide to push the limits too far you probably won't do it for very long...
From: Bake
12-Jan-23
True :) I doubt I'd push the limits too far. I'm not a dare devil. But I might push some weather issues, especially if I felt I "had" to get home
From: crestedbutte
13-Jan-23
JT….what year?
From: Coyote 65
13-Jan-23
Like Whocares, lots of times in helicopters. As the crewchief in a OH-58, sat next to the pilot where they taught me how to fly it in case they were incapicitated. Helicopter would be great for scouting. One of the funnest times I had was the annual sheep count on the Gila Bend gunnery range.
Terry
From: KSflatlander
13-Jan-23
My father-in-law is a longtime pilot and former air traffic controller. He use to take his daughters (3 daughters) boyfriends flying and purposely cause warnings lights and alarms to go off. He would fake panic to see if the boyfriends would pass the test and not panic, cry, or wet themselves. I passed.
He also use to fly for a plane salvage yard. They would send him in a plane to various auctions throughout the U.S. They would sell his plane and then buy a different one to fly back and part it out. Never knew what he was going to fly. Said he had to sit on 5 gallon buckets for seats a few times. He’s got some good stories and close calls.
From: Shuteye
13-Jan-23
One of my sons is a pilot. He has let me fly his piper cub and the Dragon Fly. Love the Dragon Fly. He tows up hang gliders. He was in the world championships in Australia. When he comes up from Florida he takes me over all the places I hunt.
From: NDN
20-Jan-23
Started and finished training the summer of 97 out of Ft. Leavenworth and flew a lot around NE KS scouting for deer and good spots on the Missouri river for catfishing. A flood in 2013 (I think) wiped out the FBO on Ft. Lvn and didn't fly for awhile until I moved to PA. Flew out of out of Carlisle airfield a few years, building hours until I came back to LV and haven't been in the air since. Thought about getting back in the left seat recently though and just got my new certificate without my SS# on it. I'll need to get a 3rd class medical and find and instructor to get current and back up there. Loved it.
From: SoDakSooner
20-Jan-23
I've got a 1968 150H. Learning to fly as well as my son who already has his PPL and is planning on doing it for a career. I have about 23 hours and have completed my ground work. Have been on hiatus since late spring due to some job change stuff. Hope to pick it back up this spring. My dad was a career pilot with over 30k hours, with a ton of that in a PA-18 and Aviat Husky, along with a bunch of other bigger stuff, up to a DC3. Always wanted to fly and just now at 55 am able to afford it....kinda....lol. I also have a pretty nice flight simulator setup. Kid had 5 hours in an SR22 this weekend, with an instructor so got all of that as dual instruction. He's a natural, me, not so much.
From: kscowboy
20-Jan-23
You know how you know someone’s a pilot?
Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
From: t-roy
20-Jan-23
Just pray to God that he’s not a vegan, too, kscowboy!!
From: Cheesehead Mike
21-Jan-23
Pops, I've had a few dates in the airplane too.
I've owned my Cessna 150 for 30 years.
From: SoDakSooner
23-Jan-23
Nice looking plane Mike! Mine was repainted just before I bought it and he didn't get around to striping it. Guess I got a blank canvas. Mine actually has wingtips from an L-19 and I kind of go back and forth on the OD green. He also didn't paint the plastics on the tail, so that's on my agenda at some point.
From: Arctic Hunter
24-Jan-23
Born and raised in AK. I’ve flown off and on my entire adult life. Mostly 150/152’s, 172, and 182. Actually trying to figure out a way into a tail dragger right now. Maybe this year some time.
From: SoDakSooner
25-Jan-23
180's and 185's are so high right now. Can still get into a 170 for a reasonable price, or an older cub/Maule/Husky. Dad just helped with the sale of a deceased buddy's cub last year. It was a steal. Fresh overhaul and "only" $85K. Ive even thought of going experimental at some point, either Kitfox, Highlander/Superstol, but the useful load is crap on those. That RV15 coming out looks good. Anyway you go its a buttload of cash. Maybe win the AOPA 170....lol.
From: glidingindian
29-Jan-23
Flew for many years in a 172, 206, 182RG aand PA 32R. Most of my flight time was recreational for hunting, fishing and dates. Loved it, especially flying to Bahamas , Kansas and Mississippi delta. If you plan to use it for hunting please push thru training all the way to your instrument rating.. hunting travel and weather go together and weather is your greatest risk. Once got stuck sleeping on a couch in Coleman Texas airfield for 2 days early on in my career due to low ceilings. A chip shot with an instrument ticket but a no go without it.
From: Bou’bound
29-Jan-23
don't know specifically about guys flying, but there is not a shortage of folks with their heads in the clouds
From: Cheesehead Mike
29-Jan-23
30 years ago when I got my license and bought my Cessna 150 my dream was to someday own a Cessna 180 or 185 or maybe a Super Cub. That hasn't happened and don't know if it ever will but the 150 has kept me in the air without breaking the bank and is probably worth twice what I paid for it. I have a small collection of muscle cars probably worth $150-200k and one of my thoughts was to sell one or two of them and my 150 to finance a bigger plane but I'm not ready to part with any of them just yet.
Several years ago I was offered a great job with the BLM in Alaska directing land survey crews. A lot of the travel to remote job sites was via airplane and helicopter. One of the reasons I was offered the job was because I'm a licensed pilot. I'm sure my flying experience/career would have grown exponentially and I probably would have gotten a helicopter rating had I accepted that job offer. I do have some regrets...
From: glidingindian
29-Jan-23
C Mike- make the trade. Lots of muscle cars and they get traded all the time, but your flight time is limited and cannot be traded. The 180 and 185 are pricey but there Are many more affordable options depending what your missions are. My last bucket list item after the blessing of so many incredible hunts was to buy a short field plane ( 180, 185 or 182 with bad ass Peterson conversion ) with my best friend. He lived on a farm with his family three miles away with a 2400 foot grass strip and hangar here in LA (lower Alabama ). An incredibly unique place right next to Mobile Bay. After retirement we were going to fly from his place here to my place in Kansas then his other place in Montana. Landing on site, no paved strips. We both retired , he climbed to Mount Everest base camp with his daughter for college graduation then we started our plane search. He died of a heart attack driving down the road in Montana to get groceries in July. . Forgive the sad tale but it has been repeated over and over here by the old guys in different forms. Climb the mountains, chase the sheep and goats and elk and fly the planes while you can. God Bless and hope to see the story of your trip to Alaska in your hard won 180 with your son/buddy/wife some day here. Albert
From: Cheesehead Mike
30-Jan-23
Great advice Albert, thank you!
