[This article contains 19 individual SEFSD member’s stories.
Six or seven will be printed in each of three parts. Please see the introduction in Part One here – ed]
XIII
- Tom Baker – Age 48
- Did you fly R/C planes before your First Solo, and if so, when did you start flying R/C?
Yes, I flew R/C in 1981 with a balsa wood airplane. Today with flight simulators and SAFE systems it’s so much easier to learn and repair!
- Year (or your age) of your First Solo.
Age 48.
- Location of First Solo.
Allentown, Pennsylvania.
- Aircraft type First Solo’d.
Cessna 150.
- If Solo’d later in other types of aircraft (sailplane/glider, propeller plane, jet), please include that information too.
None.
- Year (or your age) your Pilot License was earned (if you later earned a Pilot’s license).
2009 – Powered Pilots License
- Any additional ratings/certifications earned (Certified Flight Instructor, Instruments, Commercial, etc.).
None.
- Average cost of a single day’s training flight and ground lesson prior to your solo. I expect flight training costs have exponentially increased over the years!
$70 per hour.
- Anything funny, hopefully not too scary, or your most memorable lesson learned while learning to fly actual aircraft or anything else you may like to share with the SEFSD Pilots.
I was most fond of training on flight simulators, how to keep precision turns, horizontal figure 8’s, stalls, and landings which helped a lot before I got in a cockpit. I did about 30 hours of simulator before I got in the cockpit.
The instructor was quite impressed I was able to keep +/- 50 ft of altitude around the pattern. Learning how to talk on the radio was fun too, rattling off a conversation in the least amount of words between plane and tower. Learning a lot about the weather was good to know.
The scariest time I had was stall training where the Cessna 150 stalls around 35 knots and I got down to 30 knots and the left wing lost lift first putting me into a steep dive and spin. I was at 3,500 ft, so no problem in recovery, and I expected it at some point but it’s a wake up call to be prepared for your first spin.
- Would you recommend SEFSD Pilots learn to fly actual aircraft too?
Yes, if only just to take an initial flight. In the air in a small plane you are much more aware of how many souls are onboard.
XIV
- Howard Glen Merritt (note – this is Glen, T-28 Racer and Electroglide Flyer!)
- Did you fly R/C planes before your First Solo, and if so, when did you start flying R/C?
Yes and started control line at 5 years old and R/C in 1980 when I was 20.
- Year (or your age) of your First Solo.
1998 when I was 38.
- Location of First Solo.
KSEE, Gillespie field
- Aircraft type First Solo’d.
My 1967 Cessna 150 G.
- If Solo’d later in other types of aircraft (sailplane/glider, propeller plane, jet), please include that information too.
Tailwheel and Sailplane endorsements held.
- Year (or your age) your Pilot’s License was earned (if you later earned a Pilot’s license).
1999 when I was 39.
- Any additional ratings/certifications earned (Certified Flight Instructor, Instruments, Commercial, etc.).
Nope. Fair weather pilot and sailor.
- Average cost of a single day’s training flight and ground lesson prior to your solo. I expect flight training costs have exponentially increased over the years!
I traded time in the airplane for lessons from a fellow modeler, Randy Lake. One hour of training for two hours flight time and he paid for his own fuel. Total was about, $40.00/hr + my $225/month partnership fee on the plane owned by my father, myself and another friend, an ex-Navy Chief.
- Anything funny, hopefully not too scary, or your most memorable lesson learned while learning to fly actual aircraft or anything else you may like to share with the SEFSD Pilots.
Was going to keep the Cessna for 2 years and upgrade to an aerobatic ship, but the model airplane hobby, job, family and little pink house in the suburbs took most of my time. Kept the plane for 22 years, sold it 6 years ago. Don’t miss it a bit. Now I have a large sailboat addiction.
- Would you recommend SEFSD Pilots learn to fly actual aircraft too?
Only if they must. You have to have deep pockets now and a commitment to stay current to the point that you must fly every month to have the confidence to throw you and any passengers up into the bloody sky!
XV
Pascal – 2001
I’m Pascal, the guy with the backpack and the motorcycle.
I started building RC planes with my dad as a child as early as I can remember 9 probably no older than 5. I never really flew them, was kinda intimidated, but built, designed and fixed planes for my dad.
At age 25 I had mustered the confidence and cash to pursue my dream of becoming a pilot. Got my PPL and boy was I proud. Flying about twice a week to keep the muscle memory sharp and my ego in the stratosphere! I paid for my license and flight hours flipping burgers at Mcdonalds every night and weekend I could. (that was in 2001).
I flew a Robin DR400 and a Robin DR315. Flight lessons were $120/h and $80 solo. All flights were based in France of Corbas airfield. Beautiful grass, skydivers, and a big hangar at the end of the runway to keep you alert on rotation and V1.
Two kinda cool stories. One late afternoon in October, I was unable to locate our airfield and ended up circling around due to heavy fog. (VFR limitations) I was fine on fuel but I had not accounted for being late landing for my shift at McDonalds. I end up finding a hole in the clouds and fog, lineup and land, fill out my paperwork, and call my manager. “Sorry, I’m gonna be late, I could not land due to fog, the mechanic can confirm that if you need me to.” End of message.
The Manager looked at me on arrival: “I’ve heard everything in my career, but that tops it all!”
My nickname at MickeyD became Pappy from Baba Black Sheep.
Second story: How to impress your girlfriend and make your father in law furious? Overshoot your downwind, 90 degree turn with full throttle and over 60 degree turn to recover and realize you’re in trouble from flying over the edge of the restricted zone, perfect vertical of your sweet girlfriend’s house during Sunday lunch. End result: got a minor comment on the ground from the club’s director, major points with the girlfriend. Her dad……. noooot so pleased.
I find flying in the cockpit easier than RC, especially lining up for final approach. I would so recommend flying if you can afford it. Skydiving is fun but flying ….I mean… nothing beats it!
XVI
- Ryan Holmes – 2003
- Did you fly R/C planes before your First Solo, and if so, when did you start flying R/C?
Yes, started flying R/C planes at age 15 with my grandfather.
- Year (or your age) of your First Solo.
2003 when I was 18.
- Location of First Solo.
Jeffco Airport, now Rocky Mountain Metre Airport.
- Aircraft type First Solo’d.
Diamond DA-20.
- If Solo’d later in other types of aircraft (sailplane/glider, propeller plane, jet), please include that information too.
Th-57 (Bell 206 Helicopter in 2014).
- Year (or your age) your Pilot’s License was earned (if you later earned a Pilot’s license).
18 in 2003.
- Any additional ratings/certifications earned (Certified Flight Instructor, Instruments, Commercial, etc.).
Designated Naval Aviator 2014. Instrumetn, commercial CFI, CFII Rotor Wing, Fixed Wing. Dual rated military Pilot.
- Average cost of a single day’s training flight and ground lesson prior to your solo. I expect flight training costs have exponentially increased over the years!
Unknown.
- Anything funny, hopefully not too scary, or your most memorable lesson learned while learning to fly actual aircraft or anything else you may like to share with the SEFSD Pilots.
Don’t land a 50,000 lb helicopter near porta potties!
- Would you recommend SEFSD Pilots learn to fly actual aircraft too?
Absolutely!
XVII
- Alex Sutton – 2022
- Did you fly R/C planes before your First Solo, and if so, when did you start flying R/C?
Yes, I started flying R/C planes in August of 2018 with SEFSD. Before that, all my “flying” was on computers or a simulator since I was about 4 years old.
- Year (or your age) of your First Solo.
22MAY2022 (age 17).
- Location of First Solo.
Hemet-Ryan Airport (HMT) in Hemet, CA.
- Aircraft type First Solo’d.
Krosno KRO-3A (two-place sailplane trainer).
- If Solo’d later in other types of aircraft (sailplane/glider, propeller plane, jet), please include that information too.
10NOV2023 (age 19), Cessna 172, Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV) in San Jose, CA.
- Year (or your age) your Pilot’s License was earned (if you later earned a Pilot’s license).
Still working on the Pilot’s License.
- Any additional ratings/certifications earned (Certified Flight Instructor, Instruments, Commercial, etc.).
Not yet.
- Average cost of a single day’s training flight and ground lesson prior to your solo. I expect flight training costs have exponentially increased over the years!
Average cost is about $350/flight.
- Anything funny, hopefully not too scary, or your most memorable lesson learned while learning to fly actual aircraft or anything else you may like to share with the SEFSD Pilots.
Nothing to report.
- Would you recommend SEFSD Pilots learn to fly actual aircraft too?
Sure, if they’ve got the money!
XVIII
Quan Nguyen – 2024
You can add me to that list. Soloed 2024 in a Cessna Skyhawk 172. You can also add that the going rate for a PPL checkride is now $1,500… insane, right? Model airplanes are a cheaper hobby for sure.
XIX
Scott Rights (1/24/25 Mail)
Here are the survey questions for SEFSD Actual Scale Aircraft Pilots:
- Pilot’s name. Scott Rights
- Did you fly R/C planes before your First Solo, and if so, when did you start flying R/C? I started when my son got us into the hobby 11years ago. I was 45 at that point
- Year (or your age) of your First Solo. 1984
- Location of First Solo. Montgomery Field
- Aircraft type First Solo’d. C-172 and a Citabria
- If Solo’d later in other types of aircraft (sailplane/glider, propeller plane, jet), please include that information too. Sailplanes and sea planes
- Year (or your age) your Pilot’s License was earned (if you later earned a Pilot’s license). 1985 age 17
- Any additional ratings/certifications earned (Certified Flight Instructor, Instruments, Commercial, etc.). ATP, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Average cost of a single day’s training flight and ground lesson prior to your solo. I expect flight training costs have exponentially increased over the years!I bought 1/13th of a C-172 for $600 and then paid $30 an hour
- Anything funny, hopefully not too scary, or your most memorable lesson learned while learning to fly actual aircraft or anything else you may like to share with the SEFSD Pilots. When I was 18 and flying freight in a Piper Chieftain my mom called the dispatch. She didn’t want me flying because the weather was bad. They paged me on the loud speaker “Scott, your mommy is on the phone and she says you can’t fly today.”
- Would you recommend SEFSD Pilots learn to fly actual aircraft too? Absolutely! I watched first hand as my son Noah has entered this hobby. He’s flown helicopters, gliders, and fixed wing planes now.
- Please email me a digital photo from your First Solo, preferably of you and the plane!
I’ve flown the ATR-42, Saab 340, Citation X, L-1011, B-727, DC-9, A-320, MD-11, and B-767. I am currently a checkairman for UPS on the B-767 and B-757.
