Matt: Interesting question. Right off the top of my head, I think most pilots learn to fly for fun, but that emotion rarely seems to last. Economics has a lot to do with the ages of today’s pilots. Let me give this some thought, and talk to some friends here and there, and maybe the answers will be worth a post next week.

Jet Aviator: And the glory days of flying are not gone. You just have to create them for yourself, which is the whole point of Dick’s book.

While not edited very well, and probably self published, Polly’s friend Betty Kaseman recounts Polly Potter’s life and times. From her first encounter with aircraft owned by a barnstormer who flew off a beach near her home, to ferrying aircraft in World War II and beyond.

You are right – the romance of flying seems to be fading into the past. Pity – if we don’t know where we came from it’s hard to figure out where we are going.

Thanks for reminding me of the glory days of flying.

Questions:
Do most pilots fly for fun?

Do they risk finding other things do to that are perhaps more fun?

I ask after referencing the FAA’s 2007 demographic info. The average age of a student pilot is 34, average age of a private pilot is 48, and average ages of recreational and sport pilots are 52. I’m guessing by their ages that a large segment of the pilot population is not on the career path to the airlines, so they might just be flying for the sheer joy of it, which is great.

However, I also wonder about the recent growth in recreational flight simulators, and RC planes. Could they be capturing some of the attention that otherwise would be focused on fun activities in real airplanes? I’m not even mentioning all the non-aviation things that clamor for our attention.

A LGB straight through the toilet window. Excellent and right on the mark.

TTFN