Just Joined

[Doug McCullough]

Hi to everybody,
Just joined this forum as it was recommended to me by a fellow pilot.
In my welcome I was told to let everybody know a little about myself.
Well I am now 63 year old and had a late life crisis deciding what I was going to do in my retirement so I started my instructions in October 2007 at Caboolture Airfield Qld where I fly out of now.
To date I have completed my Ultra lIght Pilot Certificate, Cross Country, passenger, Radio and Human factors.
Then I really set a cat amongst the pidgeons when I cam home to announce that I had bought a Tecnam Sierra ultra light aircraft. I was then asked (by my wife), what about my kitchen? Needles to say the kitchen hasn't happened yet as I felt we had to keep our priorities in order.
Anyway, enough of my rambilings, I will sign off.
Cheers, Doug McCullough

[GraemeK]

Welcome to the forums Doug.

Good on you!! A Tecnam's a whole lot more fun than a kitchen anyway (I'm trying to convince my wife the same, but with no luck at all).

Looks like we both had the same late life crisis (except mine started at 60) - what a great way to enjoy retirement and to set new challenges.

[Doug McCullough]

Hi Graeme, thanks for the welcome

[Decca]

Welcome to the forums, Doug, you've come a long way since '07!

Well if I had my choice between the kitchen & the aeroplane, it would be the aeroplane every time! I suffer more from flying withdrawals than food starvation. Maybe it's our age group!

Regards, Decca.

[dazza 38]

Welcome Doug, fantasic, a very nice machine the sierra.

[Tomo]

G'day Doug, welcome along, and it's great to have you!

Priorities all right! Who needs a kitchen when you can use the BBQ and High pressure cleaner, eh?!

Anyway you'll have to take your wife on flying trips over and around the coast, it's very nice up and along that way... Dunwich is a good spot for a picnic lunch.

Have fun!

[Relfy]

Welcome Doug! I was talking with a fellow pilot about some strategies to entice our better halves into flying and we have come up with a shopping trip. We will plan a trip to a convenient location, close to shops and demonstrate just how great it is to fly to far away locations in your own personal plane, in style and comfort to indulge in a spot of shopping.

Meanwhile, the pilots will meet at another location and discuss all things aviation and just generally tell lots of lies.

I'll keep you posted.

[facthunter]

Would be a pretty good kitchen...... Doug, from my observations, there are NOT a lot of wives who go flying with their spouses (or anybody else for that matter) in ultralight aircraft, so you might have to work on that. If you succeed, then it may work very well. My wife flew in the Citabria with me but it is not an ultralight, and I don't have it any more. We worked as a team in the air with her taking a big interest in the navigation and flight planning. I would also have her coming on the controls during the take-off and landing just to get the feel of what was happening, With the ultimate aim of her being capable (in an emergency ), of having a fair chance of being able to get it on the ground.
Your Technam presents very well and would fly very well, so it is not your earlier type of ultralight, (like a Drifter, which I have a soft spot for) and looks more like a "real" aeroplane, so it may have more appeal. Good luck anyhow. What is this business of being OLD at 63? I get to some aviation Do's where you could be the youngest there... Nev

[Doug McCullough]

Thanks to all of the WELCOMES I received.
It certainly encourages a person to enjoy and participate in this forum which I am much inspired to do.

[BlackRod]

G'day and welcome Doug! I'm following in your footsteps (vapour trail?) - from a distance. I'll be 63 pretty soon and its a close call whether my Pilot Cert or birthday get here first. Having bought the Tecnam and done all the main endorsements you'd be fairly familiar with the AIP - Aviation-Induced Poverty. Just hope that the kitchen doesn't provoke the other one "AIDS" (Aviation Induced Divorce). Oops, hope that last one isn't too non- PC.