Reply to: The CUK "I am a pilot" thread

[fullyautomatix]

The last self-proclaimed CUK pilot should be getting out on parole any time now ...

His wife was hot!

[AtW]

The last self-proclaimed CUK pilot should be getting out on parole any time now ...

[alphadog]

I got my PPL in NZ before I left high school many years ago. Only ever flew Piper Tomahawks. After I got my licence, I took all my family and friends up for a spin (one at a time obviously) - it was great fun. Initially I had intended to go the whole hog and do the CPL before becoming a professional pilot, but in the end decided against it for various reasons. I didn't keep up the PPL for long as I found the 3 take offs and landings per quarter a bit much to maintain, especially when my only income was summer holiday jobs whilst at Uni!

It was great fun... loved it. Not sure if I was a particularly good pilot

Whenever I get on a Ryanair flight these days I wonder if I could save the day should both pilots have a heart attack

[ASB]

Yes you need Group 2 DVLA if you want to take passengers. True.

However if you only fly solo, as I do, all you need is the regular driving licence.

National PPL (NPPL) Medical Requirements | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

When it was relevant to me years ago the EASA based licences were not even a twinkle in anybody's eye. You had a country issued PPL and undertook whatever was required in other jurisdictions to operate.

From the link you posted it appears I could potentially get NPPL transitioning through to an EASA LAPL with it being more relaxed medically. But even then it seems it is in the lap of the gods what the restrictions would be. Certainly no pax, quite probably a safety pilot (a cert with my visuals ) or possibly any other restrictions they dream up.

"If you have a past history of significant illness but meet the Group 1 standard for private driving, you will only be able to fly either solo or with another 'safety' pilot qualified on your aircraft type. A pilot acting as a safety pilot must be appropriately briefed. Other limitations may be imposed on individual pilots depending on the advice received from an MDA."

So still just as stuffed (and rightly so, whilst having to stop was disappointing it was certainly necessary)

[DimPrawn]

Yes you need Group 2 DVLA if you want to take passengers. True.

However if you only fly solo, as I do, all you need is the regular driving licence.

National PPL (NPPL) Medical Requirements | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

So what they are saying is, if you want to just kill yourself, it doesn't matter if you are as blind as a bat?

[GJABS]

I think you will find you are oversimplifying things. My understanding:-

I still cannot pass a Class 2 medical (visual reasons - more latterly neurological condition may affect it). As far as I am aware this is still an absolute requirement for a UK LAPL (before even considering insurance).

Without this I could potentially go self cert and obtain an NPPL. (Though certainly that would have invalidated my previous insurance). In this case I self certify and get a fitness to fly certified by my GP. However I can't do this.

It requires the Group 2 DVLA medical requirements (i.e. those required for "professional driving"). I cannot meet these. Indeed my HGV and everything beyond standard car was revoked and my licence medically restricted. Annoyingly it also meant I lost my C1 and D1 because these are no longer automatic (since 1997).

The only thing that this leaves is unlicensed. So I could strap a fan on my back as an FLM. That's it.

Yes you need Group 2 DVLA if you want to take passengers. True.

However if you only fly solo, as I do, all you need is the regular driving licence.

National PPL (NPPL) Medical Requirements | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

[d000hg]

Have you joined the Mile High Club ?

In a plane that size, it'd have to be a solo effort

I have a license to use my computer

No you don't

There are one or two pilots on here but they don't regularly post anymore.

Is that because they crashed?

[MyUserName]

I had a trial lesson once. I was mostly harmless.

FTFY

[ASB]

Sure flying is a tad more dangerous. But that's the fun of it. T'is a test of your wits..

As you can drive, you can now fly. They changed the medical rules a few years ago. What are you waiting for?

I think you will find you are oversimplifying things. My understanding:-

I still cannot pass a Class 2 medical (visual reasons - more latterly neurological condition may affect it). As far as I am aware this is still an absolute requirement for a UK LAPL (before even considering insurance).

Without this I could potentially go self cert and obtain an NPPL. (Though certainly that would have invalidated my previous insurance). In this case I self certify and get a fitness to fly certified by my GP. However I can't do this.

It requires the Group 2 DVLA medical requirements (i.e. those required for "professional driving"). I cannot meet these. Indeed my HGV and everything beyond standard car was revoked and my licence medically restricted. Annoyingly it also meant I lost my C1 and D1 because these are no longer automatic (since 1997).

The only thing that this leaves is unlicensed. So I could strap a fan on my back as an FLM. That's it.

[SpontaneousOrder]

I pilot a 2010 Triumph Daytona 675. Generally low altitude top-gun style.

[Cirrus]

A Life Wasted

I was trained as an airline pilot by BA.

However at the end of the training I sat and thought "Do I want to earn so much money in expenses I won't even need to think about what my salary is?" "Do I really want a bunch of air hostesses nigh-on raping me?" "Do I want to sit on the flight deck of a Trident just watching the clouds roll gently by whilst being plied with coffee by the hosties (who ignore the passengers to a large extent)?"

Well, you know the answer to this story. I chose to become an IT project manager. No brainer really.

As a pilot everything is carefully planned to make your work effective and trouble free. Everything you do is backed by logic and devised by people who know what they are doing. You walk into a party and girls' knickers drop onto the floor.

By contrast, the exciting life of a project manager is full of total ****ox, lying, cheating, comforting corporate spin that is just a series of anodyne abstract nouns that make no sense at all even after hours of re-reading, people who won't do as they're told and managers who have had no training in the theory of anything so trip over like graduate intake except they're curiously ten grades higher.

No regrets obviously. Crawling along the gutter of zero status has kept me away from any sense of self respect. When I, and the Buddist monks, line up at the Pearly Gates, St Peter will beckon us to join the fast track.

If you do fly, I recommend Pilots Paradise. You get a nice plane and accomodation for a fortnight in Florida and can just go wherever you like.

[FatLazyContractor]

I had a trial gliding lesson once. After we've landed apparently I was somewhat green around the gills Even so, I just wanted to get back up there. Never have though.

It's age innit?

[NotAllThere]

I had a trial lesson once. I was mostly terrified.

I had a trial gliding lesson once. After we've landed apparently I was somewhat green around the gills Even so, I just wanted to get back up there. Never have though.

[vwdan]

Fly alone by all means, same as jumping on that 1300cc superbike and trashing round lots of winding country lanes with your knee down.

Just don't put your kids in some 20 year old death trap "flying machine", poor little sods. As safe as putting them on the back of your Blade at 190mph.

Oh sorry mate, I didn't realise you were just straight up trolling. Carry on.

[GJABS]

You have two to the list!

Although I am out of hours, did my PPL when I was 17, PA-28/38 trained. Used to fly out of Manchester Airport with MSF aviation. Am used to mixing it with the heavies, which was 'interesting' to say the least!

Yes - a 747 could eat us for breakfast!