Strange Love

There are days when I wonder if there is something wrong with me.  Why am I not able to stick with a few interests for a long time?  Why do I have a need to try new things?  Why do I end up liking things that cost a crap load of money to participate?  Why can't I enjoy something like planting flowers or vegetables instead?

It may sound like I go out of my way to search things out.  And on some level I do.  I have an inherent amount of curiosity guiding me through life.  What I do not control is my reaction to said activity or event.  Who would have thought I would love being in a helicopter but not a Cessna?  That I would be almost repulsed with driving stick even though I can do it, effectively ending any hope of rallying. 

I didn't know flying a helicopter would cost so much money.  That piece of knowledge didn't exist in my data bank.  I found that out after I was hooked.  My intro flight where I clocked 30 min of flight time, cost $452.  A full length lesson would cost $537.75/hr in a R22 and $819.25/hr in a R44 (what I was in).  You need minimum 45 hr and closer to 60 to get your licence.  Oh yeah, and your helmet is going to cost $2200.

Approximate total price for a private helicopter licence will run in the minimum $35000 range (R22 -- which isn't recommended.  R44 is the way to go, so think 50K+) with a recommended 2 hrs a week in lessons = high cash output.  And the crazy thing?  You can't really rent one afterwards.  It's not like fixed wing planes.  Most people who go the non commercial route are thinking of buying one at a cost of 150K for a R22 and 500K for a R44.  I can see myself visiting my little helicopter on the weekends...

Unlike Cessnas where you can pretty much fly them "forever" with reasonable maintenance, helicopters have to be completely rebuilt after 12 yrs or 2200 hrs.  And it will cost around 89K to rebuild a R44.  How's that for a practical hobby?  Yup, I sure know how to pick them.  Unfortunately it doesn't change how I feel about them.  Consider yourself warned.

***Update: Here is a link to an interesting aviation internship for those living near Boston.***

Peak Experiences

This week has been so high on the "Fun Meter", we could barely contain ourselves. Guess who took an intro helicopter flight? Yes I did! And it confirmed for me it really was the helicopter I was interested in, not just the beautiful scenery of Kauai.

I wish I could show you my flight DVD from Hawaii. Am not usually one for souvenirs but I wanted a record of the flight and commentary. Plus I wanted D to see the smile on my face on take off. There is an interior camera in the helicopter that records the passengers during certain times and because I got to sit in the front beside the pilot (you don't get to choose, you get placed depending upon weight), I am right there in the middle of the screen.

My intro flight came together last minute as I was visiting a friend for the day who I hadn't seen for almost 2 years. We live far enough apart it takes some serious planning and a day off just to meet in Toronto. When we got talking about the "what's next" in our lives, I told her how much I enjoyed my helicopter tour and how taking the flight seemed to renew my interest in flight school again.

She knew I had taken an intro flight lesson in a Cessna a few years back and wasn't inspired. Then she told me we weren't far from a school. So of course I perked right up and we went online to see about availability for an intro flight. Man did I get lucky.

The instructor told me if I could get there within 1/2 hr, there was time. We shot off like a bullet. I took my intro flight in a R44 (you could choose a R22 as well) and I'm sure I did not stop smiling until I had a chance to try my hand at hovering. Wow,was that hard. I was all over the place even though I didn't think I was moving the control much. It requires some serious touch.

The "bad" part? The $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ it costs to attain a private helicopter license. When D told a friend of his what I had been up to, his words were "I don't think she could have found a more expensive hobby.". A subject for another post.

I've decided to lump all the posts from the beginning to my last one as one batch. My early years where I wrote a lot about saving money, debt repayment and work woes. I cannot say it was an overly happy period of time outside of some great trips.

That phase did see me transition to my current semi retired/part time work status. It may also be my "retired" status if I choose to do some work indefinitely. I will continue to update my NWIQ numbers as I still find it useful.

From this post on, Version 2.0 will be about living the best life we can, now that I've regained more of my time and creativity back, whatever it ends up being and wherever it may lead us.

Thank you again for your patience while I sorted out the role this blog was going to play in my life.