Bob Became a Private Pilot at 55 Years Old
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2019
- Bob and Jean Porter came into aviation a bit later in life. At 55, Bob decided to embark on becoming a private pilot. Shortly after he decided he needed an airplane, and found an Ercoupe for $5,000 in the newspaper. Needless to say, it needed a lot of work. The Aeromart at AirVenture helped supply him with many of the parts he needed.
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Good man. I’m taking my licence now at 69 and I shall be 70 before I finish. It’s never too late.
Good Job, Congrats....
I’m 62, Got my PPL @ 60 and IFR @ 61, just got back from a flight to The Bahamas from Kansas - AWESOME!!!!
NEVER too late to peruse your dreams!!!!
Thank you for the encouragement, I just turned 54 and Just started my PPL.
I am 57 and just started back pursuing my PPL. I started taking lessons from my Dad in 1973 when I was 11 years old. Now he has passed and I owe it to him and myself to pursue my PPL. Flying is expensive so I just bought a 1961 Forney F1A Aircoupe.
Hey got myPPL at 63, I thank God every time I take off!
I became a private pilot at age 56 and am building an RV-14A. I will keep going until I can’t keep going.
Love the Ercoupes, love the fact that you can fly at any age and on a budget.
Way to go Bob! Also earned my PPL at 55yrs young!
Bod and Jean, you guys are awesome. I wish my wife enjoyed flying as much as you Jean. Keep touching the clouds...
Well done Porters!
I’m going on 61 but I still haven’t got off the ground but I’m Definitely going to try and I love the Ercoupe because I wanna fly light sport and I know it Falls in the category of light sport ,someday I will touch the clouds thank you for sharing
I just bought a Forney F1 A Aircoupe 1961 model. Yes they began calling it an "Aircoupe" after Forney began making them. Earlier it was ERCOUPE.
Great video!
When you think you can’t. No excuses!
A really lovely story,and they own a genuine vintage 'Ercoupe' many happy hours aviating to you both.
Great story, I wish them all the best and safe
Got my PPL at 58. My first CFI was used to 18 year old students at the Air Force Academy where he was chief instructor. He was a skeptic who was actually afraid of his students killing him...so I guess my age really skunked him up a bit. He flew targeting aircraft in Vietnam. Turned out to be a real jerk.
I never left the ground, but I was flying thru the clouds on the Scenic Canyon bend of the Kettle Valley Rail Line....in Kelowna, B.C., Canada.
I just did the same thing, in June. Good going Bob...
Beautiful AirPlane!!!!!
Great story!
Wish that was me - bit late to start though at 74 and no funds!
Nope. There are ways you can get to fly. The EAA members in general will fly at the drop of a barometer. Get acquainted with the local airport personnel. My oldest student was 83 years old. He collected pop cans on his scooter for flying lessons. But that was a 'few' years ago. He sold his house and bought an Ercoupe 415C. He gave more flights to aspiring pilots than anyone around just for cost sharing on fuel.
Nice story!👍👍😁
Well done. I'm jealous.
Come on everyone ! It's never to late to live your dreams. Spend that money your saving for your kids. I got my Commercial Helicopter license at 56 🚁
Google "Legal Eagle XL" Ultra-light. You can buy plans and build it yourself. No license, no medical required. It's a single seater and flies on a 1/2 VW 4 cycle engine. 3 axis control and people say it flies like a light J-3 Cub. Lots of them flying now. Check it out !
If this plane is out of So Cal I have seen this one in the hanger --
I remember when the gov allowed light sport licensing and sport class homebuilts was supposed to make flying cheap enough to where I may get to build/own a plane and be licensed. That all turned to crap didnt it. 75 to 300k priced planes, more 1000's to get licensed...sad.
You can build your self a plane for a few grand if you are willing to forgo all the luxury items that drive the market.
I think the issue isn’t you can’t afford to fly, more that you don’t think it’s worth flying anything less than a Cadillac. Can you imagine if you refused to consider getting a car unless it was a quarter million dollar luxury machine? My first car was a beater GrandAm, there are aircraft equivalents out there if your willing.
Ha! Bought my beech bonanza for less than my pickup. Heading into the wild blue right now!
I'm 65 and so far my dream is dying quickly
The only way I can get a PPL and beyond at 55 is if I can get a job at the end of my 1500 hours at my age
Reach out and touch a cloud!
Windtee While VFR? Hmmm
@@ronrico4741 She must have been in G space during the day or in B space or flew with someone who was on an IFR flightplan.
It's a mystery we may never know.
Bob, you're not an Ercoupe pilot until you try to loop it! You MIGHT get her to go 5° above the horizon, maybe 71/2° if you zoom it.
Really neat bird.
Dick Johnson ...really irresponsible advice. Ercoupes can have weakened spars.
@@davidjose2193 It's humor not advice. Any 'coupe pilot knows the limitations of the bird. This plane was designed so that any GI could fly it. That was the concept anyway. The elevator authority, or lack thereof, will not allow the bird to hurt itself. You'll be lucky to climb 200 feet before the bird refuses to go any further. You might pull 1.275 Gs. The bird is stall proof, but not high rate-of-sink proof.
That's pretty funny. The Ercoupe wasn't designed with aerobatics in mind. For this, might I suggest a Yak. Guaranteed e-ticket ride.
If enjoying flying more moderately is your cup of tea, there's nothing quite like the Ercoupe. The open cockpit is yours at will, simply roll the canopy.
Few other aircraft have such a cool bubble between you and the clouds, but gliders...but their widows don't roll down at will.
@@robertborchert932 Erco has a bunch of pics of the "Ercoupe Aerobatic Team." ERCO buit a temwin coupe ala`F(P)-82 Twin Mustang. They built a strong center section and bolted the 'Coupes together at their stub wings, and 'viola.' The Twin 'Coupe performed at many shows. Wish I could have flown it.
If the 'Coupe were built today, it would give I-CON a run. I love the coupes because you can actually go somewhere in them. Just plane fun.
I’m going on 61 but I still haven’t got off the ground but I’m Definitely going to try and I love the Ercoupe because I wanna fly light sport and I know it Falls in the category of light sport ,someday I will touch the clouds thank you for sharing