Sociological Experiment

[markendee]

This is in relation to an observation of mine.

 

I have noticed a direct relationship between flyers and motorcyclists.

 

As a youngster riding bikes I was often accused of being mad to do what I did.

 

Now I am being accused of being mad for doing what we do.

 

A lot of the people involved in Flying seem to be bike people at least in their past.

 

Do you think there maybe something in this?

 

 

[youngmic]

Yep.

 

You lean both when you turn and they both hurt when you crash, bikes to planes, a natural progression.

 

 

[Guest ROM]

You will really should classify a little more precisely; ie; how do you rate and in what order of madness do you place;

 

RAA pilots, GA pilots, airline pilots, aerobatic pilots, pylon racing pilots, glider pilots, crop dusters, parachute jump pilots, banner towing pilots, glider tug pilots, vintage aircraft pilots, minimum aircraft pilots, ultralight pilots, trans ocean pilots, ferry pilots, circuit bashers, xcountry pilots, Antarctic and Arctic pilots, bush pilots, emergency aircraft pilots, heli pilots, fighter pilots, bomber pilots, ground attack aircraft pilots, airforce cargo plane pilots, stealth aircraft pilots, carrier pilots, surveillance aircraft pilots, balloon pilots, airship pilots, test pilots and etc and etc.

 

I had better stop but there are a lot more categories of pilots to add to the above.

 

Maybe they are just people who like to be little different to your average citizen and maybe some of them just like riding motorbikes!

 

Then again, maybe we are all just a little mad and some are a little madder than all the others!!

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Aah, this one has come up before. I voted 'was into bikes'. Mine put me in hospital for too long and busted one too many things so I gave them up. That, and the maniac drivers that are not 'bike savvy' in Sydney. On another note, if I pranged a plane and survived I am 99.9% sure I would keep flying

 

 

[Ben Longden]

I voted NOT into motor bikes... as a rider.

 

As a spectator (read; motocross, Crusty Demons etc) then yes.

 

As a kid I was into cycling a lot, and had lots of stacks. The worst was going A over T in a criterion and getting gravel rash down the left side.. chest, arm, thigh, leg that needed treatment by a burns specialist after three hours in Cas having the gravel picked out. That, and the gooseneck nearly cutting the femoral artery when I went over the handlebars..:black_eye:

 

The next worse was taking a corner too fast, as in WAY too fast, and losing it only to end up in a patch of stinging nettles. I was on my big sisters BIG bike as well...

 

Might have been $% years ago, but I remember that one vividly...

 

Hobby wise, I used to do search and rescue diving with the local rescue squad in black water as a 'hobby'. the training dives were surreal, at 15m in the Murray (YES...) with a raging current, holding onto the guide rope crawling across the gravel bottom in pitch black for an hour. (I had to press my watch to the facemask to see the glow of the dial). Great abdo excercise, I can tell you.

 

Next crazy hobby was sport and news photography... now its news vision for TV,

 

Glue sniffing, I mean model aircraft. Chemical abuse, I mean working in the darkroom.. developing and printing piccies.

 

But as a regular, clear water diving comes a close second to flying. Being able to hover in the water column is an awesome experience during a dive.

 

Folks tell me I am nuts, but then I just ask them how come that they have only JUST worked that out?

 

Ben

 

 

[Guest disperse]

I think that there are many people out there that would love bikes ..... but simply wont take that extra risk ...... put another way, I don't know anyone that dosen't like bikes ..... Except for FEAR !!!

 

 

 

And I think that it is the same as flying ...... Because the people that wont take that little risk with bikes are the same people that wont fly.

 

Any way I've been wrong before and it may happen again someday ;)

 

 

[antzx6r]

I voted yes also. I've thought the same thing before. On the scale of madness issue, I guess I fall in the insane basket. I've come off the mcycle a couple of times, breaking a couple of things and spending a couple of nights in the 'ER' (freakin' 4 wheeled metal coffins) and yes I still ride. Sill have all my fingers and toes tho. Had the odd nervous couple of seconds as a student pilot. ("Where did that twin say he was?!?... Think I might extend my downwind 4 a bit...eek")

 

Lovin every minute of it now tho. The navex stuff gets those... " F:censored: ! I LOVE THIS S:censored: " sensations of the first TIF, first solo, first everything I guess. Especially just to see all the early stuff pulled together to give you the end result. The reason you had to get into this flying thing to start off with...

 

Freedom Baby YEAH!

 

I think two wheels has the same feeling. ...And surfing as well.

 

In my opinion crazy is a bit strong tho. If it was the adrenalin, I would say yeah Nutter! But I hate being scared or freaked out like say bungee or other xtreme activities. It's the escapism or spiritualism?... I don't know. Not Crazy tho.

 

Crazy pilots don't live long and often take others with them. So anyone out there with a wild streak thinkin' Top Gun, "I feel the need..." Forget it! Go and get suited up for a jump. But if you're lookin for the same feeling as the early morning green room sessions or no traffic on the putty road. Well... Go and take that TIF! It's everything you thought it would be! :thumb_up:

 

Ant

 

 

[markendee]

Thanks to all who voted and extra thanks to those who posted.

 

I just found out today that Steve McQueen was a private pilot. He bought a Stearman biplane and trained in it in 1979. It was sold after his death along with his bike and car collection.

 

Another bike person who flew.

 

I am wondering if an ultralight is the motorcycle for the fifty(ish)

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Thanks to all who voted and extra thanks to those who posted.I just found out today that Steve McQueen was a private pilot. He bought a Stearman biplane and trained in it in 1979. It was sold after his death along with his bike and car collection.

 

Another bike person who flew.

 

I am wondering if an ultralight is the motorcycle for the fifty(ish)

One of my fav actors too (and I am only 29) That don't make them like that anymore. If you want the ultimate 'the motorbike of the sky' go for a Drifter. They even smell the same!!

 

 

[Guest brentc]

There was a member of my flying club who flew a gyro and used to argue with his son about how he thought the gyro was safer than his son's road bike and likewise the son would argue that the bike was safer. Unfortuntely the father was right and the son lost his life on his bike.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

There was a member of my flying club who flew a gyro and used to argue with his son about how he thought the gyro was safer than his son's road bike and likewise the son would argue that the bike was safer. Unfortuntely the father was right and the son lost his life on his bike.

Good point Brent. I can count on two hands how many 'customers' I had at the morgue from aircraft accidents. From bikes, I can't remember. Way too many.

 

 

[Guest jimbo_xyz]

Yes I've got a dirtbike and a roadie. No plane yet but it won't be long.:thumb_up:

 

As far as the fatality rate, any idiot can get on an over powered roadie for less than 20k and scream at 200+ down the road with plenty of other people to run into.

 

To fly you need more money and training plus there's less to run into up there.

 

There's more people who ride than fly....

 

But yes I have no doubt about your stats that flying is safer.

 

Sorry but I've done a heck of alot more riding than flying.

 

At the end of the day it's all good fun.:smiley4:

 

 

[Guest J430]

Darren, just to even up your stats. More bikes sold each year in Brisbane than there are aircraft TOTAL in Oz.

 

I agree, bike riding carries higher risks, I do not ride mine as a daily ride and very careful about when where and how. In fact point to point I am quicker in my Landcruiser.

 

I race cars and waterski etc etc......all involve speed, precission and most importantly SAFETY CULTURE.

 

So I have to vote YES.

 

All my RPT flying mates ride bikes some dirt (over 50 yrs old) and a fair number of my GA flying mates do too!

 

Keep it shiny side up!

 

J:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Keep it shiny side up!

Good tip

 

 

[shafs64]

after riding raceing bikes and i spent five years as a motocycle courier. and i am still here. have met a lots of pilots who ride bikes. my wife say i have three hobbies bikes plane rc planes and rc choppers. at the moment the bike is getting sold and i am going back to flying.

 

shafs

 

 

[shafs64]

i was read the start of this post where the person was told he was mad for flying light aircraft.

 

Our good friends at the media have a lot to anwser for. i work for a airline and we have so many people who ring up and ask are our aircraft safe because they saw a story on ACA about unsafe aircraft. some of these people will not get on the plane unless they are full of grog.

 

i wonder how many more people would take up flying if the media told the truth!!

 

 

[Yenn]

"some of these people will not get on the plane unless they are full of grog."

 

I knew a pilot like that once.

 

Only joking!

 

 

[shafs64]

bottle to Throttel :thumb_up:

 

 

[peter]

ride a small road bike on Sunny Sudays for fun - so yes vote for me

 

the other sport which relates well to flying is sailing -- planes are simply motorised devices with poorly adjustable horizontal sails!!!!

 

 

[shafs64]

like sailing too small cats as long as it goes fast.

 

shafs

 

 

[facthunter]

Riding/flying/sailing.

 

Tick me too. In the early days of flying, it was probably the speed element. Bikes cars planes all went fast. Don't forget that aircraft are not cheap items, and that factor would limit access for many. (till the basics that we have available came on the scene). The skills required are similar( coordination etc.). If you are a crook car driver, you'll most likely be a crook plane driver. Nev..

 

 

[shafs64]

Thats right. when i see the way some people drive i would hate to see them fly a plane.

 

shafs

 

 

[Guest munch]

Bikes

 

Yes, definitely into bikes, always have been. there wasnt a lot of hope for me with Mum and Dad both on bikes. I've dabbled in racing motocross, flat track and drags. Racing big multi-hulls was also a passion for quite some years. Ra flying is something I want to get into

 

 

[Bigglesworth]

Into bikes, and all sorts of planes, and windsurfing etc. I would even try base jumping but there aren't many tall buildings around here.

 

I want to know how many pilots are into bull-riding?

 

 

[Guest jimbo_xyz]

Bullriding

 

Joshua,

 

Good luck finding the bullriding pilots. Maybey the mustering pilots.

 

I enjoy watching but you wouldn't catch me up on top of a beast in a hurry.

 

I think I'll just stick to the dirtbike, it can buck enough when it wants to.

 

Cheers

 

James.