Teach me: piloting stuff

What powerplant goes in that Pitts?

That's a Model 12 Macho Stinker. Not all Putts are that big. Betty Skelton's lil Stinker, the original Special,  was powered by a 90 HP Contenental. 

pilotbraden said:

I would get the fixed wing rating before a rotary wing rating due to the cost of helicopter operation. Learning to navigate and use the air traffic control system is essentially the same in a Cessna 150 as it is in a Robinson R-22 at much less $. I would try to find an instructor that owns an airplane that he rents. When I got my private, 1990, I rented a Cessna 150 that was owned by my instructor, the cost was about half of what the FBO charged.  I recall the airplane at $17 per hour wet and $15 per hour for the instructor. Fly at least twice per week, more is better. Otherwise you are repeating manuevers to get your skill back.

 

As far as making some money at it there are many interesting non airline jobs. I ran an air charter service on Lake Michigan that also did sight seeing with a Cessna 172. When I took the job I was not looking forward to the sight seeing operation. It quickly became  my favorite part of the job. I loved taking people, children especially, that had never been in an airplane and see them enjoy flying. Some other interesting work is powerline and pipeline patrol, wildlife surveys, coastal or riverine patrol, skydiving and instruction. All of those can be done on a part time basis.

 

If you want to talk on the phone let me know

 

PS Military service helps but isn't necessary for jet flying. I have about 8,000 hours Multi-engine time, 3,500 Turbine and 1,500 PIC in Lear 20 and 30 series.

EXACTLY what he said! Helo time is very expensive. Turbine time is required to really make any money and that is $500-$700 a flight hour. I worked in law enforcement for several years, was qualified in the Huey and 58. When they killed our aviation program I didn't have my instrument or commercial rating so I had to wal away from a career that I loved because I could not afford another $15,000 in training. If you do decide to drop the money and do it, companies like PHC will hire you shuttling oil workers back and forth to the oil rigs. Great way to build time and experience in some E36 M3ty weather. 

Can you do it now and make money at your age... ABSOLUTELY! There are thousands of ways to do it. I work for an airline now and I have friends that fly all sorts of odd gigs. One does survey work for Florida Power. Makes about $50K on that contract alone. Other one flies airplane parts around the country for grounded acft repair. Go get your license, get the hours for your commercial, get your multi and instrument rating and the world can be your oyster. 

In reply to Curtis :

Russian made 9 cylinder 400 hp  radial  made by Vedeneyev

Appleseed said:

That's a Model 12 Macho Stinker. Not all Putts are that big. Betty Skelton's lil Stinker, the original Special,  was powered by a 90 HP Contenental. 

Yeh but that model isn’t being sold in kit form. 

Nope. You have to build it the same way Curtis Pitts did. Peice by peice. You might be able to find an Aviat S1 or S2 kit from the 80's on Barnstormers.com.