How can we be of only one kind? I am happy to fly single, making my own mistakes and manages it, recognise, and push my limits away, go farther and appreciate the better performance of flying alone in my rented low power single…
But 2 days ago, I flew with the Daughter or a friend and his boyfriend (210kg added to the M&B of a limited PA28 cadet :/ ), and god they were so amazed. The guys in particular, 30yo, the geeky one “doing a lot of FA18 in MSFS” as he said, was almost speechless from the takeoff to the landing. Having him take the yoke and made some up-and-down and sharp turn, so much sparks in his eyes! This was really rewarding.
It’s a bit like everything we do: Shared joy is double joy, at least for me. That is not only via passengers but also sharing via travel reports and pics on social media e.t.c.
Flying alone can happen as much as driving alone does. If you go to work, if you fly to a meeting, e.t.c. there is not much reason to have passengers unless they go to the same place. The same goes for occasional recreational trips, just to fly to get your mind of the daily worries. Air-hiking in the Alps or something like that can be a cool experience alone as well.
But like greg_mp it’s those flights you do with passengers who come away happy which are most rewarding.
I recall flying with my wife to Bulgaria or to other places, to take pax to fly in’s or to simply enjoy the experience to see the world from above. Taking up some relatives in the AN2 after my rating in Bulgaria. Taking co-workers on trips which would normally take 5 hours by surface on a 30 minute flight home. Showing folks how safe and routine the operation of a GA plane really is, as opposed to what they might feel reading all the bad press about it. Those are the flights I relish most.
Apart: We need to spread our joy of flying, more than ever. Not necessarily only by taking pax but not much can top that experience. But also via fora and social media. It’s part of lobbying for GA.
boscomantico wrote:
some because they are worried about claims from non-family passengers if they mess up.
Typical German mentality :D
“Hey, can I join you on your empty trip if you’re gonna be drilling holes in the sky?”
“NEIN, there is a possibility you may sue me for something I may or may not do wrong, so I’d rather avoid that by not having you on the plane!”
I like both, flying with friends and relatives and also flying alone.
The type of flying is also different.
For example, on a nice IFR day I’d like to go shoot approaches in actual IMC, local flight. I don’t think any non-pilot passenger is interested in sitting in there seeing just clouds outside to arrive at the same airport as we departed from. Same if I just want to practice touch and goes.
But if I’m going somewhere to enjoy time at the destination, then I’d rather fly with others so that they enjoy the experience as well.
On the other hand, getting people to agree to come and put up with all the issues of GA is not issue. They must REALLY want to fly.
One needs flexibility to fly GA and this is something non-flyers can’t really understand. Sure, people say they’re fine with the possibility of the flight being cancelled on short notice due to weather or whatever, but the hard reality is that once you’ve cancelled on someone for the FIRST flight you were going to do with them, the chances of them flying with you at all go down significantly. Need to reschedule two times? That person won’t put up with it anymore.
I think the original post in this thread is just silly. People do what they want. If the OP thinks flying alone is a total waste, that’s up to him.
Some of my best flying memories are flights I’ve done with other people – the sunset flight I did with my mother-in-law nearly 20 years ago that remained one of her fondest memories right up to her death, for example. But if I only ever flew with other people (not counting instructors) I’d be lucky to fly 10 hours a year.
Fortunately, I thoroughly enjoy flying alone too, whether for practice or for a bit of sightseeing.
But if I only ever flew with other people (not counting instructors) I’d be lucky to fly 10 hours a year
That’s true for so many.
I much prefer travelling with others. Or if this is not possible, flying somewhere to meet others. It’s a change that happens over the years; early on any flight is good just to get a new airport in your logbook. I now have well over 200 different ones in there and don’t so that any more 
I find that when flying with people, the environment doesn’t lend itself to chit-chat, so the actual flight isn’t very different. Being with someone when you get there is different, but then when I fly alone I’m rarely going anywhere anyway.
I now have well over 200 different ones in there and don’t so that any more
MyFlightBook shows 158 for me. I visited every public use airport within 50 nm of KPAO, except KSFO, and a good many further afield as well. I’m surprised to see that I already have 27 airports in France, though a handful are places where I’ve not actually touched wheels to runway. And one where I landed, sort-of, but never took off :-( .
I guess GA is pretty quiet at the moment to be theorising such pointless dribble. Alone or with the first XV. Who cares.
I like flying “alone” with only the voices inside my head, as well as flying with others. Flying “alone” allows for me to do some things that are somewhat more impulsive and to some extend with higher risk (not saying risky!) – than when I fly with others onboard my airplane (or professionally) where the responsibility is naturally higher. So, with or without (flying alone) provides different benefits! Each to his own.
The stupidest reason why I don’t fly alone:
my aircraft is rather heavy. There is a small ridge at the hangar doorsill, then somewhat of a slope going up when pulling the aircraft out.
I can’t pull the aircraft out of the hangar alone… that damn thing is too heavy.
Really stupid, I told you… :D
