Which one of the following is you? Tell us about yourself!

[yankeewhisky]

I have been flying since 1953 when I soloed a glider with the Dutch Airforce Gliding Club. Since that time I  held (and still hold) a power and gliding licence and instructed on gliders for many years. I am pushing 80.
I have flown gliders on cross country flights on a distance accumulation of more that three times around the globe. Problem solving during these flights ranged from easy to
high pressure and, sometimes, resulted in outlandings with the associated retrieve stories
that can occur when landing in difficult to access areas !
The rewards and the many experiences leading to completion of successful flights have been, and still are, a rewarding part of my life's flying experience.
My suggestion is that we take on the task of enticing young people away from computer simulators and invite them to the world of realism inherent in aviation of all kinds.
It might be the turning point in an otherwise dull life !

[yankeewhisky]

I just found the site and am a new regular. I have developed a major fear of flying since my mid 20's and am now in my early 30's.  I have tried medication and hypnosis with minimal luck.  I love to travel and want to overcome this fear so I can enjoy my time away from work (without always riding in a car).  

By the way, I am a control freak..............my guess as to where my fear originates.  Either way I am learning a lot from this site.

   You'd be surprised how many pilots are afraid of heights ! Not when in flight, because they have learned to accept the logical reasoning that instills confidence in one's own flying skills and the serviceability of the flying equipment etc., but when on land in a tall building, or structure such as a look-out it becomes a concern manifested by anxiety and that certain feeling in one's crotch ! I am one of those and found out I am not the only pilot through discussions with many fellow pilots. I suggest you place your trust in a person that can take you step by step through the flying learning process. Note the qualification "trust and step by step". Like everything else in life we need to trust something or someone to keep a lid on disasters!

[Jettsetter]

I have wanted to be a pilot since I was 5!I am 11 know,Everything that has to do with flying I want to know!

[jrsx]

Just changed my vote from student pilot to private pilot !!! 

[derg]

interesting cause of technology/culture interface....nice internet surf listen

[JasenWFO]

Was a Comm officer in the Civil Air Patrol years ago. I've always been fascinated with aircraft and telecommunications. This site is a shoe in for me.

Most of the way through an engineering degree. Probably wind up in the aerospace industry.

[Baseleg]

I work as ATCO at EHAM TWR/APP

[The_Duke]

I just discovered this website, and literally spent ALL day listening; thanks for the entertainment.

I am a former Army Air Traffic Controller (Hub Radio, Ft Rucker, AL), and current UH60M Blackhawk pilot in Afghanistan.  I like running, flying kites, and drinking beer. 

Although my internet sucks here, I still look forward to frequenting this site.  So, hello to you all, and thanks again for all the great content.

[Steelrman]

I just discovered this website, and literally spent ALL day listening; thanks for the entertainment.

I am a former Army Air Traffic Controller (Hub Radio, Ft Rucker, AL), and current UH60M Blackhawk pilot in Afghanistan.  I like running, flying kites, and drinking beer. 

Although my internet sucks here, I still look forward to frequenting this site.  So, hello to you all, and thanks again for all the great content.

The_Duke,
Thank you for your service to the country. The same goes for any other veterans who may be on the board.  Best wishes for a safe return.

[aviator_06]

I'm a Private Pilot flying since I was 14 and I am 21 now. Love going flying, then coming on here to the archives and listening to my ATC communications. Helps me a lot on good phraseology on the radio.

[highwire]

I am a nurse and I always like action and fast moving things. I worked in trauma ICU so I got my adrenalin rush that way. I also sail a single hull sloop, 30 foot racer/cruiser sailboat. So, sailing, in a way is similar to flying as you are working with wind. But certainly, that's about all there is in common.

I am amazed at what air traffic controllers and pilots have to do. Thank you for keeping people safe and alive! I just like listening to ATC.

I do wish I knew what some of the terms were, like "heavy". So, I will go search for that.

Heidi

[Zackrampage]

I have been into flying, travelling, cruising, and Playing flight simulator for a long time. Love everything about ATC and flying. I'm going to Law school if I get in (Wish me luck), but am a big flying enthusiast none the less!

[pinhead]

I'm a PhD student studying psychiatric genetics in Dublin, Ireland. I listen to JFK tower via this web-site a couple of times a week because its the busiest and most cosmopolitan. I'm from London, England. My grand-father used to be a mechanic for bombers during the second world war and my father spent a short period of time as a test flight engineer. I was brought up 5 miles from the end of LHR 9R/L. My interest in this web-site is in air traffic control dynamics and air accident investigation neither of which I follow with much conviction. I like working, beer, wine, schnapps, whiskey pool, chess, football, fishing, rugby, my family, friends and girlfriend who always says the right thing. I was saddened recently by the Air France tragedy although impressed by the amount of knowledge and wisdom brought together by this community.


"The real conquests, the ones that leave no regrets, are those wrested from ignorance" - Napoleon Bonaparte

[propwash]

With the help of a pilot-friend, I have revived my interest in general aviation monitoring.

I guess I was always interested in it since my childhood.  My Grandfather was a pilot for American Airlines way back when,  and has photos of himself when he was delivering mail in bi-planes back when he was alive in the early 70's.

My parents arranged for me to be on his last AA flight just before being forced into retirement on a LAX - NY - LAX round trip in a 747.  I don't know if this is family-legend, but I was told that he "took the stick" the whole flight back to LAX, and upon landing all the passengers went nuts clapping and cheering because we were on the ground so smoothly that most didn't even realize it.  I sure don't remember the wheels touching the ground - again being told that all the automation was allowed to be overriden by himself.

What I do remember is how melancholy the moment was for him - I couldn't understand why he was so sad, and I didn't know what melencholy even was until that moment being so young myself.

When we used to visit him afterwards, I remember my Grandmother telling me not to touch anything in his "den" which had all the memorobilia, photos, and a few really cool wooden models of DC-3's, 707,s and the 747.  I REALLY wanted to play with those, but man, they were off limits to me.

At any rate, here's to you Grandpa!  Maybe he's listening with me over my shoulder somewhere...

[Aeromexico687]

Hi Everyone,

 My name is Jose, I enjoy reading the stories and reasons you have posted for listening to Live ATC,
I have loved aviation eaver since I can remember, and I guess I also fall into several of the categories as you will see.

1-Airplane spotter since I was 8 years old ( 1973 ) in Mexico City.

2-Radio enthusiast since 1981 when I assembled my first Aircraft band reciever from a Radio shack sience fair kit, have owned several Air band recievers, and scannerrs since, (By the way I just found one of those old since fair kits unopenned on e-bay and bought it for old sake).

3-Aircraft Mechanic, Attended Sierra Academy of Aeronautics in Oakland CA, got My A&P Licence in 1987.

4-Pilot since 1991 (traded A&P work for flying and instruction from instructor with airplane that was building time so it worked out great for both of us I got my PPL for next to nothing except the labor for 100 hr inspections, tire and oil changes LOL) Flew all over the state of CA lots of fun memories.

5-Flight Simulation, I purchased my first computer in 1994, and loved it, have owned every version of Microsoft flight simulator since., being a fan of Airplanes and computers I have built my own home flight simulator which has 6 monitors, works great and I regulary fly it on Line using VATSIM and VATMEX and when not online I fly it while monitoring Live ATC.net.

With respect to my carrier in aviation I went on to get my Inspection Authorisation as well as my Commercial Instrument and multi engine ratings, worked as an aerial photography pilot where I built lots of multi engine time flying a Piper Aztec photographing Airports and roads on contract with several goverment agencies, I Currently fly a Citation 560XL and a King Air as a Corporate pilot. I fly to Mexico often and love comunicating with ATC in my native language as soon as I cross the southern border, not because I dont like comunicating in eanglish but because I grew up in Mexico city and my first experiences listening to ATC were in spanish, I learned to fly in the US and took 20 years before I flew in my native country as a pilot, now I fly south regulary and enjoy it very much.

I really like  listening to Live ATC.net, and now with the IPhone app and an fm transmiter I listen to it while I'm driving by myself, (other people would think Im Nuts LOL) this past weekend I drove for four hours in my way to San Antonio while listening to the Mexico City feed, clear as a bell, dosent get any better than that.

And by the way thanks to  listening live atc.net by the time I flew to mexico for the first time my aviation terminology in spanish was flawless.