You'll Have No Choice But To Become A Pilot After Watching This

"Chris Clarke" (shiftsandgiggles) 06/30/2014 at 16:35 • Filed to: planelopnik, mad props

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Unbelieveable flying fun was had at the Ozark Backountry Fly-in, held on Memorial Day weekend, based at Gaston's White River Resort in Lakeview, Arkansas.

Actives include 4x4 off-roading, fishing, and of course, some low level flying of the beautiful Ozark landscape. CubCrafters put together this wonderful highlight video that makes me want to drop everything and go fly a cub off my backyard. CubCrafters is on of the largest manufacturers of modern day Cub clones.

Grindintosecond > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 15:41

1

Gaston's is awesome. camping / cabin rentals, right next to a river for fly fishing (or regular fishing if you're not gangsta) plus a "lodge" for big pancake breakfasts and what not....wich is why it's so popular for people to fly in to their big grass runway for that $200 breakfast. (includess the gas cost and use of your plane to get there)

Autolegend86 > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 15:42

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Too late. Already a CFI.

Autolegend86 > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 15:42

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Too late. Already a CFI.

Chris Clarke > Autolegend86 06/30/2014 at 15:45

9

In that case..

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npg > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 15:55

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After watching this and the Cub video from last week I really want to fly one now.

dragonfli-labs > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 15:58

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Heh — I've never been in a plane until Saturday (family's always driven everywhere) — took an intro flight (flew and landed — taxiing was tricky!) — and today got my FAA medical/student pilot certificate. Can't wait to do this shiznit!

Chris Clarke > dragonfli-labs 06/30/2014 at 16:01

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That a boy! What plane are you training in?

idleshell > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:02

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The modern cubs from CubCrafters and Legend are fantastic. I grew up flying a J3 with my grandfather (my first flight instructor). We thought we were hot b/c we had an after market electric starter.

A few years ago he bought himself a Legend (really wanted the Carbon Cub from CubCrafters but the $ wasn't right). The "new" Cubs fly every day as good as the warmest recollection of flying a J3. We put ours on straight floats (Beaumans) and it was the most fun I've ever had in an airplane. We're waiting for Whipaire's promised retract floats and then it'll be over to those.

TL;DR: these planes are awesome. Get in one, learn to fly a tail wheel. Keep GA alive.

desertdog5051 > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:03

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Talk about STOL.

Okie-in-TX CTS-V Wagon > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:04

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Gaston's is great! And the trout fishing on the White River is some of the best in the country if you're not into treking up in the Northwest states.

Chris Clarke > idleshell 06/30/2014 at 16:05

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My first Cub flight was a J-3 on strait floats. Fan-freaking-tastic. Also put in a few hours in a Legend. Super solid aircraft and a joy to fly.

BurninatorDagron > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:08

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Super cub with big tires and a STOL kit.

Best. combo. ever.

Could land the damn thing in a cul-de-sac.

npg > dragonfli-labs 06/30/2014 at 16:08

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I took my intro in 25mph winds. Taxing was indeed an interesting experience I reflexively kept trying to "drive" the plane with the yoke. It took a few lessons to get used to steering with my feet, and I still catch myself going for the yoke every in a while. Good luck, its fun.

Thunder > dragonfli-labs 06/30/2014 at 16:11

3

Welcome to the club. Something like 0.2% of the population are pilots.

I'm going for my night checkout with my flying club this evening.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > dragonfli-labs 06/30/2014 at 16:15

0

Excellent. My best advice as a CFI is to find an instructor you're comfortable with. Nothing squashes aviating dreams faster than a jackass in the right seat.

vailima750 > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:26

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It just makes me want to live in the Ozarks OHWAITTOOLATE we're awesome.

"I'd rather be president of Missouri" - Abraham Lincoln

toyotasupraman > npg 06/30/2014 at 16:28

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Hell, I think a Jalop or two would try to drift a plane with a yoke.

I can't countersteer with this? Not even a dab of oppo? That's horse-manure!

OhThatLittleFrail > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:28

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Did some backcountry flying (well, riding along) in a Kolb Firestar this weekend. Hands down the most fun I've ever had in an airplane.

barreto > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:30

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I took my check-ride a few weeks after I turned 17. There are very few things in life as fun as flying. My dad and I take his Super Cub or his 182 up as often as we can. I would highly encourage anyone to take a few flying lessons or get your license. It's addicting.

Grindintosecond > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:31

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CFI's make ramen money as it is.....at least they did when I taught...

npg > toyotasupraman 06/30/2014 at 16:32

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Funny you say that. I was working on forward slips to lose a bunch of altitude before landing yesterday and that involves full left aileron and full right rudder. Airplane Oppo.

Daddy's Beigemobile > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:56

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Old men have the best toys. I always see them in Corvettes and airplanes. That confirms it, I want to be an old man when I get old.

Kerberos824 > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 16:57

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Great. Like all my other hobbies weren't expensive enough.

Steven Phillips Photography > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 17:19

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Awesome.

Zhesty > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 17:25

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Seriously, why do all the work when you can just ride along and actually enjoy the scenery. The guy doing the photography may be a pilot, but I really hope he isn't flying.

PS Kinja doesn't like strikethrough and hyperlinks.

Dar > Kerberos824 06/30/2014 at 17:54

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QFT. Unfortunately :(

bwwooster > Kerberos824 06/30/2014 at 19:22

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Just what I thought after seeing the prices on Cubcrafters' site. Yikes!

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 19:54

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Can I play through?

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > desertdog5051 06/30/2014 at 20:13

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I've seen some bush planes take off in not much more than the lengths of their bodies.

dragonfli-labs > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 21:05

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172.

f86sabre > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 21:58

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one of my best memories is camping under the wing of my uncles Cessna 195 at Oshkosh in the 90s. Plane camping is a good time.

Also, private pilot here. Sadly, not current.

Paul Thompson > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 22:59

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No choice but to become a pilot? My wallet disagrees, sadly. :(

Hifrequency > Chris Clarke 06/30/2014 at 23:07

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Carbon cubs are one of my favorites! I bought one of these RC's just because! Full flaps everything!

Kevin Miller > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 00:42

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Those are Carbon Cub's and are STUPID expensive. Your looking at $200,000 easy! For that money, I would rather have an Icon A5.

UpstairsCubicle > dragonfli-labs 07/01/2014 at 00:51

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Congrats man. Stick with it. It is truly a surreal feeling when you are up there alone putting around. Everything looks cooler from above.

Feel fortunate that you made it past the test that killed my hopes of being a pilot. I completely failed the color blind test and I honestly didn't think it was a big deal, but after telling the doc my grand plans to become an airline pilot, the look on his face was crushing. He had to mark my medical for no night flight due to the color light in the event that all electronics go out in your airplane. Although there is a way around the color blind test by doing a checkride with FAA, I was absolutely discourages at the age of 17 just before my first solo. I had a golden ticket with free lessons and a quarter share in a 1947 Luscombe(Deloris). I should have pursued it, but I didn't — I was ready for my written test and had all but my night cross country hours done.

Not sure why I decided to waste your time with my somber story, when yours was exciting. Anyway, be safe out there and enjoy it for me. :) Best of luck.

MrPedantic > UpstairsCubicle 07/01/2014 at 00:57

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I have a similar story. It's horribly crushing. I've fought for it, but it's been an uphill battle.

MrPedantic > BurninatorDagron 07/01/2014 at 01:03

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Well technically most of them were carbon cub's. But they're even more impressive :)

Supercharged-V8-Jag > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 02:16

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Makes me miss my days of flying...

Simplify, then add beer > Zhesty 07/01/2014 at 02:22

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Generally speaking this site is full of people who prefer to be in the driver's seat...

Kevin Barrett > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 05:06

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That was the whitest thing I've ever seen.

Nick drives Stick (not Stig) > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 05:42

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Believe me, with what he makes as a CFI he practically does it for free...

Nick drives Stick (not Stig) > Paul Thompson 07/01/2014 at 05:46

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If you commit and fly 3+ times a week you can do it in under 50 hours. Claim it to be work related education and tax deduct the full amount with the IRS. That's what I did. Cost me around $8K and the deducted the full amount, so net cost ended being just over $5K.

DouglasEOlszews > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 07:26

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last pay check was $9500 working 12 hours a week online. My neighbour's sister has been averaging 15k for months now and she works about 20 hours a week. I can't believe how easy it was once I tried it out.

This is what I do,,,,,,,,,,

www.bam80.com

DouglasEOlszews > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 08:20

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last pay check was $9500 working 12 hours a week online. My neighbour's sister has been averaging 15k for months now and she works about 20 hours a week. I can't believe how easy it was once I tried it out.

This is what I do,,,,,,,,,,

www.bam80.com

Zhesty > Simplify, then add beer 07/01/2014 at 08:55

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I'd agree with that. My point is that the video is heavy on scenery, which a touch of comradery. If I ever became a pilot I'd do it for the actual technical parts and feeling the flight vs. the scenery. There are plenty of other things you can do for scenery imo.

TheIglu > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 09:09

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Unfortunately, flying makes road racing motorcycles seem cheap. It's a rich man's sport that keeps getting more expensive. Fuel doubled just in the 2 years I was getting my license.

venable_STEVEN > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 09:10

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I feel like I was just suckered into watching a commercial for Gaston or CubCrafters..... #duped

Chris Clarke > Kevin Miller 07/01/2014 at 09:11

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The Icon A5 is vaporware.

Chris Clarke > Paul Thompson 07/01/2014 at 09:12

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Start saving now. Only takes 20 hours to get your sport certificate.

RidgeR5 > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 07/01/2014 at 09:30

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noise > Zhesty 07/01/2014 at 11:08

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kinja doesnt like strikethroughs anything

Kevin Miller > Chris Clarke 07/01/2014 at 22:00

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http://iconaircraft.com/newsletter.htm…

MGBhoon > Nick drives Stick (not Stig) 07/02/2014 at 02:06

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I already have my commercial, but rentals and fuel have gotten too pricey to keep up with it on a regular basis. I used to rent 152s for 40 bucks an hour with fuel just 10 years ago...now you cant touch anything under 140 an hour.

Nick drives Stick (not Stig) > MGBhoon 07/02/2014 at 04:14

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Really? I fly with PlusOne in San Diego and you can rent a 172 or Cherokee for $95 and up, wet. A 182T will set you back $165 and upwards and if you want a twin you're getting close to $300 an hour.

I always try to go on trips with friends, split the cost and fly cheap that way...

Chris Clarke > Kevin Miller 07/02/2014 at 09:30

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I believe that link confirms that the A5 is indeed vaporware.

UpstairsCubicle > MrPedantic 07/02/2014 at 20:44

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Im sorry man, it definitely disrupted what my goals and plan were at the time. From the way you said it, sound like it turned out to be a success story? I really hope so.

MrPedantic > UpstairsCubicle 07/02/2014 at 21:02

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It has indeed. But I'll probably never be able to get a European license, which I had planned on initially. Managed to squeeze thru the FAA medical though!

PyramidHat > dragonfli-labs 07/03/2014 at 00:51

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Well done, good sir!

PyramidHat > Kerberos824 07/03/2014 at 00:54

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Flying was invented to make boat ownership look cheap...

Jeff Glucker > Chris Clarke 07/03/2014 at 12:27

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Damn, that was very nicely shot and put together... I've never flown a plane, and now I want a Cub

Jeff Glucker > UpstairsCubicle 07/03/2014 at 12:29

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A friend attended the Air Force Academy with dreams of being an astronaut... he failed the vision test each time.

So he became a legit rocket scientist and now works for Boeing. Not as cool, of course but I find his work stories fascinating.

RD > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/03/2014 at 17:56

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Excellent point - wish I had that advice when I started. It turned out OK…just took a bit longer.

UpstairsCubicle > Jeff Glucker 07/03/2014 at 19:29

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Very nice. If you are motivated enough, things will find a way to work out.