Other aviation related hobbies.

[scapilot]

I know this is a forum related to scale model building, but I'm curious, since so much of model building is associated with aviation related subjects, how many people out there have other aviation related hobbies?? I actually got into building models because I do have such a passion for aviation. So I figured I'd ask. My other hobby (which has been equally as expensive to ensue) has been flight simulation.

So, I'm curious to hear what others do when the airshows aren't in town, and the aviation museums don't exist in the area to curb the appetite for all things aviation. Feel free to post pics if you have any. I'll start out with a few shots of my "pit".

[Ryan Hothersall]

Yes I have Flight Sim X installed on the computer.

Also spend quite a bit of time at the airport watching and photographing real aircraft.

My Photos.

[Iain 32nd]

When I can (and can afford it!) I go fly (Private Pilots Licence).

Here's me (on left) with my buddy Chris last June during our Flying Clubs 6 day expedition around France. Aircraft is ex. RAF Scottish Aviation Bulldog and we're at Millau airfield in the South of France.

Also had first go in a hot air balloon - tethered solo in the RAF single-seater - now hoping to get balloon licence :)

Blue skies...

Iain

Edited December 5, 2012 by Iain 32nd

[Shawn M]

I fly RC electric planes and gliders as well as read a lot of related books.

[airea]

Other than scale modelling (in which i am quite a rookie), i am interested in;

Paragliding ( great way of flying, try it at least once in your life)

Simming (dcs a-10 mostly)

Photography

Mountain biking.

[Ken Cartwright]

I took flying lessons for a while several years ago, but didn't have the time and money to keep up with it and haven't gotten back to it.

I do a lot of photography (www.techflyer.net), and also flight simming, trying to get into the BMS add-on to Falcon 4.0 right now. I'm also a member of the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

[The_Animal]

I do wildlife photography for my profession - I do aviation photography (mainly civil) for a hobby.

[Flyingfortress]

I love just looking up and seeing what's flying over, then take a look at Flightawares to see who/what it is. Best thing is being surprised by a passing C-17, very occasional BUFF or high flying Herky bird.

[Jay Chladek]

I have an FAA pilots license and owned my own aircraft from 2005 to 2007 (a 1975 Grumman AA-5 Traveller). I had to sell the plane though when I lost my full time job at the time, but one day soon I hope to be back in the air once I get my class III medical up to date. I loved that plane as I used it for some fun cross countries to model shows.

I've dabbled a little in aviation photography, which helped out to get me press credentials for some of the shuttle and rocket launches flying from KSC after 2006:

I am finishing up a space program book manuscript right now and it is slated for publishing in mid-2014. I'm hoping it will springboard me into a little different career path as right now the job search hasn't been going all that well locally.

Other than that, I also have a small RC electric plane I fly periodically, a coaxial helicopter and a decent set of controls for my PC when I fly IL-2 Sturmovik (joystick with a throttle and rudder pedals). But my joystick recently crapped out and I haven't been able to replace it yet. But, I've found that staying off the games has given me more time to focus on my model building at least.

[falcon20driver]

Playing with jets. If they didn't pay me to do this I'd certainly be trying to get enough money to pay them. Also, reading a lot of autobiographies about former pilots and flying stories.

Edited December 7, 2012 by falcon20driver

[fulcrum1]

I get to ride and exit with grace out of helicopters every now and then

Edited December 7, 2012 by fulcrum1

[Sebastijan]

Besides my ATC job and aviation photography (my work can be seen if you click the banner in my signature) I also fly flight simulators - currently the DCS: A-10C sim.

Here are some screenshots I made recently in the sim

Aerial refuelling, quite a hard task to master

Sunrise over Black Sea

Hog formation over the moutains

Taxiing at Senaki AB

Low level over sun lit Black sea

[Red Dog]

Modelism took to to flight sims, flight sims took me to real flying :)/>

Not the same kind of aircraft though :)

[scapilot]

Red Dog, is that a home setup for the Falcon? Where'd you come across the MCP?

[Red Dog]

Yep, BMS 4.32.

CP is homemade in wood. Full detail of the build is here:

http://viperpits.org/smf/index.php?topic=537.0

Took me a bit longer than the usual 1/32 model though :)

[scapilot]

I haven't touched any Falcon 4 since the Allied Force release. However, I was all over it back in '98 when it first launched. Sad you don't see that kind of thought go into fighter simulations anymore. Hell, for what it's worth, ACES studios even shut down the Microsoft variety a few years back, so FSX is as good as it will get. People were raving for months after ACES closed about how all their talent was going to carry on the legacy in an independent studio effort, but man, that's been three years now, and still nothing but crickets. I think someone certainly needs to breath some new life into that genre for sure. Falcon 4 was waaay ahead of it's generation. Nice setup though. I got most of my stuff for my home cockpit from flightsim.com's pilot shop. Sadly, my rig has been packed up in storage for the past year since I lost my place. But I'm looking at getting into another house this spring, so I'm hopeful to be able to get all that stuff back up and running. I miss it dearly.

[HOLMES]

Read aviation related books..and drool over books with photos of TOMCATS etc :wub:

[Cap'n Wannabe]

Been in and out of R/C aircraft (currently out - no time or space), and learnt to fly when I was 17. More recently, upgraded my PPL to a Recreational Aviation instructor rating - light sport aircraft - and working towards CPL then GA instructor rating.