Well, I finally bit the bullet and paid for my AMA BEFORE the wife type could convince me we needed to spend that sum of money on something else.

Now I've a question..

Do I get with the club NOW (like I really really really want to do) and start flying, only to have to hang it up from January till April (I'm a tax consultant and expect 80+ hour weeks over that period) or do I wait?


More importantly, since I will almost assuredly start now anyway :P, Even if I manage to get solo'ed before my busy season hits, will I retain enough of the precious skill to not need an instructor again in April when I get back to things? (I fly a flight sim at home at least a few minutes daily. Probably wont do that more than 3 times a week during the season though)

just one of the many questions I am pondering :P

Join the club and fly while you can!
Your skill retention will depend largely on how much time you get to fly before you take a break. Like riding a bicycle, if you only coasted down the driveway once, you won't have much skill to retain.
What do you have against instructors, anyway? They usually know about 1000 times more than you, and you might actually learn something by getting around them often. I've flown for over 20 years, and I still learn something nearly every time I go to the club field and get around the other fliers.

And memorize my signature. It's the truth.

I'd go ahead and start now if you have the time. As to your question about retention, that can vary from pilot to pilot and has a lot to do with how much time you get now, and how well you take to the instruction. Most likely, if you reach the point of solo, you will be able to retain most of what you learned through a few months' hiatus, but it would still be a good idea to have a more experienced pilot on hand at the beginning of next season just in case you do need a bail-out. Many modlers take several months off from flying every year during the winter months to build, and may not touch the sticks for 4 months of the year or more. Most come back rusty, but after a few flights are back to where they left off.

That is really a personal call but if you want to get started I'll help you out if you do my taxes Just a joke... I'd help you out anyway if you were closer but it sounds as though you have already made your decision. Go find a club and an instructor that you like. Talk to him endlessly and determine with him the best way to get started. If you were in NC I would sponsor you at my club using the Intro pilot program and you would be good for 60 days and you would not have had to even get the AMA membership untill after tax season.

Hmm I need to renew my intro pilot membership...

Never put off what you can do tomorrow . . . or something like that. By all means seek out a club now. With or without a model of your own just yet. Probably better to waiy and get their recommendations (and maybe attend a swap night and get a deal on a used trainer). Even a few introductory flights short of the full schooling will get you started. You can browse catalogs all winter. In fact, we fly all winter here, though the club school does not run. I would recommend you hook up with a mentor before you buy. If the club has a loaner he can git you started on that.

Get a small electric and fly near your house when you can. The GWS Slowstick is a great trainer that you can learn to fly on your own and it is very inexpensive.

Many electric guys around here fly after dark under the street lights. OR you could get a micro helicopter and fly in the garage or the living room!

Jump in now and have fun!

FWIW - When I first joined the AMA, I joined in October I think and they made my membership active then and I didn't have to pay that partial year... so my initial sign-up covered me for roughly 15 months.

edit - I misinterpreted the OP... start getting your feet now as others have suggested if my vote.

somegeek

Wow!! Lots of answers so quickly!!

A little history for those who don't remember my first posts here:

I have a plane, a Hanger 9 Arrow. I have had it for over 5 years.. I was learning when I got it, but never soloed her. Got frustrated with A: my lack of ability to just be able to do it naturally (Impatience) and B: my lack of ability to hook up with my chosen instructor on a regular enough basis to do much good.

After nearly two years of frustration I quit for a time. Now, I am back at it, the bug bit HARD!! But I want to do it right to avoid the frustrations I had before.

In answer to the question "What do you have against instructors?"

Nothing!! I just don't have anyone around who seems to be able to get with me on a weekly basis EVERY week. Gee whiz but these guys have a life too dag nabbit!

Soo.. I fear having scheduling issues again. The upside, the local club, and my chosen instructor this time around CLAIM to have regular instruction every flyable Sunday of the year at around noon. The exception being flying events and family issues that take precedence.

The actuality, well that airfield is 5 minutes from my house (Yep I am that spoiled) I drive by it daily, and I have seen people at the field rarely, even on weekends. I especially look for people there on Sunday at noon.. it appears to be VERY hit and miss. This makes very little sense to me because it's a nice paved airway behind the Evergreen Aviation Museum, a fantastic Field but it gets little real use except events..

I expect when I contact the club's instructor and let him know I am ready to be a regular student he will show up for these Sundays, but we shall see.

Anyhow, my biggest fear, and the reason for the post was retention.. The should I start now, as I alluded too, is really a moot point since I know me and I WILL start now if I can..

I'm just afraid I'm going to have to have the instructor re-solo me next summer if I make it to solo this year..

I am with the do it now crowd, yes you will probably lose some of your ability over your down time and need more instruction after BUT you won't lose it all. Two steps forward one step back is better than no steps at all.

I would get started now and then get an inexpensive simulator like FMS for practise during your busy season. You can get in a couple of flights on the simulator over a lunch break. It will help your practise your new skills without having to go to the field.
Indy Park Flyer

Got FMS do use it [8D]

Fly now and tell you customers they have until April to get their taxes in. Dennis

FLY NOW and if you do a liittle trainer cord time in the spring its all good. might be unlikely that you would solo 'til spring any way so get some flying and building fun in this winter.... its always more fun in a club especially if they do winter building projects or meetings.

do it now man !! don't waste precious flying time the rain will be here soon enough then you can do everybodys taxes

You don't NEED to use the same instructor every time. While there are advantages to it there are also advantages to experiencing opinions of multiple instructors. If the club has more than one instructor work with all of them if need be.

Fly now, then you will realize how unimportant your job really is, or am I the only one who does this???

I've gone to work smelling of glow fuel many times

OK, its official.. My first real lesson since I left the hobby in 2005 will be this Sunday, (Assuming the weather holds..)

OK, I guess its my second, one of the club guys took me up on an Uproar about 6 weeks ago, it was fun and we shot some landing approaches, but the wind got a bit scary so we packed it in..

Unfortunately in my areas this is one of the reasons it is so hard to get student stick time.Of the 6-10 I've contacted since getting back at this only two are willing to teach when asked. The others sent me to the guy I'm going to meet with this weekend..