One of the contentions among those who show up here in the Pilot's Lounge at the virtual airport is that those who are attracted to aviation have a significantly greater sense of adventure than those who merely exist on the surface of the planet. Perhaps it is because we desire to move in the third dimension -- and, therefore, seek to overcome one of humankind's greatest fears, that of falling -- we shun the mundane.Yet, somehow, for a majority of pilots, once the goal of the pilot certificate is achieved and the ritual of giving rides to friends is completed and holes are bored in the sky on some summer days, much of the magic has disappeared. Boredom raises its insidious head. The "Is that all there is?" question looms large. Pilots report a vague discomfort that something is missing; that there has to be more. And that's perfectly OK because, despite arguments to the contrary, pilots are humans, and are forever motivated by and looking for challenges and new adventures. After all, if the Wrights hadn't scratched the adventure itch, we might very well be visiting the sky only in helicopters and balloons, so it's OK to be dissatisfied with the status quo.Luckily, aviation has a massive mix of options and opportunities for adventure, so we'd be foolish not to explore those that seem appealing. In the past, I've written columns suggesting pilots expand their horizons: to fly seaplanes, ski-planes, tailwheel airplanes and to take some aerobatic dual. The idea is to go out and try something new; to further explore this world of aviation that so attracts us.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/features/the-pilots-lounge-76-and-now-for-something