where alot of people have aspirations of getting thier degree after they get the kids grown up etc, mine is my pilots license and a small aircraft (with the price of a 4yr college, the plane is probably the cheaper route anyway!). i have an almost unhealthy fascination with aviation. I just never pursued it when i was younger and didnt have a family to support. with an unemployed wife and 4 kids its probably best i dont have plane etc right now since i would just be looking at it in storage... my wife and i plan to get the kids grown get our certs and i will probably pursue an a&p license as well for maintenance and repairs, and maybe a step out of the car biz to something better. but ultimately once we get everything in place we intend to travel around the country by plane instead of rv. we can take alot more short trips, and plenty of long ones that wouldnt be feasable to us in a huge rv.
the biggest thing that makes me wish i had one now is taking the boys on some flights while they are younger. my bug/love was started by my dad at a pretty young age by always getting me a flight in the old bi-plane that seems to be at every airshow giving rides for $x. at the time i never paid much attention to it, but looking back i realize my dad wanted a ride as much as i did (vetaran navy pilot for many yrs, medical disability took him out of military and flying as a pilot) and cost being what it was, it was him or me, not both. I always got the ride, and while it was great, and i wouldnt trade the experience for anything (or my dads sacrifices), it was just around the airport. I would love to take the boys like that on camping trips etc. some tx state parks even have airstrips with planeside camping. being able to take a couple hour flight to go camping is way more appealing than ANY length car trip (to me anyway). it would also give me an avenue to pursue ariel photography as well. ive got 17 more yrs ( iwont bore you with the months days and hours) till all the kids are out of highschool and on thier path to whatever, so i will let you all know how its going then!
ive posted it before, but
www.jetphotos.net is pretty cool place for TONS of pilot's photos from the cockpit etc...