Welcome to my aviation blog! I created this site to share my lifelong passion for all things aviation. As someone who has been immersed in general aviation for over two years as a member of the Wings of Carolina flying club, I have learned so much about flying light aircraft. I have my student pilot certification and permission to fly solo now. My goal is to complete my training and get my private pilot's license in the next year. Getting actively involved in the world of general aviation has been an incredibly rewarding journey so far.
So what is general aviation (GA) exactly? It refers to all non-commercial and non-military flight operations. That covers a wide range of aviation activities - everything from amateur pilots flying recreationally on weekends to corporate executives taking private jets across the country for business. Essentially if you aren't an airline flying paying passengers from point A to B or an aircraft involved in military operations, you are considered part of general aviation.
There are an estimated 300,000 GA aircraft flying in the diverse ecosystem that is United States aviation. General aviation includes several categories of aircraft: pistons, turboprops, turbojets, helicopters, gliders, drones, seaplanes, and more. It plays a critical role in training new pilots and opening up aviation as an option to private individuals like me. Many commercial airline pilots get their initial flight training background by first learning how to operate aircraft common in general aviation.
I have had a long family history connected to aviation. My grandfather always dreamed of getting his pilot's license and mastering the skies, but fate had other plans. Although his dream went tragically unfulfilled due to an accident, his passion for aviation continued to live on and inspire future generations of my family like my father and I. Being involved in the Wings of Carolina Flying Club and incrementally building up my pilot skills feels like I am honoring his legacy.
Due to me starting this blog after being substantially into my aviation journey, I will be briefly recounting events until I get to my current state. After I get there, the blog will resume as normal. For reference, I started my aviation journey in the summer of 2022.