No one can accuse you of being idle. Your plan for 2008 sounds like it would too much for a mere mortal… but it should be possible for Stephen Force (da da da da!)

Motivation for all of us :

Here are some statistics I worked out for a buddy of mine asking the question. I wish I could get more current numbers, but the AOPA website only had data from last year.

As of the end of 2006, there were 597,109 active certificated pilots, according FAA Estimates via AOPA.

This number has been declining slowly over the long term, down from a high of over 827,000 pilots in 1980.

The numbers include:

86,047 pilots in the student, recreational or sport category
236,147 private pilots
130,234 commercial pilots
144,681 airline transport pilots

Total population of America is 301,139,947 (as of July 2007).

Doing the rough math, FAA active certified pilots make up less than .2% of the population. That is 1 in 500 people have taken the time and energy to put themselves in the air. That is a rare breed when you consider that 1 in 50 people qualify for Mensa Membership (www.mensa.org). It makes me think of an old Navy Pilot quote I saw on the board in San Diego, “I did not say that I was smarter than you, I just said I was a pilot… the rest is just implied.”

Anyway, thought those were some interesting statistics. They makes me feel like I am working hard towards a goal that is worth reaching and puts me in a small crowd. Let me take motivation wherever I can find it.

Regards,

Student Pilot Rick
Houston, Texas

Current Logbook:
70 landings
13.0 flight hours