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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
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Starting flight school 1
#18826541 - 09/11/13 05:18 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Officially starting ground flight school & flying lessons on October 7th. Fucking STOKED. Always dreamed of this as a kid, never thought I'd actually pursue it though. Uncle of mine is a cargo pilot for UPS and talked me into starting up an aviation career that I thought was a long lost dream.
I doubt I will make a career flying in the long run, but if I do, it is just an added bonus.
Should have my PPL in 5-6 months once I start. Going to be flying 12 hours a month.
Anyways, thought I'd share how stoked I am.
Any other private pilots in here?
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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Fire is Born
wanderer



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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18826546 - 09/11/13 05:20 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Awesome dude. You in US
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
Posts: 2,551
Loc: Under a Mushroom
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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Quote:
Fire is Born said: Awesome dude. You in US
Indeed I am, Washington to be exact.
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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Fire is Born
wanderer



Registered: 05/17/10
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18826551 - 09/11/13 05:23 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Jealous. Though I want to do heli. Just too goddamn expensive. Maybe in the future. Enjoy mang
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
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Quote:
Fire is Born said: Jealous. Though I want to do heli. Just too goddamn expensive. Maybe in the future. Enjoy mang
In all actuality, I believe it is cheaper than a fixed wing PPL. It IS more expensive when it comes to Heli rental + flight instructor ($300/hr + $65/hr) but I believe you only need 15 hours of logged flight time for a rotery wing. Don't quote me on this, this is just what I have heard though.
So 15 hours at $400 an hour is a bit cheaper than $165 an hour at 65 hours.
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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VivaLaMushie
RIP LS :(



Registered: 07/23/12
Posts: 15,711
Loc: Switzerland
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18826568 - 09/11/13 05:29 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Good job Matt!! Good luck sweetie!
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
Posts: 2,551
Loc: Under a Mushroom
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Quote:
VivaLaMushie said: Good job Matt!! Good luck sweetie!
Thank you Viva! 
I'm so stoked to be able to wake up one day next summer, and just say "You know what, I think I'm going to go fly to the beach today." It's going to be so awesome, the freedom and the rush, gaah, stoked.
Honestly, more excited to invite a girl out on a flight over the city of Portland at dusk. Doubt anyone will top that date ;D
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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Fire is Born
wanderer



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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18826596 - 09/11/13 05:41 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Will check it out some more
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stanski
Stranger
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18826604 - 09/11/13 05:50 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Just be careful of the costs and be aware how hard it is to get hired in the industry without having an air force background. Sounds like you've got an "in" with your uncle so this might not be as much of a concern now, but the bills can really rack up and you are going to be competing with people for jobs who "proudly served this country" etc. etc.
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: stanski]
#18826611 - 09/11/13 05:53 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
stanski said: Just be careful of the costs and be aware how hard it is to get hired in the industry without having an air force background. Sounds like you've got an "in" with your uncle so this might not be as much of a concern now, but the bills can really rack up and you are going to be competing with people for jobs who "proudly served this country" etc. etc.
If I go to college and get a 4 year degree, I will definitely see if I can get into a flight school with the Navy or Air Force. Right now as it stands, I wouldn't even get my packet reviewed for flight school. Fucked up too much in high school.
Also, most pilots who come out of the military go for ATP (Airline Transportation Pilot) career, instead of a ACP. Although both fields are competitive to get into, I would stand a much better chance at becoming an ACP over an ATP with no military experience.
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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Legend
RIP Sasha



Registered: 03/29/10
Posts: 28,336
Loc: TX
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: stanski]
#18826613 - 09/11/13 05:54 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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good luck with flight school matt, it would be bad ass to be able to fly whenever i wanted.
my father worked on engines back in the day, and was planning on flying for major airlines. He made it to the top in his class, and got flown out first class for an interview. Out of him, and one other guy he lost the job opportunity due to him not having any air force/military back ground. He dropped the career choice after that because of no money to keep schooling.
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No sympathy for the devil, keep that in mind. [url=]Buy the ticket, take the ride. [/url]Are you lost?
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Shortknight



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Re: Starting flight school [Re: Legend]
#18826930 - 09/11/13 08:40 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Thats so awesome, im glad for you! Do you know how easyily youl able to fly on a air trip all over this country.. too cool!
 Shorty
-------------------- Did I say it too loud? Big heart? Or a little misleading!
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Fire is Born
wanderer



Registered: 05/17/10
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But you can traffik drugs
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GreySatyr
Pagan-Psyche


Registered: 06/20/13
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How old are you if you don't mind my asking?
I'm also interested in aviation.
-------------------- ...also, go to hell, huh?
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magicbroncoride
barbaric neanderthal

Registered: 05/27/13
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: GreySatyr]
#18827111 - 09/11/13 09:54 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Hell yeah guy go for it. The day I got my wings pinned was the happiest day of my life. If you want to go af there is some tricks to get around the screw ups in high school it just takes some work. One key thing never never never admit to going unconscious from a head wound. After that all you can fly is private planes. Have you already got a flight physical? Thats where most people get screwed. I can tell you all the ins and outs if you would like.
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GreySatyr
Pagan-Psyche


Registered: 06/20/13
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I'd like to hear these ins and outs...
-------------------- ...also, go to hell, huh?
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
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Quote:
GreyMorph said: How old are you if you don't mind my asking?
I'm also interested in aviation.
I'm 20 years old, I turn 21 in February.
Quote:
magicbroncoride said: Hell yeah guy go for it. The day I got my wings pinned was the happiest day of my life. If you want to go af there is some tricks to get around the screw ups in high school it just takes some work. One key thing never never never admit to going unconscious from a head wound. After that all you can fly is private planes. Have you already got a flight physical? Thats where most people get screwed. I can tell you all the ins and outs if you would like.
What are the tips and tricks to get around the screw up part in high school for the AF? Also, I have never been unconscious from a head wound, so I am good on that. I don't even have a criminal record, so good on that. Also never drove before so I don't have any driving violations as well.
I was thinking about maybe trying to build a bunch of flight hours, then send a packet in for flight school, but I also feel like it really won't help me out much since the military trains their pilots how they want them trained. So I feel if I at least get my PPL to show how interested I am in flying, then get a BA in some sort of Aeronautical Science and get a good GPA throughout my 4 years, I have a very good chance to get into the AF flight school.
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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MisterMuscaria



Registered: 05/13/08
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18830414 - 09/11/13 10:32 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Im going to be going to flight school in the next year or two.
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magicbroncoride
barbaric neanderthal

Registered: 05/27/13
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Ok there are 3 main ways for the af (this is from personal experiences and people I flew with) first way is to just apply and get accepted, this usually means you did good in school scored high in tests and literally ruled at life, you have to be interviewed and go before a selection panel. You will be up against some hard ass competition like old m9ney fags who did crazy internships and were eagle scouts and saved people from burning buildings (yeah he was a real guy and so nice I wanted to choke him). Second way is by getting a appointment. Congressmen and such actuality have slots they can fill so you can suck up to them and get a slot. Third way is hardest but is the way some of us have to go because of past transgression. That is enlisting as 1 alpha and working your way to ocs. 1 alpha is a career enlisted aviator, a flight engineer or a loadmaster. You fly everyday and work your way through your degree (which they pay for). You will be around instructors all day and you show interest they will teach you. 99 percent of af pilots have thier instructor certs and many teach flying after hours to make a lil cash. After 4 years you get one to write a recommendation and get you a slot to ocs and you actually get paid more then just a standard 01 going through flight training. Or you can do like I was doing and jump ship to the army to fly apaches. Most of your fighter pilots are the the first way and most of your cargo pilot/ gunship pilots are the second and third way. Remember that you will have to be extensively vetted for clearences and physically poked and prodded. Depth perception, ekg, blood pressure and body type all play a roll. What type of airframe do you want to play on? I was a taclift loadmaster and it was a damn blast.
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MisterMuscaria



Registered: 05/13/08
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Im 27 and paying for a commercial school outta pocket. Not concerned with or interested in the AF.
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magicbroncoride
barbaric neanderthal

Registered: 05/27/13
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Are you looking to be a big air pilot or a lil air pilot? Big air is big ass commercial multi engines and lil puddle jumping people. Big thing nowadays is the sky chauffeurs. Most have thier fixed and rotary certs, but they get to play with the coolest toys in the best places. Its a niche market but definitely the top of the food chain. Lots of rental companies popping up doing on call g5s and shit. Make sure you get every cert you can because it is a cut throat business and most big companies look for prior mill experience or a shit ton of hours. One key thing is that there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots.
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spiny
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18830629 - 09/11/13 11:28 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
MushyMatt said:
Any other private pilots in here?
I am - PPL, IFR, and Glider rated. Used to own an AA5B Tiger then a 182. Can't wait to move back to the mountains and get back into it. I'm thinking a Maule with big-ass tundra tires or a 180. Hopefully I'll still be able to afford it when avgas hits $10/gallon. I'm pretty well priced out at the moment.
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



Registered: 10/13/11
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: spiny]
#18830925 - 09/12/13 01:21 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
magicbroncoride said: Are you looking to be a big air pilot or a lil air pilot? Big air is big ass commercial multi engines and lil puddle jumping people. Big thing nowadays is the sky chauffeurs. Most have thier fixed and rotary certs, but they get to play with the coolest toys in the best places. Its a niche market but definitely the top of the food chain. Lots of rental companies popping up doing on call g5s and shit. Make sure you get every cert you can because it is a cut throat business and most big companies look for prior mill experience or a shit ton of hours. One key thing is that there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots.
Honestly, I really don't care what I fly, as long as I get to fly, I am more than happy with that. Except I am not going to lie, if I had the opportunity to fly fighters, I would be on that so fucking fast. Been doing a lot of reading up about the flight school the AF has and just because you are in flight school, doesn't mean you will fly aircraft behind the yoke, some were saying how you can get stuck behind a computer flying a UAV. That does not sound very fun for I.
Quote:
spiny said:
Quote:
MushyMatt said:
Any other private pilots in here?
I am - PPL, IFR, and Glider rated. Used to own an AA5B Tiger then a 182. Can't wait to move back to the mountains and get back into it. I'm thinking a Maule with big-ass tundra tires or a 180. Hopefully I'll still be able to afford it when avgas hits $10/gallon. I'm pretty well priced out at the moment.
Fucking right on man. How hard is it to get a glider cert? I've always wanted to fly one of those. I would really like to own a C-172 one day, a 180 though would be fucking epic.
Right now around here, gas is $5.64/gal, so I don't expect it to hit $10 for at least 4-5 years.
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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spiny
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18831937 - 09/12/13 10:33 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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If you make a career out of it, owning a 180 isn't out of reach at all. Just be careful and keep passing those medicals, if you know what I mean.
The glider rating is pretty easy if you're not starting from scratch. I already had my PPL, and although it was a long time ago I would guess that it only took 10 hours of training. Flying "on-tow" was the hardest part. Super weird, but really fun, too. It's a real yank-and-bank kind of flying. Very different than powered flight.
Jealous that you're starting flight school, but happy for you. I have always regretted not making a career of flying. If you know you love it, just keep doing it until you have an awesome job and awesome career. Who cares if the first-year jobs are low paying. Honestly. Trust me on this.
By the way, there are other routes to flying gigs than the Air Force. A friend of mine with one of the best jobs/careers in the world went an aeronautical university (UND, I'm pretty sure), and was picked up by Bombardier out of college to sell their business jets. From what I gather, he was either working with clients from the head office or delivering (flying) their business jets all over the globe to clients. He has crazy stories of flying into the Middle East, Europe, over the North Atlantic, etc. At some point, he and a few of his collegues broke off and formed a business jet brokering service and from what I can tell they're absolutely killing it, and now he gets to fly an even wider array of even more bad-ass planes from King Airs to Gulfstreams. Anyway, my point is to not give up if you can't get into the Air Force, and that the aeronautical universities can be a really good feeder into some unusual but awesome flying jobs.
If only I could do it over with what I know now...
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MushyMatt
LSD-25



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Re: Starting flight school [Re: spiny]
#18833189 - 09/12/13 04:29 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
spiny said: If you make a career out of it, owning a 180 isn't out of reach at all. Just be careful and keep passing those medicals, if you know what I mean.
The glider rating is pretty easy if you're not starting from scratch. I already had my PPL, and although it was a long time ago I would guess that it only took 10 hours of training. Flying "on-tow" was the hardest part. Super weird, but really fun, too. It's a real yank-and-bank kind of flying. Very different than powered flight.
Jealous that you're starting flight school, but happy for you. I have always regretted not making a career of flying. If you know you love it, just keep doing it until you have an awesome job and awesome career. Who cares if the first-year jobs are low paying. Honestly. Trust me on this.
By the way, there are other routes to flying gigs than the Air Force. A friend of mine with one of the best jobs/careers in the world went an aeronautical university (UND, I'm pretty sure), and was picked up by Bombardier out of college to sell their business jets. From what I gather, he was either working with clients from the head office or delivering (flying) their business jets all over the globe to clients. He has crazy stories of flying into the Middle East, Europe, over the North Atlantic, etc. At some point, he and a few of his collegues broke off and formed a business jet brokering service and from what I can tell they're absolutely killing it, and now he gets to fly an even wider array of even more bad-ass planes from King Airs to Gulfstreams. Anyway, my point is to not give up if you can't get into the Air Force, and that the aeronautical universities can be a really good feeder into some unusual but awesome flying jobs.
If only I could do it over with what I know now...
Damn, thank you for the awesome reply.
How much would a 180 cost used that has a good amount of hours still left in the engine until a complete overhaul?
As for your buddy, talk about one lucky mother fucker. I would love to learn how to fly lear jets, hell, maybe try and become a pilot for some corporate clown or something. That would be pretty nice.
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Reborn - 6/08/13
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spiny
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18833625 - 09/12/13 06:16 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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180s are a little pricey for what they are (a 182 in tailwheel configuration) because they're really popular with the bush crowd. You're probably looking at $70,000. If you want to get into ownership someday, do your research first. Operating costs are the real issue - for instance, you could buy that 180 and finance $50,000 or more (i.e. get a loan) leaving you with a monthly payment of $500-600 bucks. Not unreasonable, right? But then you have hangar costs, annual costs, general maintenance, overhaul reserve, not to mention direct operating costs including fuel (14 gallons an hour - do that math at $6/gallon, ouch), etc. This is what ultimately soured me on ownership: easy to afford to buy the thing, hard to afford to fly it as much as you want! If / when I get back into airplane ownership - and I undoubtedly will - I'll definitely be more conservative than in the past. Thinking 172, 170, Piper Pacer, something like. Buy the thing for $30k, burn 6-7 gallons an hour, tie down outside (no hangar), and fly the shit out of it.
I think I bought my first plane at 26, and I'm NOT a trust-funder. Go to school, keep your nose clean, get the best job you can, etc. Granted, at the time I didn't have any debt (until I bought the plane), lived in a dingy apartment with two roommates, and spent my time working my ass off, but it was so worth it.
PM me if you're interested in discussing further - have some more thoughts for you but don't want to overwhelm you if you're losing interest in this back and forth.
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Synthe
Gatorade me, bitch!



Registered: 11/10/12
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Loc: Three bags of Funyuns
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Re: Starting flight school [Re: MushyMatt]
#18833698 - 09/12/13 06:33 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Congratulations man! Tell me how it goes, I used to be interested in flying, still am a bit.
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