Is flying anything like diving??

[nolatom]

My sweet wife gave me a "flying adventure" coupon for a local airport outfit, who does teaching and certifying and fun flights. This was a half-hour flight on a Cessna 172, out of Lakefront Airport in New Orleans to points east toward Mississippi, a couple of large circles, then back west toward the city before turning north to land.
The pilot put me in the left seat, and let me take it once he'd climbed though about 700 feet, eventually levellng off at about 1800, and then descending gradually and turning to line up the runway, he didn't take over til about 400 feet, so I must not have stunk too bad.
I sail and teach sailing, so much of it--lift, airfoil, pitch, yaw, compass, was familiar. But I was thinking about parallels with diving:

Foreign environment in which we were not meant to exist.
Listen to the briefing, speak up with questions
Trust your equipment
Trust your instruments
Listen to your instructor (it wasn't a lesson, but anyway)
Easy does it, don't "overdo or overcorrect"
The wind (like the current) affects what you do and how you plan it.
If you do it like the book/instructor says, it's safe--if you don't, it's not..
Enjoy the beautiful view and how different it is than on land
It was really cool
It's boring back on land
I can't afford to do this all the time, though it would be nice..

I've only done this twice now (last time was 40 years ago with a friend/pilot, similar aircraft). I'm glad scuba is cheaper.

 

[agilis]

I think diving is more like being a bird than being in an aircraft: freedom and direct contact. I also don't see the undersea world as a place we were not meant to exist. There are no birds in our evolutionary lineage, but there are plenty of sea creatures. We carry a part of the salty sea within us, and our embryonic development reflects our distant marine ancestors. We float in a kind of sea until we are born. The sea is in many ways our ancestral home.

 

[Ojai Diver]

...another parallel is, to my understanding, many pilots and divers will quit at some point after licensing/certification. For pilots, many/most will not get to 1000 hours. Expense of continuing is a likely reason.

 

[Altamira]

Far less room for error in flying. Also, diving has no ongoing requirements for physicals, check rides, or any requirement to demonstrate competency post cert card. Biggest similarity is both can kill you.

 

[lowflyer]

I guess you can draw some parallels as you enumerated.

In diving I am pretty much just a recreational diver. In flying I have a commercial certificate for single and multiengine land (instrument rated), single engine sea and glider. I used to fly these different aircraft regularly, mostly solo. In doing so there was a freedom and self dependency and sometimes frightening moments. You could have a relaxing scenic flight or get a thrill with some aerobatics. There is also a necessity to maintain currency to remain safe and not run afoul of federal regulations.

Now I only feel some of the same emotions diving if I'm diving solo in an interesting environment. I can feel relaxed gliding over the sights, sometimes similar to gently controlling an airplane. Self determined and self dependent. Diving with a buddy and other divers flitting around is not the same. It can be more work than pleasure. Recreational diving is less technical than flying, and the need for frequent, structured currency is less.

Of course tech and cave diving, etc., are different.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Great question.

I wouldn't necessarily describe them as the same, but there are certainly parallels. I would say that both appeal to a demographic and I know a number of flyers that also dive; definitely more than the general population.

I've been a diver a lot longer than I've flown, so I wouldn't say my experience is indicative, but I'm far more nervous flying than diving. For obvious reasons there is also a lot more to getting your PPL than a diving cert.

Apart from the sensation of weightlessness and freedom, the other commonality is the need for coordination and precision which I find particularly enjoyable.

 

[Khrissi]

You could try fitting two Boeing Trent engines under yr armpits.... I am not sure about the insurance cover on this thou K

 

[aviator8]

Far less room for error in flying. Also, diving has no ongoing requirements for physicals, check rides, or any requirement to demonstrate competency post cert card. Biggest similarity is both can kill you.

some would argue that scuba should have more physical requirements and recurrent checkouts could be a good thing.

 

[divad]

Helicopter flying is similar to diving.

 

[TrimixToo]

I think they have a lot in common despite their differences, and I think both require the same sort of mindset.

There is a limited, critical consumable. Lots of (too damn many!) diving and flying accidents stem from running out of gas. The depth below you, and the altitude above you, are both less important than their counterparts. This is even more true when you're out of gas! Whatever you left on the surface is not available until the activity ends. Starting the activity is optional. Finishing it (if you want to survive) is mandatory. Both require a pre-activity check. I could go on, with a bit more thought...