New Year Goals for Aviators

As we taxi into the new year, it's time to set our altimeters high and chart new courses.

Your ambitions fuel our community, and for the new year, we are seeing goals as varied as the skies are wide!  

Here are some inspirations...

1. Achieve Hour Milestones:
   
   Set a goal to reach specific total flying hours.
   
   I'm at 1400 hours, aiming for that magical 1500. Each year, I've achieved my goals by being intentional about the number of hours I wanted to hit by writing out a travel plan on an annual calendar.
   
2. Plan Out Your 2024 Destinations:
   
   I make it a point to plan my trips for the entire year.
   
   Many of these are business flights for my main company flightlevel180.com. I usually plan for trips to Florida in the winter, New York Tri-State in the spring and autumn, cross-continental trips in late spring (1500+ nm!). For personal trips I like going to Maine and Quebec in the summer. Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Prince Edward Island are on the list for 2024. I would love to see you on one of these trips!
   
   Planning long-distance cross-country trips is not only fun but also expands our comfort zone. An instructor once told me that flying 500 nm or even 2000 nm trips is similar to shorter flights; you just string them together. Being flexible with weather and destinations makes it an adventure to remember.
   
   Check out the curated section in the FlyToPlaces app for a list of destinations.
   
3. Participate in Aviation Events:
   
   Attend fly-ins, airshows, or aviation-related events. I'm always checking the FlyToPlaces app for events and dates to bookmark.
   
   Planning on going to Sun N' Fun or Oshkosh in 2024? Maybe even a local aviation event. I'm planning on Sun N' Fun—see you there?
   
4. Volunteer:
   
   I recently started volunteering with Hope Air, a charity offering free travel & accommodations for folks in financial need who must access medical care far from home. There are a number of charities that involve aviation, many of which involve medical care, pets, and even one dedicated to turtles! Turtles Fly Too.
   
   If anyone is interested, we can make a list of these charities and add them to the FlyToPlaces app directory.
   
5. Earn New Ratings and Endorsements:
   
   There are lots of options here. Each rating, especially instrument and Commercial, including sim training, has made me a better pilot, likely because it heightened my awareness of my skills (or lack thereof), making me work harder.
   
   Options like multi-engine, instrument rating, high performance, aerobatic training, or tail wheel are all great add-ons. A FlyToPlaces member, Mark, reached out to me about his program that offers flying on straight skis. He said that all takeoffs/landings will be off-airport on frozen lakes and rivers, and selected farm fields. He operates a small flight school in northern Minnesota and has partnered with several lodging establishments to pick students up at their front door. Just email me if you want Mark's contact info (this is not a sponsored post; just thought I'd pass this on as an idea for you).
   
   Maybe you're considering something on the professional track, like an instructor rating, a commercial pilot license, or an ATPL? I aim to get an ATPL in 2024 (I just need to create a system to hit the books consistently, and achieve those 1500 hours!).
   
6. Complete Personal Aircraft Projects:
   
   Complete that airplane build project. Or how about new avionics, paint/interior, or perhaps a new (to you) airplane? A FlyToPlaces member and friend, Arthur Billingsley just finished his aircraft avionics upgrade. His Cessna 310 feels brand new to him as a result. Happy to give an intro if you want to pick his brain on his upgrade.
   
7. Focus on Safety and Proficiency:
   
   Consider sim training and proficiency checks, or asking an instructor to take you up in varied weather conditions. (Add aviation survival and egress training if you haven't done that yet.) I did sim training specific to Twin Cessna at Aircraft Simulator Training (AST) in Burnet TX, which not only boosted my confidence but also opened my eyes to the importance of proficiency.

🌟 A Year of New Horizons: What's your flight plan for the new year?

Whether you're dreaming of completing personal aircraft builds, exploring uncharted destinations, or simply enjoying the freedom of the skies, set your sights high! Share your new year flying goals with us to inspire each other! Here's to a an amazing new year filled with clear skies, tailwinds, and new adventures.

Let's make it a year to remember! Blue skies and safe flights.