Introducing: My Personal Flying Journey Blog

If you’ve been following GA Kneeboard for some time now, thank you. You know I’m passionate about the practical side of flying—the tools, the workflows, the little things that make flight operations smoother.

But there’s another side to my aviation story that doesn’t quite fit here. So I’ve started a separate blog to document my personal journey as a non-professional student pilot.

What’s It About?

It’s the unfiltered account of learning to fly in my 50s—someone with no family aviation background, who grew up in France where general aviation barely existed, who failed his first attempt at becoming a pilot at 18, and who finally made it happen decades later.

I earned my private pilot license in March 2024 and I’m currently working toward my instrument rating. The blog covers everything along the way: finding the right CFI (or the wrong one), dealing with postponed checkrides, figuring out when flight simulators help versus hurt, and navigating the realities of Part 61 training as an older student pilot.

Why a Separate Blog?

This kneeboard blog is about tools and technique—practical information that’s useful regardless of where you are in your flying journey.

The new blog is personal. It’s candid, occasionally frustrated, hopefully helpful to fellow student pilots, and seasoned with a bit of dry humor. It’s not instructional—it’s experiential.

I wanted to keep these two perspectives separate so each can serve its purpose without diluting the other.

Who’s It For?

If you’re a student pilot—especially if you’re doing this later in life, on your own dime, for the love of flying rather than a career—you might find something relatable there. If you’ve ever felt like the only 50-something in a room full of 20-year-old time builders, you’re definitely not alone.

And if you’re just curious about what the training journey actually looks like from the student’s perspective, without the polished veneer, come take a look.

You can find it here: https://parttimeprivatepilot.wordpress.com/

I’ll keep this blog focused on kneeboard apps and aviation tools. The other one? That’s where I get honest about everything else.

Blue skies,
JC