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Originally Posted by MaggieL
No, but it might betoken an interest in matters automotive. Or it might not; a drivers licence is trivial to get compared to a pilot's licence. Certainly someone who can't drive at all (and is unlikely ever to gain that skill) knows less about what driving a race car entails than someone who has.
Jay asked if I'd ever been pilot-in-command in combat, and in fact I have not...thank goodness. But given that I am an active licenced pilot, a licenced amateur radio operator (experienced with airborne mobile and space operations, both low-earth orbit and Molniya) and a professional software engineer, I actually do know a thing or two about aviation, aircraft systems, sensor platforms and systems and avionics. There's likely a few others on the Cellar with even more direct relevant experience, but they haven't weighed in yet.
But given the choice of flying an F-16 at low altitude just before you realize you're being shot at and flying an A-10 in the same situation, I'd prefer the A-10. As Bruce points out, it's got a metric assload of armor. F-16 are nice but considerably more fragile; they're also not as maneuverable. They do have the advantage of being able to leave the area very, very quickly, but that doesn't count when the *first* shot is fired.
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Having a PPL is a far cry from being allowed to fly a Hog or F16, especially in combat situations.
My question was not random. I do have a drivers license and a racing license. Having raced from the early 80's I can tell you, racing on the limit is in a total different league and can be achieved only by experience (and a little talent, perhaps).
Hippikos in his Pony:
