For many people, flying isn’t a run of the mill hobby – it’s a passion. Ascending into the wild blue yonder in an airplane isn’t exactly something you do on a whim. Becoming certified and getting a license requires time and dedication, not to mention costly lessons.

In the spirit of camaraderie and shared passion, GLBT aviators started Unusual Attitudes (UA) as a means of coming together to share their love of flying and aircrafts.

Unusual Attitudes is dedicated to providing an enjoyable, social atmosphere for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members of the aviation community. Its members include pilots (private, commercial, student and ATP), controllers, A&P mechanics, flight attendants and other aviation enthusiasts.

The group has been around since roughly 1991, when the San Diego club was called Alternate Routes. It merged with a similar group out of Los Angeles called Unusual Attitudes in 1994 and kept that name, giving the club a more regional perspective. UA is a member of the National Gay Pilots Association and is hosting a “Fly-In” on Sunday, Aug. 26 at Montgomery Field in Kearny Mesa.

“We are having several members fly in with their aircraft, some from Los Angeles, Palm Springs and maybe even Arizona,” said Dave Ford, the club’s event manager. After landing, the group will have brunch at the 94th Aero Squadron, a restaurant that caters to aviators near the private airport.

The Fly-In is scheduled for 11 a.m. and brunch is scheduled for 11:30.

While popular, the Fly-In is just one activity on UA’s social calendar.

In June, the group flew to a small airport on the West side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to a camping spot on Lake Isabella, 20 to 30 miles southeast of Bakersfield. Nearly 20 people went, many flying their own aircrafts, others flying with friends.

The group also makes regular treks to Avalon Bay, off Catalina Island. This trip, Ford says, is one of the group’s most popular events.

Some of the members arrive in their own planes; some of them, like Ford, belong to a flying club, that allows members to use aircrafts as a time-share. Others pool resources to rent small planes, which are available at Montgomery Field.

Ford has loved flying since he was a kid in suburban Detroit.

“We lived near the airport and we could see the planes flying in,” he said. “I used to look up and see them coming in and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”

Ford, who has been a licensed pilot for more than 20 years, said his love of flying was sealed during his first solo flight, in his flight training.

After trainees have logged about eight or nine hours with an instructor, they are allowed to fly solo to chart their progress, Ford said.

“Being up there on your own, to be able to do the maneuvers and the procedures right, you are responsible for yourself,” he said.

Ford said the members of UA are in all stages, from beginners to experienced fliers. There are members like Ford who have been flying for decades and members who are just starting out. The group provides knowledge and support for new aviators. There are others who just love aviation and aircrafts and enjoy the social atmosphere of the club’s activities.

The group also has gay flight instructors, which Ford says is an especially valuable resource for people just starting out. If a trainee is going to pay for lessons, Ford said, “they are sometimes more comfortable getting that instruction from someone like them.”

There are currently about 40 members of the club throughout Southern California. For more information about Unusual Attitudes, visit the club’s Web site at www.unusualattitudes.org.

A year-long membership is $25 per person, or $15 for students.