Flying
25-Jul-07
A while ago I had the chance to fly in an actual B-17 and it left an impression on me. Ever since then I have randomly and casually commented on how cool it would be to be to get my pilot’s license, knowing full well that a pilot’s license is pretty expensive.
Monday was my birthday (yes, I’m thirty-three now) and my wife gave me the coolest surprise birthday present ever - a one hour flight lesson. For one hour I actually flew an airplane. Ray, the pilot who took me up (with my lovely wife in the backseat), let me do, as he put it, 98% of the flying. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. Although I was pretty nervous at first, especially when Ray took his hands completely off the controls, I quickly realized that I was actually quite safe, and that I ought to relax and enjoy the experience.
Ray had me do a few maneuvers, including a stall (which was a bit scary), some banking turns, and a short climb and descent. He gave be a brief lesson in how to navigate with the GPS, and how to interpret the radar. He even let me handle about half of the landing work (for which I was silently thankful).
Whether or not I ever actually do get a pilot’s license, I will remember this experience for the rest of my life.