Affirmation

This past weekend, I had an affirmation involving my interest in aviation. It was more like an epiphany that turned into an affirmation, really. Let me explain. It all started with Netflix. Being a rather new subscriber to Netflix, I was browsing through the selection of movies. Nothing being out of the ordinary, aviation happened to be on my mind. I searched for movies or anything that had to do with aviation, with little luck.

A few weeks later, I found myself again on Netflix. This time, aviation was not on my mind. I was looking for some movie, something to add to my queue. After find a satisfactory title, the usual "You might also like" window pops up. There it was. My eye was drawn to it in a split second. One Six Right. One Six Right is not a movie, but exactly what the tag line described it to be- "The Romance of Flying." I instantly added it to my queue, and move it to the front of the line. As I returned my latest rental, I waited in anticipation for my recent find to arrive in my mailbox.

When it finally arrived, I naturally began watching it. At first thinking that I had wasted my time waiting for this documentary to arrive, the first minutes or so was nothing but symphonic music and shots of airports and airplanes. I began to ask my self, "Is that it? Just planes flying around to pretty music?" I'm glad I was wrong. After what was a slightly long and boring intro, the film began to cut to the chase.

These pilots, these storytellers began talking about their discovery of aviation- whether they seemed to trip into it, or if they had an innate interest in it from the beginning. Somehow, either they found it, or it found them. That's when it hit me. Hard. While I sat back watching this film, I heard pilots talking about experiences. Some would go to airports and watch the planes take off. Others would get a hand radio and listen in on the communication between pilots and air traffic control. At this point, I distinctly remember looking at myself in the mirror with a huge sense of irony. Indeed, I have done those very things, except in a different fashion.

When I was in grad school, and on occasions where I did not have anything to do, or if I happened to be stressed out, I would find myself driving to the airport. Just the glimpse of an airplane took my mind off of whatever I was worried about. I loved to go to the observation area and simply sit back in my car and watch the planes come in and out. There was something unexplainable about it. The sound of a jet engine, the marriage of man and machine and the ability to conquer gravity. The sleek prowess of the aircraft. Perhaps a combination of everything. Watching planes somehow put my mind at ease. I can still find myself feeling like a kid in a toy store whenever I am near an airport. Looking around, trying to spot planes- watching them take off and land, listening for the roar.

Even now as I have begun my flight training, my appreciation and and perspective has shifted. It is one thing to watch planes, it's another thing to fly them. Much like any skill, it takes practice. The more you practice, the more proficient you are. However, that being said, I have a HUGE appreciation for the feeling of flight. And once again, I find it is indescribable.

Shortly before takeoff, you perform a final check of your gages. Throttle the plane up, checking gages and making sure that your controls are free and correct. The plane aches to inch forward with urgency under the strain of the brakes. After everything checks out, throttle down, and taxi onto the runway. Line up on the center line, making sure you're front wheel is straight. Then, full throttle. The engine speed increases, and you gradually pick up speed. Your gages come alive, and as you continue rolling down the runway you gently pull back on the yoke and continually pull back until the nose of the aircraft rotates up. At this point the airplane almost freezes in position for what feels like minutes. Then suddenly, you've separated from land and are now airborne. You continually gain altitude as you leave the runway. As you trim the plane up to continually climb, the horizion increases. Objects on the ground get smaller and smaller. Feel the plane. Where does it want to go? What does it want to do? Adjust the controls, trim. Repeat. Adjust. After reaching your desired altitude, you pull some throttle off, and re-trim. Now you're cruising. Despite the noise in the cockpit, it's serene. Nothing around you but sky. Breathtaking. It is those moments that stress leaves my body. It's just me, and the plane (and the flight instructor, for now).

One Six Right affirmed in me that this idea of me in aviation is not hair-brained, or half hearted. Since the beginning of my interest in aviation, One Six Right has shown me that with a little bit of effort, and some commitment, you can accomplish what you are pursuing, even if it starts with a simple dream. I have learned not to doubt myself, but to take small steps. Sure, it's going to take a while. But after I get to where I'm going, I'll have the view to enjoy.