FLIGHT LESSON #1

 PRE-LESSON: 

Today is the day!  My second "first" flight lesson.  Only about 30 years later....

My husband is on board and seemingly as excited as me!  But how did this 46 year old woman get enrolled in flight school? When I was 17-18 years old I had finally worn my parents down to where they gave in and agreed to flight lessons.  Why did I want them so much? My parent's high school friend, Terry, is to blame.  He would fly out from California to see his Grandmother and on one occasion he mistakenly took me up for a ride.  I was never the same.  On other visits he would offer more flying trips and I became hooked.  He even told my mom "If you send her out to California for a summer I can send her home with her pilot's license!"  To which my mother replied, "She can't drive a car yet, what self-respecting mother would let her daughter fly a plane before she can drive a car?"  Evidently, not my mother. 

However, between Terry's visits and my nagging, my self-respecting mother caved (but in her defense AFTER I acquired my driver's license).  Within two seconds of my parents saying "yes" to flight school, I was signed up and given my flight books.  But then after about three lessons I got a call from the airport with bad news.  My flight instructor took a job with a major airline company.  Where I grew up (small town Kansas) the airport couldn't guarantee another flight instructor anytime soon.  Therefore, if I wanted my money back, I could have it.  So we took the refund and I bought a jet ski.  Remember I was 18 and full of adventure...not on intelligence...

Fast forward 28 years and my son who is a senior expressed his (possible) desire to be a pilot.  In order for him to graduate high school we have required college visits to complete and luck would have it a trip to a local flight school counts! So Momma signed him up for a tour.  Needless to say, he wasn't as impressed with the school as his momma was -- holy cow did it make me want to fly again!  And after about a week of prayer and consideration (and an AMAZING husband encouraging me to do it...) I signed up!!

Stay tuned...Jaime's gonna be flyin'


POST LESSON:

WOW! Information overload!  So much to learn and do, but what an amazing night! I came away from my first lesson feeling like someone dropped me off out in the middle of the ocean and told me to swim home.  I had no idea where I was, but dang it I had a ball treading water!!

I did learn -- or at least got exposure to -- the following: how to figure the plane's center of gravity, the preflight prep, exposure to turns and rolls, learning I could idle in air, and how to fill out my log book.  I know my flight instructor Matt (who is the chillest dude ever...and likely wasn't even born when I took my first flight lesson...) exposed me to a lot, but fortunately he was totally aware that tons of info was thrown my way.  Before next lesson, I have some ground school work to accomplish.  Today, I'm reflecting and learning more.  Here are the only pictures I took from my first lesson because I was too busy FLYING A PLANE!!!! Isn't that amazing?

Peace out!







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