Why am I learning to fly?

Welcome to my first ever blog. So, why am I learning to fly? Great question. I have been exploring this question and do not have a definitive answer. I can however look back in my life at experiences I have had and believe that nothing to date has turned me off to flying. I believe certainly that the experiences were positive and continued to pique my interest and curiosity.

My first recollection of a flight experience was from about 1962. Our family was moving to Turkey for a couple of years with my fathers job. In those days the flight across the Atlantic was made in the Boeing 707. I remember this as being the transcontinental jet of the day. In our case we flew with Pan American. The old PanAm with the trademark blue globe on the tail. What I remember most was the in flight experience. There were plenty of flight attendants (stewardesses in those days)in their uniforms. Meals were served on real plates and the food was, well, actually real too. Passengers were friendly and had nothing to occupy their time like today with movies and laptops. People actually talked and got acquainted with one another. They also drank and smoked like chimneys. The flight crew were a part of the in flight experience as I never remember the cockpit door being closed. Routinely passengers would stop but and look around and probably shoot the breeze. For a kid like me getting my PanAm wings was truly a highlight. That and the blue plastic flight bag I got as well. Those were the days when people did not even consider pulling anything like high jacking. My recollection was of a time and experience of relaxed civility.

My next significant flight experience was in about 1974. I was in the Navy and stationed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock, CVA 19. Can you imagine the names we were called in the fleet? This old gal was 1-24 Essex class carriers that was commissioned in early 1944. In 1974 she was more than used up and was nearing the end of her lifespan, 1976. When I got off in 1975 she made one last trip to Vietnam. This was the ship in the photos of the helicopter being pushed over the edge of the flight deck. I was due to be discharged and of course the Navy was being a little nicer than usual in hopes that you may reenlist. Right! I played along and mentioned how I would sure like to try a flight off the carrier. They accommodated my request while transiting from San Diego back to the home port of Alameda. They loaded about a dozen of us in a Grumman S-2 Tracker for the flight. This plane had a stubby fuselage with wings built for lifting and was used for hauling personnel, mail or whatnot. They called them COD flights, carrier on board delivery. I remember that this plane had two huge radial engines. We were seated facing rearward. A little time went by where I could not tell what was going on other than the taxi to the rear end of the flight deck. It was loud. The last thing I remember as the engines came to full power was the pilot saying "brace for take-off". No sooner had that been uttered than we proceeded with the take off roll down the flight deck. Can you imagine the take off roll in approximately 800' x 100' with a large structure (Island) midway down the deck with other planes, personnel and equipment lining the deck? I remember leaving the deck and feeling the sinking sensation before lift overcame weight and we began to rise. Everything from there on was anticlimactic. It was a thrill ride though.

My next flight experience came in the 1980's when I flew with my brother in a Cessna 172. I do not remember much detail. We flew from somewhere in Sacramento to Auburn and back. I remember we stopped and had breakfast. I guess this was an early version of the $100 meal flight.

My last flight experience was about one year ago when I had the opportunity to ride along on an Angel Flight from Nevada County Airport to Santa Rosa and back. Angel Flight is a great organization that provides flights to people with medical conditions that cannot afford commercial flights, have no commercial flight options, do not have the physical stamina to make such a flight or have compromised systems that make commercial flights difficult due to exposure. The organization and pilots who volunteer their time are providing a valuable service. I hope one day to qualify to provide that type of service for those in need. Besides the enjoyment of the ride I do remember nearing Santa Rosa only to find a sea of fog. fortunately the pilot was instrument rated. After descending through the layer, we were lined up right on the center line.

After 56 years my time has come to start a learning process that I had only thought about. If there is one thing I have learned over many years it is that the hardest thing to starting something is to just start. I have resolved to start this adventure with no other expectation than to start. My goal is to complete training but the hard part is over, starting!