365 Brand New Days: Day 200

Date: July 25th, 2010

I've dated a surprising number of pilots in my life. By which I mean two. I have dated two people who are pilots. Which is significantly more than most people's number: zero. The first pilot I dated was also my first boyfriend. Kevin. I was 14 and he was 16 and instead of trying to get his driver's license the second he turned 16 like a lot of guys, he was focusing on getting enough hours to get his pilot's license. I asked him about it a couple times, but being 14 and shallow, I actually found his love of the sky to be somewhat distracting from the task at hand. Dating me. Like I said - 14 and shallow. The thing was though, it stuck with me how much he loved being up in the air.

I assumed, of course, that I wouldn't meet anyone else like him for some time. And I didn't. Until I called for my Discovery Flight. The flight instructor, Doug, had the same love of being up in the air that Kevin did. And being no longer 14, shallow or distracted by dating; I was actually able to appreciate it this time. I drove up to see a Cessna 172 waiting for me on the tarmac (possibly runway - I'm not down with the lingo) and was immediately struck by how small it was. The thing was only about a foot taller than me, the propeller was right at my eye line (concerning) and the wing itself touched my head if I stood up straight under it.

And it looks a bit like a Disney character.

I shall name you Cessna the Wonder Plane.

I was surprised at how much the inside of the plane looked like a car. The seats were leather, the seat-belts strap over the shoulder and there are things resembling cup-holders in the backseat. Also, there's a backseat. That's where the similarities end though. The controls are, well, daunting. Before we took off, I started to get worried that I wouldn't be able to appreciate the joy of flying. See, there are all these checks that need to be done before the plane can be turned on. Then there are a ton of checks before the plane can go to the runway. There are there are checks before the plane can take off.

All of these things do stuff.

It turns out, all the checks didn't take away from the flight at all. Though, it helped that my flight instructor had the kind of joy usually reserved for first-timers. I had a feeling I'd enjoy the flight, but hearing him talk about how much he loved flying made me like it even more. I got to see the sky through the eyes of someone who basically wanted to spend his whole life up there. It made me appreciate it more.

I'm not going to lie, it was scary as all get out when we were taking off. I usually look out a side window on the giant airliner and say a little prayer when I fly. There was none of that this time. I was on the front car of a roller coaster without tracks. It was an adrenaline rush, it was petrifying and I was too busy watching the controls to say my prayer.

Once we got up to the height we were going to fly at, though, it completely ceased being scary and became utterly amazing. Doug, the instructor, let me take the controls and fly the plane around over Ann Arbor and Whitmore Lake. But perhaps the best part was flying over the Big House. Doug was quick to point out that when he takes Ohio State fans up in the plane he makes sure to fly over the Big House twice. Score.

Take that, Ohio State! Showed you!

I was struck by how tiny a movement on my part would almost completely change the direction of the plane. Turning was a very precise action, as was going up or down or any kind of adjustment. You know in movies where the pilot is trying to get the plane to do something and he's jerked the steering column every which way to make it happen? Yeah, add that to the list of things unrealistic about Hollywood (along with explosions and the sound guns with silencers make). In fact, what it reminded me of most was learning how to quilt. The machine petal requires finesse to make it sew at a speed you can control. The plane is the same way - finesse the steering and it will respond. Jerk it and you're probably not going to like the result.

Doug was kind enough to take the controls back for a while so I could take some pictures. They aren't nearly as awesome as actually being up there, but y'all will never get the chance to do it, so I feel compelled to share. Wait. What? No. Actually, its only $59.00 to take a Discovery Flight in Ann Arbor. Seriously. Its something anyone and everyone should try at least once and Ann Arbor is the place to do it. Why? Because the airport isn't too busy, the skyline is amazing, the wind is not too bumpy and Doug is awesome. That's why.

Now here's pictures.