When my Dad announced he had bought me flying lessons for my birthday, I was pretty impressed and excited at the same time. I've always thought about the idea of flying and/or becoming a pilot. It's one of those things you dream about as a kid, and when you come of age you either do it or you don't. In my case, I did it with the help of my Father. I always thought it would cost thousands and thousands of dollars to do but depending on which school you go to, but it can be affordable on a per class/flight basis. Still not cheap, but worth the experience for every cent.
Upon arriving at the flight school, I was already nervous and anxious to get on a plane and fly. There was a clerk at the front, a lounge area, and a couple other student pilots just getting back from their flight time. I thought it was pretty cool, to be able to do something out of the everyday normal life. Not everyone can say they flown a plane before and here I was in wait to take my first flight.
Meeting my instructor, he briefed me when we would be taking off. I went outside on the dock area to take a few photos on my cell phone before we would begin our walk to the designated plane I would be taking off in. As we approached the plane, by model it was a Cessna 172, a light sport aircraft that would soon become my learning stool from this point. I was in total awe. It's one thing being right next to a Lamborghini, but then a totally different story when you're standing next to an AIRPLANE, that you're about to take off in. If I had to choose between an exotic car, and a small airplane, definitely the airplane all day!
The instructor took his pre-flight parameters and made sure everything was ready to go. He asked me if I was ready, and I was already in the cockpit. He started up the airplane, pressing all these buttons and doonaggies and I prepared to just sit back and enjoy the view. He taxied the plane to where we would be taking off at and before we lined up on the runway, he told me to call in to the tower using our designated call sign for ready to take off. I was like "really??" I thought I would choke up on the radio call but repeating what he told to say "Gwinnett tower, this is november 6-9-2-2-172, ready for take off." I sounded like a real pilot for a moment! haha.
The instructor then told me that he would need my help to pull up on the yolk and take off. In my head, I kept thinking "me take off on the very first flight??" I became instantly nervous and wasn't sure if I was ready to take life by the horns and fly this mother goose off the get-go! He instructed me to start lifting off once the plane got around to 55mph. When it hit the correct speed, I pulled up on the yolk a little too hard and actually veered the plane to the left towards another building. And I was like "OOOH SHIT" lmao. The instructor was calm and laid back, he didn't panic and just took the controls and corrected our line of flight.
Once 3,000ft in the air, it was just about one of the coolest things ever. Totally a different feeling than flying on a airline when you're flying on a small airplane and the only passengers is you and the instructor. After messing up on my take off, I thought it was over for me and that I would just sit back and relax. Nope that wasn't the case. He actually let me steer the plane with the yolk. I was still nervous and tight necked, but I got used to it after awhile and kept telling myself I can do this.
Once we reached Lake Lanier, we did some coordinated turns for awhile and then we started to fly back towards home base. When we got closer to the airport, he would take control of the yolk and I would follow his lead when he started to land the plane. Landing the plane is a hell of a thing, and even if you aren't in control of the wheel, it's still a hell of a thing to experience! Descending down onto the run way, I had butterflies in my stomach and when the wheels made contact with the ground, the plane bounced a little bit until it gained full traction. Coming to a halt, I was just in total awe and disbelief that I, actually had full control of the airplane with the sense of steering it anyway under supervision, STILL. I felt accomplished for my first flight. Best birthday gift ever! Thanks Dad.
