I’ve never been on a plane.
Not for fear of flying or of heights, just because the opportunity had never presented itself.
I consider myself fairly adventurous. I like roller coasters; I’ve petted pythons and a wild black bear; hosted sleepovers for my daughter Katie and a dozen of her friends; and my philosophy on food is ‘try everything at least once.?
Fear isn’t a factor for me. However, I figured flying can wait until I’m on a big commercial jet, with a trusty pilot who has been flying for years, my husband and Katie at my side, and a drink or two nearby just in case.
When Katie and I went to the airport so I could do a story on the Aviation Club (The Citizen, July 4), it was for fun, not a ride.
We walked out with the group to where three small planes were as they explained pre-flight checks. We were asked if we wanted to fly.
Katie and I looked at each other and debated it for less than two minutes. It wasn’t a commercial jet. It wasn’t a commercial pilot. My husband wasn’t there. There was no alcohol anywhere in sight. It was going to be just a four-seater plane with me, Katie, a student, and our pilot, Jack, who’when asked how many flight hours he had’replied, ‘a lot.?
The weirdest thing happened.
We said ‘yes.?
From the moment we said yes until we got in the plane was maybe five minutes. I had time to think? of the plane sputtering, engine quitting, the crash site we’d been told we’d see after we flew (wondering if this plane was going to be there anytime soon), oh lots of pleasant things.
We got in the plane and buckled and put our headphones on. More time to think’does a seatbelt actually save anyone if the plane crashes? Where are the airbags? Katie and I looked at each other. She was grinning from ear to ear. I tried on a smile. I don’t think it was very convincing.
They started the plane.The engine wasn’t turning over right away. Oh boy. OK, it starts. I’m listening for anything that sounds wrong? We start gathering speed down the runway and when the plane lifts from the ground, it is one of those sensations I know I’ll never forget. I look at the ground going away under me and look at Katie, whose grin couldn’t possibly get any wider.
OK, so it was pretty cool after I got over the worry of going down. If I would have spent more time looking out at the roads, lakes, pools, trees and houses that were two thousand feet below us I probably would have been completely enjoying myself. Instead, I probably spent a little too much time looking at the gauges on the dashboard and wondering if that yellow button really said ‘alert? and if the red button really said ‘warning? and why were they lit up? My stomach felt like I had a brick in it. Was it air sickness or nerves?
We returned to the airport after what they said was about an hour flight. I was bracing myself for the landing, but it was smooth and now I was smiling, really smiling.
Maybe even more than Katie.