My First Flight, 5 Years Later

Daytona Beach International Airport, June 20th, 2017 

I distinctly remember how I felt as I opened the door of the Cessna 172 and climbed in. Today was the day that I was finally going to do it. Today, I was going to fly an airplane for the very first time. 

The story of my first flight begins four months beforehand, on my 12th birthday, when my parents surprised me with a trip to a flight camp in Daytona Beach, Florida, where I would fly an airplane for the very first time. Truthfully, I almost wish they hadn’t surprised me then, as there wasn’t a day for the next four months that I didn’t think about it and become distracted. 

Eventually; however, the day did come. 

I would fly at 5pm that day, after a simulator session earlier in the day, and I still remember every part vividly, as if it was yesterday. Waking up early, completing the simulator session, having lunch, and then heading to the briefing room. The weather wasn’t the best by any means that Tuesday evening, as is common in Florida, but it would be good enough for us to fly, and that’s all I needed to hear. I remember just how excited I was to be dispatched for the first time, to pick up the keys to the plane, and to step out onto the flight line. 

I was beaming from ear to ear walking out to the aircraft, knowing that I was about to go flying. I remember taking out the tie down ropes and checking the flight controls during the walkaround. I remember climbing in for the first time, and adjusting the seat so I could reach the rudder pedals. I remember turning on the batteries, and running through the before-start checklist, all of which felt surreal. I remember the feeling in my chest as I turned the key to start and felt the engine roar to life for the first time. No simulator can ever prepare you for the feeling of bringing an airplane to life for the first time, and I was the happiest person alive during those few minutes. 

In no time, we were taxiing out to the runway, and although we had to wait for about 10 aircraft to take off in front of us, nothing could dampen my mood. Eventually, the time came, and we were number 1 for departure, holding short of runway 16. And then the call came, and I will never forget hearing the words “cleared for takeoff” for the very first time. 

The time had finally come, and I was ecstatic. Turning onto the runway centerline and looking down at the long stretch of pavement for the first time is something I will never forget. Nor will I forget the shaking in my body that came from advancing the throttle to full takeoff power. In that moment, I was on top of the world, and nothing can change that. Just as quickly as I had set full throttle, we were almost at our rotation speed, and then came the part everyone loves. 

Pulling back on the yoke and taking to the sky for the first time was a moment I had dreamed of for almost 5 years at that point, and that moment blew any expectation I could have ever had out of the water. I was flying an airplane, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. No simulator can prepare you for the feeling of speed and height you get when you are truly in the air. Glancing out of the window and seeing our Earth beneath is truly unique, and an experience I recommend to everyone at least once in their life. 

We, as a species, have become so used to air travel over the last century that we rarely pause and reflect on just how extraordinary of a feat flying truly is. We, in the short span of just over 100 years, have gone from only dreaming of flying high above the clouds, to living it, and doing so without hardly a second thought. As a result, I implore you, on your next flight, whether passenger or pilot(only in non-essential and safe moments), to pause for a short moment, glance out the window, and reflect on not just how truly extraordinary our planet is, but also on how immensely fortunate we are to be living in a world where that view is possible. 

Today, 5 years later, I am a private pilot at the age of 17. I have flown across different parts of the world and seen many sights along the way, but one thing remains the same. Every time I fly, I feel the exact same way I did the very first time I flew, free to observe the beauty this world provides for us, every day of our lives.