A Cessna 172 is a lot bigger than a drone!
Today was a blast! I got to fly a plane!!
Several years ago I met a local pilot who lives close to the church. We have talked many times and have become friends. We go to lunch (I don’t turn down lunch very often). He also has a drone and it’s a fun shared topic. Since my drone license is issued by the FAA and technically it say I am a “pilot” I feel connected to other pilots (not really but I do like to flash the card around).
We have talked about going up in a 4 seater Cessna 172 airplane many times. Until today our schedules, the weather or one of my surgeries has not allowed it to happen.
Today it worked out and I am so excited.
To be clear…. Margery has told me in no uncertain terms that I can not have a new hobby - especially one this expensive.
Jim called me about 10:45am and asked me what I was doing and if I could make a flight time possible! Yes. It was the first blue sky day we have had in a while. We met at the church and drove down to Anoka County - Blaine Airport (ANE). Jim is a member of a club there, is a flight instructor, and has a passcode to the back gate. The whole way there he told me how to fly a plane. I really didn’t take him to serious.
But I flew the plane. I steered on the ground (with feet pedals of all things) and Jim walked me through how to take off! I did it! And I did not feel sick! (I brought a Walmart bag in my coat pocket in case I got sick - but didn’t need it).
Obvious Jim has a lot of experience teaching people and both front seats are equipped with all the controls to fly - I am sure that he was in complete control the whole time! But took off, flew the plane.
We headed down to Minneapolis to see the Mill District (Stone Arch Bridge, US Bank Stadium, where the twins play, the University of Minnesota Stadium, we did a touch down and immediate take off at the St. Paul Airport, and saw the State Capital and the St. Paul Cathedral. We then flew north to Forest Lake, flew over the church and my house and then landed.
If you get a chance - do it! I was nervous and excited, and would go again in a heart beat. And If anyone has $13,000 for me to take lessons and learn to fly it would be just between you and me - Margery doesn’t even need to know, right?
Thank you Jim!!!
