Ever wonder if you’re the only one apprehensive about launching on your first long light-plane journey?
A pilot buddy recently launched on a 1,000-mile cross-country.
Like most of us, he greeted his first extended light-plane journey with both excitement and trepidation.
He studied route and airspace, calculated fuel and weight-and-balance, took two written tests, and checked out in a Diamond DA-40. Although initially apprehensive, he phoned me exhilarated following solo landing practice.
“That was so much fun I can’t believe it!” he said, detailing each successive landing like a newly soloed pilot. “Now I’m stoked to fly that cross-country!”
My friend and his family live in southern New Mexico, 10 hours’ drive from relatives. When he mentioned that private flying would be perfect for such trips, his wife encouraged him to join the local aero club. This first mission would be to collect her and the kids from visiting her folks in Dallas…
**READ THE ENTIRE COLUMN, “LOW AND SLOW“**
(This column first appeared in AOPA Flight Training magazine.)
Greg
©2017 Gregory N. Brown
If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love Greg’s book, Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane. Autographed copies available!