Today I had my first flight lesson in nearly 5 months. I was flying a Diamond DA-20 in NY for almost 2 hours, and it was hot, sweaty, cramped, loud, and the plane wouldn’t start. It was also the best experience ever.
So today, I basically did a review of all the material that I’m required to know for my solo (I was due to solo in March, but that didn’t happen), and I did fairly well. As they say, you never forget how to fly an airplane. I did maneuvers and pattern work, and for the most part did it all as required. I asked for a brief break down, and it came back to me.
I was really nervous, to be honest. I was worried about how much my skills deteriorated and things I forgot or remembered. That all ended as soon as I took off. I did it all by myself, and found myself smiling as we climbed out. And flying near the mountains, right below a few clouds, reminded me in a way of how much I love aviation. The Hudson Valley is gorgeous, especially in the summer, and flying above it, performing maneuvers was the best experience I’ve had in a long time.
