Taking the Flight Review

Two years and two months ago with tears filling my eyes, the flight examiner extended his hand.

“Congratulations, Katie. I’m going to give you your private pilot’s license,” he said. Then he started filling out the paperwork as Martin patted my back. Martin and I had spent the summer of 2009 with one major goal: getting my wings.

So often, I was scared out of my mind. See?

(my first cross country solo flight of 200 miles)

I didn’t think I was mechanical enough, quick enough, engine-oriented enough. But that’s the thing about fear. You can either let it win you over. Or you can keep fighting every day until you reach your goal. And I reached it!

My mom handed me a reward that I’ll never forget – a can of organic, chicken-free, vegan chicken noodle soup. She smiled so big and said, “This is because my daughter’s NO chicken!”

So here’s where it gets a wee bit embarrassing. Every two years, you have to get a flight review with a certified instructor. They want to make sure you’re competent, comfortable with the plane, and understanding all of the rules.

September passed, and I did not take a review. October passed, and I did not take a review.

We’ve just been too busy with the hangar loft remodel. How crazy does that sound? I’m going to live at an airport, but I can’t legally fly for the simple reason that I didn’t do my review. To make things even more embarrassing, my own husband can give me said review. So seriously… what’s been holding me back?

Monday afternoon, we changed the every-so-humiliating story. Martin had to ferry a plane several towns over for a couple of guys. I usually get stuck with the boring job of chasing after him in the car, up and down the mountain passes. Then we drive back home or vice versa, and I drive him out there. But not this time.

Instead, I got the pilot’s seat.

We did multiple landings and takeoffs (touch and gos), practiced our “crop circles” (turns around a point), and a million other details. Doesn’t Martin look so unsure in this picture?! Actually… I think I just snapped the shot a second before he was ready. (Talking about a death-defying flight test would sound soooo much more interesting, though, wouldn’t it?)

(A locally-made down vest is pretty much my BFF the rest of this year.)

I still have to do the ground schooling, which is at least an hour of review and questioning. Martin said, “I think we’ll span it over a few days so we don’t overwhelm you.”

(In husband-wife talk, that translates into, “You’re getting waaaay more than just one hour of ground school, baby. It’s not because I’m worried about what you know, but because you’re my wife. I raise the bar; I expect you to know. And by golly, I’m going to make sure you know!”)

So later this week, I should be back in the sky, a bonafide pilot once again. That is, of course, assuming the hangar remodel doesn’t consume all…

You can read the entire journey to becoming a pilot here. And I’d love to hear about fears you’ve overcome – big or small…