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| Photo by Jacquelyn Martin / AP |
I love it for the moment, though not the resulting catastrophic injuries. I will certainly never be confused with a world-class athlete, but as I near 18 years of flying airplanes I find some similarities. We begin our flying careers with bright eyes and bushy tails. We are eager to get out into the world and do something, and our enthusiasm offsets our lack of experience.
At some point, something challenging happens. In sports, it might be an injury; in flying it might be a flight in deteriorating weather, a friend being hurt or killed in an accident, or repetitive flights that no longer seem quite as magical. I have referred to my own timeline in aviation as evolving from a honeymoon marked by puppy love to a long-term relationship with more nuance and yes, a bit of skepticism. I don't hop into just any airplane with just anyone these days. I have realized that there are flyable days that I don't need to go flying on just because they wouldn't be pleasant, and what is the point in spending my time and money being miserable? Sure, there are times when the decision is about whether I can safely complete a cross-country flight or a post-maintenance flight in less-than-desirable conditions. That's part of maturing as a pilot - sometimes I find cleaning the Cub to be an equally valuable time as flying it. In other words, discretion is the better part of valor.
Inertia can be its own challenge, though. After a few weeks of travel or busy schedules, it can be easy to say "I'll go another day," choosing to remain on the sidelines. Don't get stuck there forever. You'll miss out on a lot. One of the instructors at the fitness studio I go to likes to say "the hardest part was getting here." Sometimes the hardest part of going flying is getting off of our posteriors to get to the airport.
Flying is not a risk-free undertaking. You do need to challenge yourself and yes, you'll encounter a situation at some point that raises the hairs on the back of your neck. You will have to balance out the "untouchable" pilot ego with the reality that better-prepared, more experienced aviators than you have made costly mistakes. You will need to come to terms with the fact that some people brought calamity upon themselves with poor decisions, preparation, maintenance, etc., and walked away without a scratch, while others got served a shit sandwich and paid the price even if they did everything right.
Some people talk about accepting that their time could come every time they step into an airplane. I'm not sure that my outlook is that mature. I just know that I want to keep flying and that means getting into an airplane. When I started flying the Cub after its partial restoration, I told myself "I won't be more prepared by not going." The only way to build the experience and proficiency was to get back in the airplane, and that sometimes felt uncomfortable because I knew what it was like to feel very current and proficient in a wider variety of conditions.
We don't know how long we have on earth, let alone flying. Life, work, medical concerns can all leave us grounded, temporarily or permanently. So do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Enjoy the ride while you can, because time flies faster than a Cub.
