Flying an airplane was definitely on my bucket list of items, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. This past weekend, I redeemed a wonderful birthday gift for an hour-long introductory flight. Along with my flight instructor and two friends I invited to join for the ride, I spent Saturday afternoon getting a feel for and maneuvering a tiny “heavy lifter” plane over beautiful sky and breathtaking views of Oakland, San Francisco, and Berkeley. It was by far one of the most unforgettable experiences of my year – and something I’ll hopefully be able to do again in the future.
The heavy lifter
Despite the cold snap in the Bay Area, it was a sunny day in the Alameda airfield where we first laid eyes on our transport for the trip – a tiny single-propeller airplane in a classy white and red color scheme. Even with the clear skies, we were still pretty anxious since none of us had been on anything smaller than a commercial airplane. Will, our instructor, was really chill and broke the ice by giving a quick introduction of the plane and how each part worked in relation to the plane as a whole.
Before long, it was time. We carefully squeezed ourselves into the tiny cockpit, and Will gave a primer on the controls and flight instruments. The panel of strange gauges and knobs stared back at me as Will’s voice cut in and out of my own thoughts. It was nerve-wracking, but at the same time I felt calm, peaceful even. It was time to fly.
Will talking about the plane controls and instrument panel
Taxiing the plane onto the runway was an interesting experience. On the ground, maneuvering the plane is controlled by the foot pedals, so I had to constantly mentally remind myself to use my feet. We did some final checks, and I saw Will give the go-ahead and my hand rest on the throttle. What must have come next was the roar of the engine, but our noise-cancelling headphones made the scene much more quiet. I could hear the reassuring tone of my instructor over the radio, feel the plane lifting off from the ground, and see the world below me getting smaller and smaller, one of the most surreal and memorable feelings I’ve had.
So what was flying a plane like? It’s probably easier to describe by analogy, and the closest thing I can think of is playing an organ. Except this organ was 3,000 feet above the sky and pressing a wrong note might mean going into a downward spiral. The most immediate difference was the foot controls, which had a huge role in turning the airplane. The control column changed the pitch and roll of the plane, and unlike the arcade games I’d played as a kid, even a small movement of the control column had huge effects on the plane.
Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge
Pretty soon, we were looking over downtown San Francisco. By the time we reached the Golden Gate Bridge, we were simply awestruck by the gorgeous views and the feeling of seeing famous landmarks from high above. We even spotted a cruise ship as we pulled in for a closer look and my instructor remarked how our view was SO much better!
But my favorite part of the entire flight was our flyby of Berkeley. We spent some extra time circling around, spotting all the buildings we recognized as my instructor took the controls and flew us so close that we could see International House and the “C” on the Memorial Stadium seats. Berkeley looked so different from the sky, but there was that air of familiarity and feeling of home to it – it was definitely a treat. Soon we were back at Oakland, where we spotted Oracle Arena and the Coliseum. Then for the final – and most nerve-wracking – part, the landing.
Thankfully, Will took the controls for the landing, and being the experienced pilot that he was, had no trouble gently setting the plane down onto the runway, back to land. And with that, our time in the air was up. I was sad to step out of the cockpit (despite the relief), but I had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time I’d fly.
In the words of Leonardo da Vinci, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” I will be back.
The pilots and flight crew!
Special thanks to John and Lydia for being amazing passengers, and John for being an awesome GoPro filmer!
Check out my video of the trip, including views of downtown SF, Golden Gate Bridge, Berkeley, and Oakland:
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