Why I fly.

A few days ago, Flying Magazine published an article about why people learn to fly.  The article got me thinking about why I fly.  When I began training I believed flying was about becoming an airline pilot.  What better job to have than that of airline pilot, right?

In retrospect, I wanted to fly simply because flying was "it".  The freedom of flight and thrilling history of it all were the primary drivers.  The stories of the early aviators, particularly those flying during WWII, and the machines they crewed, captured my imagination then and now.  The passion for it was and still is there.  The desire to fly wasn't a result of wanting to become an airline pilot, it was because flying, in and of itself, was the end game.  Becoming an airline pilot appeared to be the best way to achieve that end.

With age comes wisdom, fortunately.  I've aged enough and hopefully gained enough wisdom to know that flying, whether low and slow or high and fast, is the thing that stokes the passion.  Engaging and fulfilling that passion or a regular basis is the key irrespective of whether or not I make a living at it.

Assuming I'm no different than most people who look aloft and say, "Wouldn't it be great to fly like that?" then the author of the Flying article is correct.  Learning to fly isn't about conscious decision making or opportunity / cost analysis.  Flying is about passion.  Finding it, unlocking it, making it happen, and enjoying every moment of it is why I and so many others fly. 

As I re-engage in flight training and begin talking to and working with people learning to fly, I must remember it's about the passion.  Helping people in the early stages of their flight training find their passion and stay with it long enought to become a pilot is the key.  It truly is the the flight, and not the destination, that stirs the soul, fires the imagination, and stokes the passion.  And that passion is why I fly.

Happy Landings