Flying

Well, on Saturday, I finally was able to take my orientation flight with the Civil Air Patrol. I was thinking that I might experience some "not feeling good," but I really didn't expect to want to go back to the earth after roughly (pun intended!) a minute and a half. My pilot, Lt. Kangaroo-- I mean, Lt. Whantuck (I think) was a very nice guy, and an excellent pilot. He said that it was a bad landing, but I was about to kiss the asphalt, so I didn't really care.

Anyhow, I went to the Chautauqua County Airport at about 10:30, and waited around with two other cadets for our pilot to fly in. We watched him come in, and heard him over the radio. Then we went down to the FBO and waited for him to walk in. When he had taken care of some paperwork, we went out to the airplane. It was little. He said it was just like a Volkswagon. Having never seen a Volkswago, I took his word for it. It was a 4-seater, so we got our pictures taken and hopped in (note: I shall try to get those pictures emailed to me so that I can post them). I was in the left front seat, and he was in the right front seat. The other two cadets were in the back. We put on our headphones and taxied to one of the runways. Then, Lt. Whantuck said, "Let's go flying!" and off we went. We hurtled ourselves off into space, and it was like riding in a see-through elevator, only at 2300 feet above ground. I hate elevators. I have also had trouble with carsickness. Put the two together, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what it was like.

Anyhow, I managed to not puke (mostly, I guess, because there was nothing in my stomach) for about 1/2 hour, until we went back to the airport, landed, and I elected to wait in the main terminal rather than go back up with my fellow cadets. I don't think they would have appreciated seing me die or jump out or something. But I had fun with two prospective cadets until my sister picked me up to go clean at my great aunt's. That was the first time that I skipped lunch, but I made up for it at supper time.

So to recap, I'm glad I went up, because it was a learning exerience. It's not something that I would do again very soon, though. I'd like to go up in a helicopter, though, just to see what it's like. Jessica says that it might be a little more choppy. (Groans are appropriate here.) Watch for pictures!