The past two years have been the most extreme journey I could have ever imagined taking. Yet, somehow, the above wasn't enough.
I grew up knowing my Dad as a pilot. He flew medivac helicopters in the Army when I was younger...I only knew Santa as a guy who came out of a Huey. It took me six years to understand that Santa was supposed to come down a chimney, not land on a runway. But hey, if Santa was a superhero, how bad was my life really?
After my Dad got out of the Army, we all moved to New Mexico where he started working at a small airport called Blu Sky Airlines. I remember running up and down the old hallways and writing on the white boards. We would walk around the airport's black top after Dad would pick us up from school or would fly to Texas for a weekend vacation when a plane needed to go and get repaired.
Fifteen years later, after getting my motorcycle license (another childhood memory of mine...countless rides, rallies and Harley Davidson shops), I was trying to figure out what was next. Getting a motorcycle liscnese was easy. Sure, the whole manual bike thing was a little complicated, at first, but it was easy to obtain and even easier to work through. Buying a bike was slightly intimidating and I never thought I would actually go through with it, yet, here we are. A wonderful, beautiful motorcycle with many stories to accomplish life on.
At this point, riding is just time. After getting through my first crash on it, my entire being was like, OK WHAT ELSE CAN I HNDLE.
I did want to go back to school because I was craving to learn but I didn't have the time or interest in another degree. I LOVE MY JOB. I jumped on full time shows again so I knew my time was limited when it came to finding the next adventure. BUT...I just had to choose something. Climbing was always there (when I have the hours to go to the gym or outside), Acro was getting to be a challenge on meeting up with people and kayaking is only fun during the summer (in my opinion...that may change). I'm not ready to date yet...
So, why not a find a challenge?
About a year ago I remember calling my mom telling her I wanted to get my pilot's license. Of course, the price was enough to cancel that dream out for a while. With only working as a day player, it was not a practical "lets do this now" type of opportunity.
Yet, when I jumped on a show a few months ago, my operator and 1st AC both flew.
Felling lost in my life but not ready to figure out why, I went to a local airport to see what I could becoming a pilot would intel...apparently, a lot.
First, flying is hard. Second, it costs a lot. Third, it is one hell of a ride.
I decided to buy my books and see what I was capable of understanding or if the journey towards flying would be as short lived as my patience for people in parking lots.
Luckily, my bosses where more than on board with helping me work towards this new goal. Actually, they highly encouraged it. Before I signed up for my first lesson, my boss took me on a discovery flight to see if I really wanted to invest my time and money into this hobby. Not only is it a big commitment but it is incredibly expensive as well.
Honestly, I wasn't sure if I could handle it; the information and process of flying. The discovery flight was so much fun but highly intimidating. There were over 6 books for ground school and more buttons and dials and factors and preparations and information and megnetic forces...
There is so much information needed to be known and, honestly, most of it is dealing with topics I have told myself, since high school, I was not good at. From weather to science to geography, my mind was racing the entire discovery flight of "can I actually do this." Everyone was so encouraging, yet, everything was entirely up in the air. (Get it?)
I have taken two lessons and spent at least 24 hours worth of studying thus far. That is chapter one of the text book, just to give you a heads up. My mind has been swimming in all things planes. Most of the time I have to ask questions, luckily studying at work gives me the opportunity to ask those questions and get some practical knowledge to apply.
The hardest part of flying, thus far, has been the journey it has taken me on to rediscovering myself. The past few months have been an entire whirlwind on grabbing my life and placing it all back together. I have never had to question every aspect of who I am in such a short period of time. From starting full length shows again to opening up the idea of dating within the industry all the way to taking full control over my mental health.
Probably my challenge with flying is the the patience aspect I have found I need. If anyone knows me, they know I am not the most patient of human beings. I like to get things done and move on to the next thing. This, the whole flying thing, has to have a specific time invested into it and there is no way around it.
It also has made me be patient with myself. I love when things come naturally. I expect to do well and I expect to do well right away. However, this is not one of those things for me. I have to keep reminding myself that it is ok that I am having a learning curve and that it is more important to keep going than to give up. It will be worth it...heck, the first flight was worth it. Especially flying around northern Georgia.
Another challenge I have is preparation. I want to go and do things in the moment. With flying, that behavior is more than frowned upon lol.
The preflight checklist is a mental test in itself. It has to happen ever single time you fly. It is not like an oil change, like a car, and you are good for a month or two...every single time you fly. There is the preflight check of the outside, the preflight check within the airplane, the pre take off check and then the in flight times you have to remember are CRAZY. Thank goodness they are all written down.
It takes 60 flight hours and completion of ground school/verbal exam to get your pivot pilot's license.
If you know me, you know this process is already killing me...and I am loving every single second of it.
I'm having to odevote time to studying. I've had to start learning how to become patient with myself on learning and understanding how everything works. All of these rules, regulations, terms and flying itself is reminding me to be prepared, look at the weather and understand what is happening around me.
If anything, flying is teaching me more about my weaknesses and overcoming them than it is about my strengths. At first that is an intimidating thought, opening up and accepting all the short comings as beautiful as well. Luckily, one of my biggest short comings is beings stubborn...which means I love a challenge and I know I won't quit until it is complete.
But the flying part...THAT is magical. I've always heard my dad talk about how much he loved it. Actually, talking with him about it now, I still hear it in his voice. The flying part isn't the hard part. It has its challenges and things to get used to but he always swore that flying was the easy part. (I will eventually agree with that). I have never heard one pilot speak about flying in a way that isn't pure joy, love and passion.
Also, it is the most beautiful escape I could have ever imagined. It gives my world perspective. Even though I left work in a rambling mess on Friday, I was able to get a plane up into the sky and fly thousands of feet above northern Georgia. With the treees changing below, the amount of work having to be put into the process and the overall view of the mountains in front of me, I realized just how much perspective means.
Its the difference between taking a breath and holding it in. Accepting your fate or being strong enough to change it. Finding a guy to settle with or standing firm in yourself until the right person comes along. Perspective is everything. When it isn't all in your face and you get to feel so in control of your life over a world that is so small below, breathing becomes so simple.
I'm not going to get my license anywhere close to the time I wanted. I'm not understanding most of the flying as quick as I would desire to. I am also definitely struggling in accepting the fact that I am having to struggle, plan and prepare for every single aspect of these 60+ hours. That it isn't a two day course but a fight to the unseen finish line.
I am getting to be ok with all of that though.
It is a lot. It is intimidating. It is overwhelming and it is, more than anything, exauhsting. BUT...Another HAHN will get their pilot license and be able to experience the world in a totally different, freeing and exciting way.
Like Father like Daughter.
Between the motorcycle and flying from my Dad and my Mom's strength to accomplish anything...I'm pretty sure this is just the beginning of the adventures I will be taking.
More than anything, I am beyond thankful for the personal journey flying is taking me on. I never expected to find a hobby that would be as self discovering as climbing has been, yet, here we are.
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