Perhaps you’re a student pilot and most of your recent flying time has been about mastering the specific skills you need to earn your certificate. Or maybe you’re a flight instructor and your flight hours are focused on imparting that knowledge. Maybe you’re working on an advanced rating so you can get a flying job or move up to a bigger, faster airplane. Wherever you are in your personal aviation journey, it’s easy to focus on the specific mission and forget about the sheer fun of flying.
It’s something I know a lot about. I’ve been flying for more than 40 years now, and for the vast majority of my flight hours were spent primarily in getting me from Point A to Point B. Most of my flying was done for business trips, and I never seemed to be able to find much time to get a $100 hamburger or do a little personal traveling. And although I always liked flying—and flying GA was always the most pleasant and sometimes the only way to reach my destination—it was really more about transportation than about simply enjoying the freedom to fly.
Over the decades I’ve owned and operated a string of airplanes of all sizes, including many Cessnas and the Beechcraft Bonanza I still fly today. But I was recently captivated by an airplane that, for me, has little to do with transportation and everything to do with fun.
I told you a couple of months back that I had purchased a 1998 Aviat Husky. Why? Well, in part because I decided that this is my time to fly just because I love the sensation of being airborne, the freedom to go when and where I choose, and the unique perspective that comes with seeing the world from above.
The Husky is a tailwheel airplane—something I had never flown before—and I enjoyed the challenge of learning a new skill. It’s also perfect for taking to places you might never really think about taking a Bonanza, like remote backcountry airstrips.
I recently tagged along with AOPA’s 2012 Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes Husky as it flew through New England on a photo mission. I visited beautiful airstrips in places you simply can’t access via roads. I spent time relaxing and enjoying the act of flying itself. And I got to experience what goes into getting that perfect shot for our magazines. It was rejuvenating.
And, as so often happens when you break out of your routine and try something new, I discovered a whole new world of flying—and all kinds of places I’d like to explore with my Husky. And for once, I plan to make those explorations a personal priority.
As so often happens when you break out of your routine and try something new, I discovered a whole new world of flying.
I still need to fly for transportation. My work on behalf of AOPA’s members takes me all around the country, and I need to travel quickly and efficiently so that I can pack as much as possible into every trip. So you probably won’t see me arriving at a West Coast event in my Husky anytime soon. But the experience of getting back to all the things I love about flying, and discovering new things to love, has enriched even the flying I do strictly for transportation.
Regardless of why you fly, I hope you’ll take some time in 2012 to take to the skies purely for the enjoyment of doing so. I’m sure you’ll find it time well spent.
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