Country music singer and songwriter Paul Overstreet was not an overnight sensation, nor was his path to aviation an easy one. “I always wanted to fly, but my wife didn’t like the idea,” he says. “I secretly took one flying lesson. The airplane was old and I didn’t like it.” In 2010, he says, “I decided to go for it. But then after a month or so of flying, my instructor passed away. I didn’t fly for a while but then I decided to finish, and I’ve been loving it!” He flies his Cirrus SR20 as often as he can—his wife enjoys it now.
Who: Paul Overstreet, Nashville country music star
Age: 60
Hours: 372
Ratings: Private, working on instrument
Favorite Aircraft: “I love the way the Cirrus is set up, so I bought one.”
Extra: Overstreet has written 27 Top-10 songs, including Forever and Ever, Amen, sung by Randy Travis; When You Say Nothing at All, sung by Alison Krauss and on the Notting Hill soundtrack; She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy, sung by Kenny Chesney; and Some Beach, sung by Blake Shelton.
Early challenges… I really had a problem with confidence. I questioned my ability in the beginning.
Hardest Lessons… Believe it or not, the radio. Some people love it, but I just felt like it took me a long time to get comfortable with hearing myself talking and trying to understand ATC. It takes a while to get used to working the radio and flying the airplane at the same time. When I soloed, my instructor left his headset on the floor when he got out. The engine activated the mic and I could hardly hear on the radio. I love it now.
Aviation Activity… Flying to different destinations and landing and then just hanging out there for a day or two, and then flying somewhere else! I love flying at night as well. It’s usually smooth and I love the lights of the cities as you pass over them. Oh, and I really love flying RNAV approaches—that’s the coolest!
Advice for students… Take your time and enjoy every lesson. It’s like building blocks. Fly with instructors and others as much as possible.
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