Call
Me Amelia
by
Sheree Bykofsky
I have a
passion for driving. When I was five, I taught myself how to ride a
two-wheel bicycle, and I have the permanent scar on my lip to prove it. At
ten I careened a dozen times daily down a steep hill, sometimes on my red
ball-bearing skateboard and sometimes on skates.
As I
grow older, it is getting harder to find new vehicles to take for a spin.
The first time I drove myself through Manhattan, it was behind the wheel
of a 14-foot truck loaded with my furniture. I have snowmobiled,
motor-boated, sailed and jet-skied. The Amalfi Coast and Autobahn were
no match for me. In my thirties I learned to drive a stick shift. In my
forties I learned to drive a golf ball. Recently I won a trip to
gorgeous Northern Ireland. With the stick and my passenger both on my left
and the cars coming towards me on the right, we took in over 600 miles of
mountains and hills, coasts, towns and busy cities. Were there any driving
challenges left for me to conquer?
Gulp. I
was invited to learn how to fly a plane! "Yes," my mouth said on
"auto-pilot," but my stomach said something else. As the August date
approached, I admit that a small part of me hoped for a hurricane, but when
I woke up and saw the bluest sky of the year, I had no choice but to hop in
my car and head for Cross Keys Airport in Williamstown, New Jersey.
 All of the anxiety of
anticipation was energy wasted because once I met my capable instructor,
Dave Burton, there was no fear. My instruction started with a thorough tour
of the four-seated Cessna and its safety features. Before long we were up,
up and away. It's simple, Dave said: "Blue is up and green is down. Blue sky
and green earth, that is." We both had a wheel and pedals that moved in
tandem. I was stunned to find that I had been steering the plane for
several minutes before realizing it. "Why are you turning right?" I asked
meekly. "I'm not, you are," Dave replied. I looked at him and his hands
were on his lap. "Uh, can I turn left?" I asked. "Go for it," said Dave. A
slight touch of the wheel and we were banking left. Just below was the small
town of Bridgeton. A few minutes later and we were over Vineland. "Point the
nose at the horizon, Sheree." "Uh, ok. Piece of cake." This was even better
than the dreams I had when I was small, the ones that had me touring the
world like a bird. Speaking of which, an elegant black hawk soared near the
plane. "Hey, I'm one of you," I wanted to say. "Now start turning right
again, Sheree," said Dave. "Philadelphia airspace is just two miles to the
left," and I knew that two miles could be traversed in just one minute at
our speed of 120 mph. Before turning I saw the beautiful Philly skyline in
the distance.
Flying a
plane makes you feel like you should feel—like there is nothing you can't
do. Yet it's actually much easier than driving a stick shift through
Belfast. The plane handled like a boat when on the ground and like a car
when in the air. I learned and saw so much and felt empowered. For less than
$200 you can have the thrill of your life. I would suggest nearly everyone
add this to their list of things to do before they die.
Am I
going to try their Freefall Adventure Skydiving school next? Well, maybe the
time for that really has passed for me, but one day I will have a Harley,
and if anyone wants me to test drive a classic Corvette or Lamborghini, here
I am!
 Lets Go Flying is a program
that allows anyone, for a surprisingly reasonable sum of money, to get an
hour of expert lessons while actually flying a small aircraft. This is a
national program and not just confined to New Jersey. The new flight
training initiative of the nonprofit Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association,
LetsGoFlying.com is a valuable
resource for anyone who may be interested in learning to fly. Just have fun
for an hour or learn how to become a pilot. The website includes
AOPA's database of flight schools across the country, many of which offer
steeply discounted introductory flights.
Philadelphia Flight Academy at Cross Keys
Cross Keys Airport (17N)
1531 N. Tuckahoe Road
Williamstown, NJ 08094
www.philadelphiaflightacademy.com
www.letsgoflying.com
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