Back on the airfield after eight long weeks of business trips, seminars, holidays and bad weather. And of course, things did not work out perfectly – but that was going to be the smallest concern after today’s flying day.
My launches were a nervous dance along the rope and my landings a bumpy and rough ride over a dozen molehills. Though once up in the air not all was bad: I was turning without killing speed and sectioning my circuit well enough to enable a relaxed approach.
I left the airfield with a good, albeit not great feeling. I would get a hang of it eventually. And at least my prefered instructor had not been there to see my lousy first launches.
Why on earth did he immediatly need to associate a bad launch with me behind the controls?!
Oh, how wrong I was… “I watched the nose of the ASK21 wobble along the rope for two launches and thought that must have been you”, he told me in the evening. You got to be kidding me! Bad enough that he had seen them, but why on earth did he immediatly need to associate a bad launch with me behind the controls?!
“You just ruined my day”, I exclaimed in pretended dismay. And actually, he was just about to as he unexpectedly confirmed what I had dismissed as a stupid rumor.
You’ll be terribly bored! Can’t you just talk like sensible adults? I know you’ll be back and teach anyway.. I tried each argument I could come up with off the top of my head, but I had underestimated either how determined, stubborn or frustrated – or maybe a bit of each – he was.
It’s not fun that drives me to pursue flying
It’s no secret that I am not especially fond of my company at the airfield. Much to the astonishment and lack of understanding of my friends and family I still keep returning, whenever I have time to spare. Why?
I wish I could quote the famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart: “For the fun of it!”. But no, it’s not fun that drives me to pursue flying. A feeling of freedom, a sense of achievement, a thrill, a challenge, a venture beyond comfort zones.
Fun is not part of my reasons. That would require people you can laugh with, relax with and trust in. Yet, I am left to watch those few people leave that I would assign those qualities to.
So why do I return? To prove that I will not let a bunch of ill-tempered people stand in my way and that integrity, loyalty and friendliness do not surrender just that easily.
Take off 