Commitment!

Over the last two weeks, I've had a few lessons and have focused on flying the plane straight and level, doing turns, and on taxiing. I've learned about climbing and descending as well. To initiate a climb, you have to give the plane full power, which I am reluctant to do, it seems, because it's scary. I am also a bit nervous about descending because you have to pull the power back - also scary because you start going down, which is the point but it's still scary.

What frightens me is taking control, having control of so much power. It's such a commitment! I have never felt such a sense of responsibility (even though my instructor is right beside me). I have to develop the confidence to take the responsibility and to tell the plane what I want it to do.

There's nothing like take-off to make you feel the rush of power! I did my first one today. Leading up to this, I have learned that the plane requires a lot of right rudder pedal on take-off to compensate for all of the forces that want to turn it to the left. All ready for this then, I hammered in that right rudder when it was time to take off - except that it was right brake instead (rudder is the bottom of the pedal, brake is the top). So instead of roaring down the runway, we did a full donut. My instructor said that was a first for him. We lined up again. I advanced the throttle. Full power! Right rudder! Runway rushing by! Pull back! Up we went!

Climbing out over the lake

It's a commitment to fly a plane but take-off is the ultimate commitment. There is a short window where you can back out of it, but, for the most part, once that throttle goes in, you are all in! You have to be brave and sure and ready to dive into that commitment and everything that comes after it.

This is a great life lesson for me: If you're going to do anything transcendent, you have to go for it!