It has finally arrived!

No, not just my latest blog...my first flight as a student pilot!

This is my first "ride" and a plane that I will probably be flying for all my training and most of my eventual excursions...the Beechcraft Sundowner, officially designated BE23.

You can't see him very well in this picture, but the man loading the plane is my primary flight instructor, Frank O'Donnell. I had asked the Beechcraft Employees' Flying Club Chief Flight Instructor for his advice on selecting an instructor. My criteria was simple...I wanted the lightest instructor available! You see, weight and balance is critical in a small plane, and suffice it to say that Frank and I combine for a total of 410 pounds and required at least 10 pounds of "ballast" to stay in the flight envelope. I noticed his jeans were 33x32 while mine are 40x35.

This picture is after the flight, just before Frank kissed the ramp. Just kidding, he said I hardly even scared him with my attempted take-off. Yeah, I've got some work to do with that cross-wind thing.
This is me after the flight...I had a great time! I got to do all most all of the flying, which included practicing coordinated turns. This means I had to use my hands to turn the plane by rolling the plane into the turn and my feet on the rudder pedals to swing the nose into the turn. It's the old pat you head while rubbing your stomach while looking out the window trick.

When done right, it makes a very nice smooth turn, but my first couple attempts were more like a carnival ride. Over...up...roll in...down...roll out...level...straight. I'm glad we were turning to follow the roads and I could see them in my peripheral vision!
And like so many things in life, the job's not done until the paperwork's done!

Well, that's the short version of a very exciting day that I have looked forward to for a very long time. I want to say a specific "thank you" to Maryanne for encouraging and supporting me.

And I'm now looking forward to the day when I will be "coming to a town (airport) near you!"