About to Fly!!!

It's about to happen. Financially, everything is ironed out. I'm ready to go. I've texted the CFI (flight instructor) to setup a schedule to begin flying soon. So, it's about to happen. It really is. I can't believe it's becoming a reality.

First, am I scared? Yes. But, do I feel unprepared? Also yes. :) I'm sure much of what I learned will flood back to me, but if I were to sit down in a plane and asked if I could fly, I would look the person next to me dead in the eyes, look confident when I say, "Oh, absolutely," and never figure out how to even start the plane. So, in all likelihood, that's what we'll start with, I'm sure.

Now that the financial side is resolved (I believe so, anyway), what are my barriers? Fear is definitely one. I'm scared of heights, but flying is different from when I've been up. Maybe me being in control of the plane will make it even better. I think a lot of my fear stemmed from someone else being in control of my life and my being completely powerless to change it. Another fear is that I just can't grasp the concepts and I can't do it. I don't think that will happen, but it's a possibility. Another bigger fear that I secretly have is my size. Yes, I'm a large person. I'm terrified that the CFI would say, "we can work something out for now, but you won't be able to get your pilot's license if you don't drop some weight." Something like that is scary. Granted, I've lost about 40 pounds, but I need to lose some more. A lot more. But, the biggest fear? What if all of this is a waste? What if I go through it all? I go through the training, I do well, I solo, get my license, and everything, and then I never get the opportunity to fly? That's a huge, huge waste to me.

The only other barrier is time. I've got to free up the time to do it. I think I'd be able to work out a schedule at work to get me off work a little earlier, but I'm not certain of that - especially as the winter months approach and the time to fly during daylight hours narrows. Weekends are probably my best bet, but I'll see what I can work out on that. I don't want to miss my kids' soccer games and their lives in pursuit of one of my hobbies, but I'll see how it all works out.

So, that's it. fear and time. Those are my final barriers at this time. I can get through these I'm sure. And the next post I do (if I don't finish the recap past in time) will hopefully be about my first training session and how awesome it was.... or my obituary where I've killed the CFI somehow in a freak plane accident trying to take off or land or something.