✈ Flying is my next chapter
Small planes.
Big freedom.
Follow one guy’s journey from the ground to the left seat — and find out how you can start yours.
Photo: MercerMJ, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What is “limerence”?
Limerence (n.): an all-consuming infatuation — the kind of feeling you can’t shake.
For me, that feeling is flight. The hum of a single engine at sunrise. The patchwork of Florida lakes below. The moment the wheels leave the runway and the world gets bigger.
Your First Flight in 60 Seconds
Close your eyes. Here’s what it actually feels like.
0:00 — Walkaround.
You and your instructor circle the plane, checking fuel, oil, control surfaces and tires. Pilots never skip this.
0:20 — Talk to the tower.
Your instructor (or you!) radios for permission to taxi. Yes, it sounds like a movie.
0:40 — Rotate.
A gentle pull back. The nose lifts, and suddenly there’s nothing under you but air.
1:00 — Hooked.
Most people land already planning the next one.
0:10 — Start up.
“Clear prop!” The engine coughs, catches, and settles into a steady hum. Headsets on.
0:30 — Full throttle.
Lined up on the centerline, power in. The runway blurs.
0:50 — Your hands on the yoke.
At altitude, your instructor says, “Your airplane.” You make a gentle turn — and you’re flying.
Featured Aircraft
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Cirrus SR22
The modern traveler. Fast, glass cockpit, and a whole-airframe parachute.
The “someday” plane.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
The classic trainer. High wing, forgiving, and more pilots have learned in one than almost any other plane.
The one you learn in.
Why small planes?
Freedom
Thousands of small airports are open to you, not just the big airline hubs.
Perspective
Everything looks different at 3,000 feet — including your problems.
Skill
Flying rewards focus, practice, and calm decisions. It makes you better on the ground, too.
Teens & twenty-somethings: you can start sooner than you think
You can solo a powered airplane at 16 and earn a private pilot certificate at 17. Free youth programs can get you in the air even earlier.