One Dream I Have Accomplished

When I was little, I had a dream to fly. Flight to me was something so extraordinary that I had to explore it further. One Christmas morning, I received a remote control airplane. It had a 69 inch wingspan and with its gas powered engine, it could fly at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Even with those incredible attributes, this aircraft is recommended for beginners! It is called the “NexSTAR”. After my first flight, I knew that this was something super special. I now have become really good at remote control (RC) flight. I can fly planes that take off on water, trick planes, twin prop planes, you name it. After many years of RC flight under my belt, I began to wonder, ‘What is it like to fly real airplanes’.

            My parents never knew that I wanted to become a pilot until the eighth grade. Since then I had a growing desire to fly real planes. Last year, as a Christmas present, my parents bought me a “discovery flight”. On this flight I would go up in a plane and fly with an instructor. When my parents informed me about what they did, I immediately felt this warm exhilarating feeling in my heart. But there was a problem that had come about. I never had time to do this flight. School is a huge priority in my life right now. I also play on the school basketball team and a travel team that plays all around Indiana. This means that my time during the week and on the weekends is limited. This was a huge obstacle for me because it felt like I had a choice. You can either play the sport you love, or fly planes (also something I loved). I still to this day do not know whether I want to play basketball in college or not. But I do know that I want to major in aviation in college.

Not until two weeks ago did I get to fly a Cessna 172 with an instructor. Although it was a long time being away from flight, I absolutely loved it. I felt like I knew what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be for the rest of my life. Flying brought out the other side of me. Before the flight, my life was consumed by basketball, school and Christianity. Flight is now a new chapter in my life which has just begun. I will never forget how this chapter started: with a dream.