What It's like to Help Fly a Two-Seater Private Plane

I remember when I was ten years old I had a chance to fly in a helicopter with a pilot.

Though usually brave and diving right in to new things, I declined. I was afraid of heights, though they fascinated and filled me with wonder at the same time.

I've been in many planes since then - the commercial 747 variety, Delta and Eastern, but always had wished I had taken that helicopter ride and became interested later in taking flying lessons.

Back in Jan. 1991 it was a Monday, a day that started out to be a typical one when I got that chance again - this time in a two-seater private plane.

And this time, I took it.

It was a great surprise to what would have been an uneventful day.

I met Al Verhonich, a Folkston, GA resident who just earned his pilot's license at the St. Marys Airport and he checked out the plane while I waited. Previously an instructor had just finished telling him how a student of his got sick all over him while flying.

But I wasn't thinking about that at the moment. Verhonich was checking out the plane and I was taking pictures.

I tripped getting in then I buckled up and after he checked out the speedometers and the many other dials he started the plane and we were headed down the runway.

As we got closer and closer to being up in the air, I felt my palms began to sweat but I told myself I'm excited, that's all.

Then the plane was being lifted up in the air and soon I was seeing pieces of St. Marys and Fernandina Beach, FL like I had never seen before.

Verhonich told me we were at 200 feet, going 70 miles per hour. The houses looked like pieces on a Monopoly game board.

He pointed out the U.S.S. Canopus and the Kings Bay Submarine Naval Base.

Verhonich said he flew just to get away from it all.

Then we spotted the new golf course at the time on the base and Cumberland Island.

Suddenly it felt like we were not moving at all. I started to say something, but Verhonich said, "We're going over 100 miles an hour now."

My palms were sweating and I was thinking about the instructor who said his student got sick all over him. I pictured myself grabbing that plastic bag beside me. I thought about the fact that it was a two-seater with only two windows.

So, as much as I was looking around in awe and enjoying the view, I said a brief prayer and began thinking positive thoughts to keep from getting sick.

I never had trouble on jumbo jets, I thought to myself.

"It's different, isn't it?" Verhonich asked me.

I nodded. "This isn't Delta," I answered.

At one point I pictured myself flying out the door, cascading to my death.

Then, it passed.

Verhonich offered to let me take the wheel. I hesitated, then I took it. He showed me how to keep the wings level and told me that's important.

But I was trying to turn the plane and I wound up sending us into upward orbit. Verhonich calmly showed me how to steer, though I kept making the same mistake.

I said, "I guess I'm not cut out for this."

"Nobody can do it the first time," Verhonich said, smiling.

I let him take the wheel back and sit back, relaxing.

Maybe next time.

After touring the skies it's time to land. Verhonich asked me if I was ready to go back and I reluctantly said yes.

He pointed out another plan and we began turning around. It was kind of disappointing that we had to come back down to earth. It didn't seem like we were gone long at all.

The landing was actually smoother than any I'd experienced on the commercial airlines, which surprised me.

Verhonich brought the plane to a stop and I got out, slowly, my ears clogged up and not hearing myself speak very well. My head hurt a little, but otherwise I felt invigorated.

I thanked Verhonich and went inside to thank Loren Harmon, the other instructor/pilot who made sure planes came in safely.

Then I went back to work and as I performed my job tasks I could still feel my hands on the gears of the plane, the uplifting of the nose of it reaching upward to the destiny.

And I knew I wanted to do it again.