Cloud 9 Flying Life

  “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.  For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” – Leonard Da Vinci The best gifts in life can’t

“More than anything else the sensation is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can conceive of such a combination.” – Wilbur Wright It’s noon and I’m about to fly

It’s an enormously special day.  It’s the 114th anniversary of flight!!  It is Wright Brothers Day! The gift of flight is beyond extraordinary. Just think about how far we’ve come, thanks to the Wright Brothers.  Find out more about the

May you begin this day with a smile on your face and with happiness for your soul to embrace. – Unknown Did you ever see the movie “Forrest Gump”?  If you did, I’m sure that you’ll recall Forrest (played by

“Be crazy.  Be stupid.  Be silly.  Be weird.  Be whatever your heart desires.  Because life is too short to be anything but happy.”  – Unknown When I called AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) for Virginia Tech airport this morning, the

“Wake up every morning with the thought that something wonderful is about to happen.”  Unknown Every morning that we fly, it’s like looking at a kaleidoscope when you gaze at the sky.   There are ever-changing patterns and colors.  Each morning sky

“Each new day, a gift to be opened, sunrise slowly unties its ribbon of hope.” Unknown Have you ever looked at a sunrise and felt completely overwhelmed by its beauty?  The most breathtaking moments of my life happened to me

“May there be just enough clouds in your life to create a glorious sunrise.” – unknown There were already some strong crosswinds at the Roanoke Airport this morning, so we chose to practice  landings at the New River Valley Airport. 

“Sometimes, flying feels too godlike to be attained by man. Sometimes, the world from above seems too beautiful, too wonderful, too distant for human eyes to see . . . “   Charles A. Lindbergh Every morning is too beautiful for

I let my worries go so I can be here for the beauty that surrounds me now. – Unknown This afternoon the weather was PERFECT!  After taking off, looking at the crystal blue sky was like looking into eternity – 

Let me tell you the coolest thing I have ever encountered having Roger as an instructor.  This afternoon I was doing stalls.  Roger was giving a PIREP very calmly while he was talking me through the stalls.   (A pilot report or PIREP is a

“Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears.” -Richard Wilkins This afternoon I had a flying lesson in the gusty winds.  Taking off there were strong tailwinds.  I have

  People have asked me what my instructor has taught me.  I’ll try to break some of the things I’ve learned  from him down to simple, un-technical terms: -It’s always a good idea to keep the pointy end going forward.

Meet me at midnight in the forest of my dreams.  We’ll make a fire and count the stars that shimmer above the trees. -Christy Ann Martine Related Images:

“Life is like flying an airplane.  You’ll be pushed around, have your ups and downs, but try hard enough and you’ll land where your heart desires.” – unknown Or, in my case, takeoff where your heart desires!  I felt like

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up. – unknown I got up early, all excited to go fly after a whole week off, took my dog outside for a quick walk, and

“Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars?  I could really use a wish right now.” Until recently I never knew all the maintenance required to keep us students (and the instructor, of course) safe

“How long is forever?  Sometimes, just one second.”  Alice in Wonderland A moment can last forever if you are present in your complete being.  I hope you spend time doing things that you cherish the most as I do when

Darkness was created to better emphasize the light. I love early morning flights!  Each and every one of them have been incredibly beautiful.  But, this morning was especially brilliant and intriguing as you will see below. This morning I did

I am so excited to share the photos with you from Roger’s and my flight this afternoon to Pence Springs Airport, West Virginia to visit a grass runway so he could show me how soft landings are done!  I fell

“Everyone has oceans to fly.  If they have the heart to do it.  Is it reckless?  Maybe.  But what do dreams know of boundaries?” -Amelia Earhart What an incredible woman!  I admire her greatly.   I also love so many of

  This morning we left the Blacksburg airport at 6:30, so it was still dark out.  As we’re flying to Roanoke, I kept thinking, “it feels like the whole world is still sleeping and the world is all ours to

Some people feel the rain.  Others just get wet. -Bob Marley I am so very happy that I have an instructor who feels the rain.  Monday morning here was cloudy and a bit dreary.  So, we did the most cheerful

If people looked at the stars each night, they’d live a lot differently.  When you look into infinity, you realize that there are more important things than what people do all day.  -Bill Waterson Today would have been Tom Petty’s

Today’s good mood is sponsored by flying. Yay!!!!   I am so excited that I am flying again after two weeks! When everything seems to be going against you, remember the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.  -Henry Ford