Colonial pigs CAN fly!
LOL...I though there were an awful lot of pilots from the UK! And I don't think I'm worthy of being called a "Competitor." But, to finish the thread on a positive note.... I completed my intro flight lesson today. It was something else! I've spent my whole life watching planes fly over, and longing to be in the cockpit. I live just a mile from one of Chicago O'Hare's runways, so I get to see the planes pretty close as they glide in for landing. The airport I flew out of today lies just 10 KM's north of O'Hare. When I took off, I found myself quite stressed, as I struggled to get a feel for the controls, battling for control of the aircraft as it rolled, pitched, and yawed in the terrible cross-wind. But, once I got a good feel for countering the thermals and cross-winds, I was able to relax a bit and take it all in. Forgive me if this sounds overly poetic, but, as I hung there in the milky-blue, overlooking the land, I looked over my shoulder, and saw those same planes that I've been watching from the ground for years. They were making their final approach, or circling the pattern around ORD. Only this time, I wasn't watching them from the ground... this time, I was in the air WITH them, at a similar altitude. As corny as it sounds, I felt like one of the Gods, blessed with the gift of flight, floating through the sky with the other Gods, looking down on the mortals on the ground. It was total euphoria. I still don't know where I'm going to go with this, but I can guarantee one thing; I'm going to stay in the air one way or another! While today's flight showed just how MUCH I have to learn yet, it also showed me just what I'm capable of. I thank you all for your responses and your time. Consider me hopelessly addicted!