Jeff tries new things all the time.
We let him write about it.
Jason (behind the scenes BYT guy aka Dad -ed.) kept telling me how fun it is to fly an airplane and how he is taking flying lessons and how we are going to be able to rent a plane and he’ll fly us down to Florida in October to watch the Space Shuttle launch:
I figured I might as well see what this was all about. So I booked an introductory flight at Dulles Aviation in Manassas:
INTRODUCTORY FLIGHTS:
1 Person, C-152 $ 59.00/1/2Hr
2 persons, C-172, Warrior II $ 69.00/1/2Hr
2 persons, C-172R, C-172S, Warrior III $ 79.00/1/2Hr
We got up at 5:30 AM, which is not fun on a Saturday. If you saw our skydiving post, you’ll remember that nothing gets you ready for skydiving like McDonald’s breakfast. Same drill here. I went with the McSkillet Burrito thing and Jason had some sort of a sandwich with pancake where the English muffin used to be in an Egg McMuffin. We’ll call it the Egg McPancakewich. I highly recommend the McSkillet Burrito. It’s everything you need to fly an airplane. Besides the plane.
We got there around 7 AM, had a quick tour of the office and instruction center with our instructor, he gave me a headset and we headed for the plane. It was pretty easy.
We spent some time doing the checks to make sure the plane was flight-ready and hopped in. It’s a lot like getting in a car.
‘kicking the tires’
Our instructor took off and showed me what he was doing, I was a little overwhelmed with it all, but I was able to pay attention despite the early hours, thanks to my premium hazelnut Iced Coffee from McDonald’s
After one lap around the airport we landed. “Your turn” he said. “I thought you were just going to let me fly it when we were already up in the air” I said. “Nope” he said.
Okay, I wasn’t really prepared to actually take off and land a plane and at that point I got a bit nervous.
But actually, the only difficult part of it was driving the plane along the runway, because you steer with your feet and not the yoke.
Anyways, I ended up taking off, lapping the airport and landing the plane twice. It was fantastic. The pictures speak for themselves.
I upgraded to the three-seat C-172 for additional ten bucks, so including the McDonald’s breakfast for two people (ten bucks) the whole thing ended up costing me $79. Not bad for getting to fly an airplane.
Special thanks to the awesome and super-friendly staff at Dulles Aviation (and Manassas McDonald’s) for a great time (and delicious food). I can’t recommend them enough. This would be a great first-date activity. Or ‘man date’ activity, if you’re into what’s hip and cutting edge:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/fashion/10date.htm
Dulles Aviation
(703) 361-2171
(888) 8FLYDAI (835-9324)
Dulles Aviation Inc.
10501 Observation Road
Manassas, VA
20110
www.flydai.com
And finally, I think we should all, once again, revel in the hilariousness that is Jason jumping out of airplane to the sounds of Sammy Hagar-era Van Halen (‘jump’ to 4:00 to see the awesome):
Jeff, I’m going to go soaring sometime soon (which is a glider without a motor towed into the air with a plane, then released).
You in?
June 12, 2008 at 4:44 pmNice Jeff!!! I’m definately going to laod up on the McSkillet before I head out on saturday.
June 12, 2008 at 5:13 pmAhhhhhhhhh! This is awesome!
June 12, 2008 at 5:59 pmDid if feel like Top Gun without the aviators and a bogey on your tail? You’re kinda Mavericky looking, and I’m not talking about ol’ chipmunk cheeks.
June 12, 2008 at 7:18 pmIt felt like the volleyball seen of top gun. If that makes sense. I was about to whip my shirt off.
June 12, 2008 at 8:13 pmJeff, you middle name is “hip” and Jason’s middle name is “cutting edge”.
Can we send you to get pedicures and then ride mechanical bulls next week?
June 12, 2008 at 8:21 pmCan I get an autograph? You’re so cool!
Can i come next time you go?
June 12, 2008 at 8:35 pmwhy did you buy him mcdonalds? that definitely makes it a man-date.
this looks awesome. i’m going.
June 12, 2008 at 8:44 pmI did an introductory flight once. It was great until the instructor had me bank (what felt like) hard to the left. Then I looked out the window, saw the ground, felt like I’d slide off the seat and out the door (despite there being no real danger of doing so), and promptly felt like hurling.
So the instructor says, “that’s OK, that’s why we keep bags in these planes for people.” OK, whew. “Uh… I don’t see any though. Are you going to be OK until we land?”
Well, I didn’t have any choice, really, now did I?
We landed and I never did throw up–and he even charged me less b/c we spent less gas / time in the air. I do feel rather short-changed by the experience, though, so I’ll have to do it again.
If someone wants to go with me, I’ll pay for the McManDate Burrito.
June 13, 2008 at 12:01 amby golly! jeff, you are pretty hot shit going aeronautic. this just bumped you up a few notches in my book. don’t let your head swell tho, janet gives her quaint hello and kisses to you :)
June 13, 2008 at 8:32 amDude, I made flying cool in 2004! Srsly, welcome to the hangar.
June 13, 2008 at 1:38 pmWait - we need to do a SPACE SHUTTLE intro flight!!!!
(Seriously though: that shuttle launch is going to be fucking AWESOME.)
June 15, 2008 at 1:50 amvolleyball SCENE of top gun. not SEEN. god, i’m getting old and losing my edge.
July 15, 2008 at 5:29 pm
That breakfast burrito looks really good. Wish it was morning.
June 12, 2008 at 4:25 pm