Had my parents reminded me what I was waking up somewhat early to do that Saturday morning, I would have leaped out of bed. Since as long as I can remember, I have longed to learn to fly. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, I got my first taste of general aviation – and I loved every minute of it!

Whiteman Airport in Pacoima is relatively quiet compared to Burbank or LAX, except for the 4th Saturday of every month, when around 100 kids, ages 8-17, gather to take 15-minute rides in a small plane. For such a small airport, I was surprised at the size of the event: multiple booths, snacks, and a flight simulator setup.

When it was my turn, I walked (or rather ran and jumped like an excited small child) up to the plane, still in disbelief that I was about to fly. There were two teenage boys flying with me who agreed to let me sit in the copilot’s seat.

Pilots joke that the most dangerous part of a flight is the drive to the airport, but I was still nervous that something bad might happen on the flight. I expected to be both nervous and excited, but both emotions were amplified as I sat down and the door closed.

And then we took off, right? Wrong. We started in the transient parking area, a parking lot for aircraft, and had to call the tower to exit onto the taxiway. Immediately after, we turned off the taxiway into the runup area, where the pilot brought the engine to full power momentarily and checked all the control surfaces to ensure the plane could steer and takeoff safely. Then, we had to wait for a few planes to land and for the three planes in front of us to take off. Finally, we were cleared to take off and taxied onto the runway. The pilot then applied full power, and the plane began to accelerate. 

I have flown on many planes before, but this takeoff felt different and the same at the same time. It rotated (the pilot pulled back on the controls) at the lowest speed, 55 knots (nautical miles per hour; the unit for speed in aviation). And then, we were in the air! I was flying in a small plane!

The Young Eagles flights all take the same route. It’s an extended traffic pattern (loop around the airport). Soon after takeoff, we turned left towards the mountains, still climbing. The bumps and movements of the plane were more intense than in a commercial plane. Over the Hansen Dam, the pilot told me to put my hands on the yoke (steering wheel) and suddenly I was flying the plane. I couldn’t believe it! For about ten minutes, I was at the controls. Following the pilot’s direction, I turned the plane left, tried to keep it level, and fought the turbulence. We were only about 2300 feet above sea level and flying over the mountains, which was scary.

After a few minutes (although it felt much shorter), he had me turn back to the airport and I flew the final approach. Then the pilot took over for landing. We were high on the approach and the pilot had to slip the plane before landing. In a slip, the plane points to the side, increasing the drag and allowing the plane to descend without gaining a lot of speed.

As I got out, I was jumping for joy. I can’t wait to do it again, except I hope to be in control for takeoff and landing next time.

For anyone interested in a free Young Eagles flight, you can sign up here: https://events.eaachapters.org/.