The engineer searches for a hobby (575 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.5 on 13 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <rurumon> (View user info) at 2004-08-30 13:20:40 EDT
Long before I narrowed my life's focus to weapons engineering, I liked planes.
I mean, what boy doesn't? What boy doesn't desire to be a fighter pilot or a fire-fighting tanker captain? The allure of flight and combat is a dream that is thrust upon and fed constantly to most men their entire lives, at some point we all have to give up the fact that most of us will end up being something far more banal, like a widget engineer. (http://www.ubersite.com/m/40523)
However, noticing that I spend most of my time between finishing dinner (7pm) and when I pass out (11pm) watching sexy Misty May punish other countries in beach volleyball I decided I needed a hobby. Now what does a 22 year old with a nice disposable income do? I cycled through all the obvious choices like drinking lots of beer and playing Madden 2K5 to arrive at my old childhood dream, flight.
One week later I am sitting in the severely cramped cockpit of a Cessna 172 that was built 20 years before I was born. Its at least 90 degrees in the cockpit and due to the tight space my shoulder is in constant uncomfortable contact with my flight instructor. The 1600 lb lawn dart is sitting on the runway perched atop 1500 feet of my old childhood memories of F-15s and Top Gun.
"You take this one..." comes the voice screeching through my headphones and it dawns on me that I am about to be in control of a vehicle that seems to be in a constant epic battle to remain aloft. Wait, this doesn't seem right...I have no experience outside of lots of video games, how can he expect me to...
"Just give it full throttle you pansy..." from the man on the right.
Fine, I give the engine some throttle and feel the gentle acceleration as the prop beat into the air trying to drag me forward...
"We are never going to take off if you don't give it more throttle..." the voice in my ears again.
By now the plane is oscillating across the runway like a weathervane struggling against the gale force winds of my growing anxiety. My sweaty hands force the throttle in all the way and I pray for take-off speed so that I can leave the power-sliding and imminent destruction behind me. 60 knots arrives at what seems like 5 minutes later and I pull back on the yoke to save me from the curse of that runway.
What happened next was difficult to explain. Everyone, even the jaded business traveler feels the elation as their commuter plan lifts of the ground, shaking the feeble chains of gravity to soar in a territory were few people trespass. This was different because it was me that did it, I lifted that plane off the ground and now I was flying. The kid in me was jumping up and down in excitement, a dream that lay dormant for many years finally rose to the surface as my two-seater floated off into the hazy Maryland sky.
I cant wait for my next lesson.
User Reviews
Submitted by rurumon (user info) at 2004-08-30 17:03:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
because when you get into the real world and you are no longer a pledge in a fraternity you have to find things to do with your life. You'll get it soon enough
Submitted by MM_LP_Track3 (user info) at 2004-08-30 16:58:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
and this is interesting because?
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2004-08-30 15:37:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:18:08 (#)
Ranking: 2
I always wanted to take flying lessons.
Submitted by rurumon (user info) at 2004-08-30 15:28:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You are pretty accurate netP. You wouldnt be the first to suggest that I am incoherent and drift from the point. give me time.
Submitted by NetProphet (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:56:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fairly interesting, but not the most coherent read. You need to edit and revise your posts before submission.
Submitted by The_Walrus (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:56:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Cryopaul (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:48:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Everytime you give some insight into your mind I feel like you're reading mine. It's really creepy that we have similar careers and similar interests. Except for playing Madden 2k5, I prefer RPG's or first person shooters.
Submitted by rurumon (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:35:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
No, I work at Indian Head NSWC. Close to pax river though.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:26:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sweet. You don't work on the Naval base in Pax MD do you?
Submitted by boomslang (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:24:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you sir, are an anti-widgetic
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-08-30 14:18:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I always wanted to take flying lessons.
Submitted by Sofa_Ace (user info) at 2004-08-30 13:42:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hey, the world needs widgets.
Submitted by freebie (user info) at 2004-08-30 13:42:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
How long have you been practicing that landing technique?