Plane Crashes and Cubemates

I work for a large company and I think I'm the only pilot in the bunch. I have airplane stuff all over my cube. Aircraft pictures, aviation related bumper stickers, stuff from AirVenture, you name it, I've got it.

As you can well imagine, I get a lot of comments from passersby. "Oh, your a pilot?"

"You betcha!" I usually reply. "The most fun you can have with your pants on!"

Most people are really interested in the fact that I'm a pilot and I own my own aircraft. The vast majority of people that drop into my cube to chat say things like "I've always wanted to learn how to fly" or "How much does it cost to take lessons?".

Then there are those who are really hooked and have specific questions. "How hard is it to land an airplane? Where do you go to learn how to fly? How much does it cost? Do you have to pay the airports to land your airplane? Would you take me for a ride? I'll pay for the gas!"

I always enjoy these conversations, since apparently it IS my favorite subject. I find that the majority of people are really intrigued by flying and find it fascinating.

But here lately, there have been a few plane crashes and everybody in the whole damn building wants to come over and talk to me about it. For some reason, this really ticks me off. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it really bothers me.

They really make a big deal about any crash and always want to know what I think about it and what I think may have happened to cause it. Sometimes I feel like they're insinuating "See. You're nuts for being a pilot. It's dangerous". Maybe I'm taking it as an insult to what I love. I really don't know. All I know is that I wish they would just stay away from my cube.

I guess I feel like I need to defend my love for aviation, that I'm not a coward as "some" are. I want to venture out and grab life by the collar and really live. Risk is a part of life, an essential part of life. It's what makes us tick and brings joy into our lives. Without a degree of risk, we would never get married, go after the job we want, move to another town, drive a car, jump off the high dive, I could go on and on.

By being a private pilot, I now have tales of adventures in aviation that I can pass on to my grand children, seeing the world from a personal perspective that only a privileged few can ever experience. A few with a true desire to live life fully.

Smitty

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