Flight Lesson Two.

Women engineers make the best flight instructors.

I had trouble landing.

Flight school is usually a holding pattern for student pilots and recent aeronautical college graduates to log enough hours to get a paid gig as the right seat in a small, regional airline.

My first few flight instructors conformed to this stereotype. About 22 years old and itching to move on.

Here today, gone tomorrow.

I was finally assigned to Kim, a brilliant aeronautical engineering graduate, who concluded my landing issues had to do with my bifocals. Once she realized this, my landing were just one greaser after another.

I was flustered the day, without warning, she me asked to taxi over nearer the terminal for no reason whatsoever. She hopped out the door.

Had no idea what she was up to.

“You’re ready”, she announced. “Take her up, round the pattern and bring her in…”

The door slammed and before I could choke on my heart in my mouth, I was running up the engine, testings mags and brakes and skimming down the runway.

It was just like always except the usual right-hand seat where I had grown accustomed to Kim’s silent approval, was empty.

I soloed on my birthday, but the adventures were just beginning…