Managing editor of
The Columbia Star
takes a flying lesson from Jim Hamilton

Columbia Star Last week I had the opportunity to do what many people only dream of; I flew an airplane. I have always loved flying; the speed of the take off and resulting leap of my stomach when we are finally airborne and the thrill of a slightly bumpy landing. Even light turbulence is a bit fun for me.

Thanks to Be A Pilot, an aviation community– sponsored program dedicated to “raising public awareness about the personal, business, and career benefits of flying,” interested people, like me, can take an introductory lesson for half the normal price. Over 2,000 flight schools across the country are participating in the program.

Jim Hamilton checks the fuel before the flight. It is very important that there is no foreign material, it is the color blue, and it smells right. The wrong fuel could cause the engine to fail. Flying an airplane, what used to be seen as an activity only for the highly skilled, is now accessible to anyone able to afford a $49 introductory lesson.

“Just about anyone with average coordination and intelligence can learn to fly,” said Jim Hamilton, manager of the Columbia Owens Downtown Airport and my instructor.

According to Be A Pilot, with the expected mandatory retirement of more than 40,000 professional pilots over the next 10 years, the aviation field is ripe for new aspiring pilots. Many business professionals have also turned to becoming certified pilots in order to take control of their travel.

I wasn’t looking for a new career; I was just fulfilling a dream. Most of my flying experiences have been in commercial jets, not four passenger planes like the one I was scheduled to fly.

I admit the night before my lesson I got cold feet imagining the plane in a tailspin or a rogue cloud obstructing my view resulting in my demise.

However, all my fears were assuaged when my colleague, Amanda Taylor, and I met with Hamilton at 11 am for a pre–flight briefing.

managing editor, Natasha Whitling, flies a Cessna Skyhawk II over Columbia with the aid of certified flight instructor and manager of the Columbia Downtown Owens Airport, Jim Hamilton.

Hamilton has many safety and aviation awards under his belt, including the prestigious Spirit of Aviation Award presented by the SC Aviation Association.

Before take–off, we followed a series of required safety checks. Our first step was to consult a weather radar to determine if it were safe to fly.

“The pilot almost has to be an amateur metrologist,” Hamilton said. A lot of factors affect the decision to take off or stay in the terminal. Things such as wind speed and ground temperature all affect how much fuel will be required to reach a given destination and the duration of the flight.

I would be flying at least 500 feet below cloud level. Only pilots who are “instrument ready” are able to fly above the clouds because they must rely solely on their instruments to guide them.

“A lot of what we do is about redundancy,” Hamilton said. “We have dual controls, and we take back–up instruments just in case what we have on the plane fails.” Hamilton gathered our tools: a GPS unit, handheld radio, charts, headsets, and little plastic bags (in the event the experience of flying in a small plane becomes too much for the stomach).

Once on the tarmac we found our ride, a 1980 Cessna Skyhawk II 172. Hamilton conducted a thorough safety inspection of every inch of the Cessna. I have detailed some of the safety checks in a diagram above.

By the time he finished his preparations, I was itching to begin the lesson. I took my place in the pilot’s seat, while Hamilton took his in the co–pilot’s.

I would soon learn that, for me, the most difficult part of the lesson would not be in the air but on the ground. The plane is maneuvered on the ground with the use of foot pedals. It was counter–intuitive to use my feet to steer the plane left or right when I really wanted to just turn the steering wheel, or control yoke, in front of me.

Finally we were ready to taxi to take–off. “Once we are centered on the white line, just pull back slowly on the throttle,” Hamilton said. In a matter of seconds we had glided into the air and were gaining altitude. We received a clear view of Owens Field and downtown Columbia as we headed toward Lake Murray.

My two main responsibilities during the flight were to keep the wings level with the use of the control yoke and learn how to gradually bank left or right.

“Don’t worry,” Hamilton said, obviously spotting my white–knuckle grip on the steering wheel, “I won’t let you do anything that will scare you or me.”

We experienced some mild bumps, but the view from the small plane was spectacular, so much better than any I ever got in a commercial jet.

After nearly an hour in the air, the time came to make a landing. Many factors go into making a great landing, and I’ll be the first to admit I was only responsible for one: keeping the wings level.

Our landing was so smooth I wasn’t even sure we were on the ground. I received a round of applause from Hamilton and Taylor. They were either very happy to be on the ground or I did a good job.

Like the first potato chip from a bag, my flight lesson left me wanting more. According to Hamilton a student must complete an average of 10–12 hours before they can make their first solo flight. “The instructor will authorize the solo flight based on the student’s proficiency,” he said. The minimum age requirement to fly solo is 16 years old. In order to apply for the private pilot license examination, 40 hours of flight time must be reached, 20 of those with a certified flight instructor. The minimum age for certification is 17 years old. One hour down, 39 more to go.

Anyone interested in taking an introductory lesson can register online at www.beapilot.com or call 888-BEAPILOT toll free to receive an introductory lesson certificate.

Photo by Amanda Taylor

Photo by Amanda Taylor

Cessna SkyHawk II 172

Minimum speed – 40 mph

Maximum speed – 125 mph

Year – 1980

Seats – 4

Engine – Flat four piston engine driving a two blade fixed pitch propeller

Fuel – 7 gallons per hour approx.