One of my fondest memories in aviation was the first flight I took in a Skyhawk. Even though my parents kept a kindergarten assignment where I said my goal in life was to be a pilot (after my career as an astronaut and a monster truck driver), I did not pursue aviation until after my first year of college. My neighbor was a pilot and it seemed like a neat idea, so I called the local airport. The next day I was ready to go, in the left seat of a Cessna 172 on a beautiful summer day.
One thing that surprised me at the time was how much I was allowed to do right off the bat. I was allowed to crank the starter, taxi out, even take off! Taking off is truly one of the joys of flying, and I think I was set down this path as soon as those wheels left the ground. In hindsight, the Certified Flight Instructor was assuredly right there on the controls with me through the whole thing. Still, how quickly was it before you were taking off without instructor assistance? For those instructors out there, when did you feel comfortable letting go of the reins with a new student during takeoff?
