A Midsummer Night’s Flight

Great weather, great company, and a great airplane make for a wonderful return to the air.

Sean Siff

Wednesday, December 27, 2023 at 06:26 PM ET

Verified

While at home simulators have their advantages, there's nothing quite like being in the air. [Courtesy: Sean Siff]

Key Takeaways:

After a four-year hiatus, the author, a private pilot, returned to real-world flying on a night flight, experiencing a profound reintroduction to General Aviation (GA).
The flight underscored the irreplaceable tactile connection with the aircraft during preflight and the visceral sensations of takeoff that home flight simulations, despite their advancements, cannot fully replicate.
The experience evoked personal memories and highlighted the unique social aspect of flying with a friend, contrasting with the solo nature of home simulation.
Ultimately, the author felt a strong sense of being "home again," appreciating both the practical benefits of simulation and the holistic, deeply missed experience of actual flight.

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My last official entry in my logbook as a real-world private pilot was in July 2019. The school where I was a renter had a Piper Arrow, and it was time for some recurrency training with my instructor. The intervening years since that flight passed quickly as my wife and I were focused on our two young children, balancing the obligations of our careers, navigating the COVID-19 experience, then moving to a new town. In May, a good friend invited me to join him on a night flight to help round out his flying requirements before starting his training program at a regional airline later this summer.

Thrilled with the chance to go flying again, I found my flight gear in the basement, grabbed my aviation headset, kissed my wife and kids good night, and hurried off to the airport to meet my friend.