Nearly as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a pilot — nothing more, nothing less. I said as much in a second-grade project that my mother saved for posterity. Over time I developed additional interests and even dabbled with the idea of becoming an architect or practicing law, but I never seriously pursued either option. Against the conventional advice that a professional pilot should obtain a nonaviation fallback degree, I went to the aviation-centric University of North Dakota and majored in air transport. I didn’t even bother with a minor, much less a second major. Young and eager to take on the world, it was aviation or bust. I never gave “What if you can’t?” much thought. I always assumed that I could. My parents never actually spoke the modern trope that my siblings and I could do anything we set our minds to, but their actions clearly reflected that belief, and we all ran with it. Failure, even due to circumstances beyond one’s control, wasn’t much considered. “God will provide,” my parents pronounced with a confidence borne of personal experience.
Taking Wing: Grounded
Key Takeaways:
- A lifelong aspiring pilot, the author faced a devastating Crohn's disease diagnosis that initially threatened his aviation career.
- He successfully underwent treatment with new biologic drugs, which the FAA approved for special-issuance medical certificates, providing a path to continue flying.
- During his grounding, flying a Light Sport aircraft helped maintain his spirits, and he eventually regained his commercial pilot certification and returned to the cockpit.
- Despite the ongoing uncertainties of Crohn's, the experience solidified his unwavering commitment to aviation, even considering non-flying roles within the industry if necessary in the future.
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