Grounded, for Now

In what is probably the best free show anywhere, the Blue Angels practice their routines Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. People line up early for limited bleacher seating, or a prime spot to set up their own chairs.

Although I’m certain I saw the Blue Angels at some point in my childhood, I don’t really remember. Somehow they must not have made too much of an impression on me because I also don’t recall ever wanting to be a fighter pilot while growing up. I can’t imagine why not. Flying around at more than the speed of sound seems like something every little boy would want to do. All the best superheroes fly. Hell, even grown men envy the fly boys. I know I sure did seeing them this time around.

What’s not to envy? It occurred to me while watching the Blue Angels perform precision stunts with some of the most sophisticated aircraft ever developed that this is just another day at the office for these guys. I wonder if they ever feel like calling in sick. Do they hit the snooze button and struggle to face another ‘boring’ day of whizzing around in the same old plane doing the same old routine? Or do they jump out of bed chomping at the bit to get in the air and pull some Gs? I have to imagine it’s the latter; that they want to fly. When they’re not in the air, they’re probably thinking about it.

For a very brief moment, I wondered where I went wrong. I never pursued a cool passion. I got an MBA for Christ’s sake. What could be more boring than that?  But these moments of regret are few and incredibly short lived. I love where I am, and everything that came before led here. If anything were different, everything would be different. It’s hard to believe it would be better.

And besides, I’ll get in the air one day soon. I recently saw this great post from fellow travelers at theplanetd.com . . .

“I didn’t exactly believe them when the Flying Kiwi told me I would be piloting my own stunt plane in Abel Tasman, New Zealand. “You mean I am going to be a passenger and the pilot is going to fly right?”  “No, you are actually going to pilot your own plane turning yourself upside down and all around doing aerial acrobats 4000 feet above the ground.”

New Zealand has always been our to-do list, and now U-Fly Extreme is too. It won’t be the same thing as flying an F/A-18 Hornet, but it will more than do. Apparently, it’s never too late to follow a cool passion.