How Robyn Learned to Fly

Proof That Robyn Was Once A Student Pilot

While you struggle to control the airplane and yourself, your instructor probably assures you that everyone has these problems, and that you will eventually learn, but sometimes that can be hard to believe.  While I was learning to fly, I sent detailed e-mail messages to a friend, all about me learning to fly.  I am posting these messages here so that you can laugh at me, and realize that even someone that scared, sick, confused and incompetent can become a safe, licenced pilot.

These probably aren't interesting enough to be worth reading through, but after skimming a couple you should be reassured.

I didn't save all my outgoing mail, so there's a lot missing here: no first solo, no flight test. I'll add those if I find them.

My Romulan Flight Instructor

Before I learned to fly I played an interactive (now defunct) online game called TrekMUSE. On the game I pretended to be a Klingon scoutship pilot; I "flew" my ship and talked to the other players by typing at my computer keyboard. The online Klingon Empire wasn't always the most exciting corner of the galaxy, so I spent a lot of time just chatting to other players as people, instead of playing the game.

One day I received a message that another player, a senior commander in the Romulan Empire, had broken his leg very severely and was feeling useless and sorry for himself. He was in great need of cheering up. The disabled Romulan was a pilot, so I had him tell me about flying. To my surprise, the way he described airplane flying had nothing to do with video games. I was impressed by the breadth and depth of information involved in piloting an airplane, and insisted that he teach me all about it.

Over the next several months he taught me aerodynamics, navigation, and aircraft procedures, all through online chat.

First Flights 

After he had recovered, I went to his city and he took me for a real flight in a Cessna 152.  I was sick out the window of the airplane, but enjoyed it enough that I insisted we go up again the next day.  I was hooked.

The very next weekend I went to my local airport and started flying lessons.  The links at right are letters and online chats with the Romulan, whom I'm going to call Rex, detailing my progress.

The letters have been edited for profanity, to change the names of some identifiable people, and to remove parts that have nothing to do with flying.  I have not edited out my own mistakes and misunderstandings, so do not believe everything that student pilot Robyn says.

Robyn's Flying Start Home

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