It’s time to pack your bags — air travel is back I
was terrified by the bombers plane was waving. It was my daddy. from Fairchild Air Base that He was waving and throwing kisses practiced over the Lewiston-Clark- at us. The plane left, circled and ston Valley in 1943. My parents came back even lower. I let go of listened to the President’s Mama, jumped up and down fireside chats. He talked and yelled, “Hi, Daddy!” about planes, war, bombs, “See,” Mama said. “Some crashes, dying and fights. In planes are big and some my 3-year-old mind, I transare little. Planes are good.” ferred it all to our skies. “Yup, planes are good.” I I ran screaming and hid answered. My fear vanished. under the bed every time a Planes didn’t enter my plane rumbled overhead. life again until I became THINKING a Home Base Educator for Dad’s cousin was a OUT LOUD Clarkston School District in pilot. They made a plan that would either calm 1977. I was scheduled to fly my fears or drive fear to Seattle for training. deeper into my life. Mama It was a small, 12-passendressed me up and held ger plane out of Lewiston. my hand waiting in our January was cold, but there driveway for a “surprise.” was no snow. I’d never been After what seemed forevin a plane before. I chose to er, I heard a plane coming. sit in the second seat back on I tried to run, but Mama held me the left. The plane was freezing. I tight. “Look up.” she said. “That’s could hardly feel my feet and legs. the surprise. What do you see?” No, my shaking was not from fear The plane came closer and lower. or nerves but from icy air coming I finally peeked around my mothfrom below. When we got to the er and looked up. Someone in the Cascade Mountains, I looked down
Sharon Chase Hoseley
to find the source. There it was — a fifty-cent sized hole in the floor. I could look right through it and see the snowy mountains below. I put my foot over it. That helped. Now I only had one frozen foot. You should have heard the flight attendant gasp when I told her she needed to plug that hole so the plane would be warmer. My second flight the following summer was to Laramie, Wyo., for a church conference. The plane from Spokane to Denver was large and air-conditioned. What a different ride. As we were beginning to descend, I decided flying was OK. We were almost ready for touchdown, when the plane’s nose suddenly came up and we rapidly ascended back into the wild blue yonder. It was like a carnival ride. As we circled above the airport, the pilot came on,“Sorry about that joy ride, folks. A plane decided to taxi across our runway and I had to ska-doodle out of there. We’re now re-scheduled for landing.” Whew.
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From that exciting landing, I transferred to a six passenger plane bound for Laramie. This plane was so small that there was no separation between pilot, co-pilot and passengers. It was noisy, hot and bounced along over the Rocky Mountain air like a balloon. The unnerving part was the co-pilot chewed on his fingernails the entire 45 minutes. That didn’t build much confidence in this inexperienced flyer. Despite those rough beginnings, I’ve now traveled all over the world and find it exciting. Whenever I hear a plane leave the airport, I feel the thrill of takeoff, the anticipation of adventure and a longing to be up in the air. It’s the thing I’ve missed most about our year of isolation. It’s the planes that make it possible for me to connect with family, friends, missions and new adventures. Soon — I hope, very soon — I’ll once again, gain my wings. Chase Hoseley can be reached at shoseley8@gmail.com.
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