BROOMFIELD — It’s OK to be overwhelmed. In fact, it’s expected.
It happens to almost everyone who has the pleasure of sitting next to Bill Elliott for the first time.
If you’re seated next to Elliott, the odds are pretty good that you are in an airplane, wondering what to do next. Elliott, a retired computer salesman and recreational aviator since age 18, spends several days a week working as a flight instructor for McAir Aviation (303-466-8730) out of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. And although he is never planning on overwhelming anyone, he’s prepared to.
“Most people are fascinated as well as intimidated, even somewhat overwhelmed, by all that goes on,” Elliott says. “What is so cool is seeing that person evolve into a pilot who, all of the sudden, 12 flights later, is doing all that stuff that totally overwhelmed them six weeks ago.”
At first take, there are many ways to be overwhelmed from the cockpit of a Cessna 172, ranging from the confusion of the dashboard dials to the utter disbelief that such a simple, four-cylinder machine is capable of carrying you from Broomfield to the top of Longs Peak in roughly 20 minutes.
But whether one ever intends to spend the time and money to pick up a private pilot’s certification through McAir Aviation or any other of the 3,500 member flight schools found on the nonprofit Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association website, , those disposed toward drifting among the clouds above Colorado are likely to suffer their greatest disbelief over just how cheap and easy it is to hop in an airplane and see what they’ve been missing.
For less than $100, would-be pilots can climb into the cockpit next to an experienced wingman like Elliott and sample the thrill of aviation through a deeply discounted “discovery flight.” And while, technically, the Federal Aviation Administration distinguishes these introductory lessons from a scenic flyover, the reality during next week’s peak of autumn splendor is that there may be no better way to take in fall in the high country.
“Autumn typically offers the most beautiful weather you can fly in. Especially around this time, the seasons have kind of changed, everything has settled out as far as weather patterns and the air is very stable,” said Luke Collison, general manager at McAir. “The weather is great, and you can’t beat the scenery.”
As Mother Nature dons her most stunning autumn attire in the weeks ahead, the view from 2,000 feet up is nothing short of stellar. And as adventures go, little can rival the thrill of building speed down the runway, pulling back on the yoke and taking flight.
The Cessna quickly becomes one with the air and heads toward the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park or the surrounding sights.
“Most people want to fly over their houses,” Elliott said.
Given the simplicity of booking an hour-long discovery flight, it’s a wonder everyone with a penchant for defying gravity isn’t doing it.
