My 17 year old kiddo began flight lessons today.

[MontanaMama]

Owen and his instructor flew a Cessna 152 on a freezing cold blue bird Montana day. He had a blast. He wouldn’t let me take his photo but I snuck one as he was getting into the aircraft. They flew over the snow filled Bitterroot Mountains. I watched with binoculars until they flew out of sight. He’s made all the arrangements for his lessons. He’s taking them from a local aviation company that used to let me walk the child around the hangar when he was a toddler to look at planes and helicopters when we had cabin fever in the winter. I’m just thrilled for him.

[MontanaMama]

5. A 152.

He actually flew a 172 with a family friend a week ago…beautiful aircraft. He has the option of flying either for his lessons. He chose the 152 today.

[grumpyduck]

3. That is so cool.

I got my certificate when I was about 22 and loved every second of every flight.

Unfortunately, flying took a back seat to life later, but I'm still plotting and scheming,

If there's a Civil Air Patrol unit nearby, he may want to look into it.

[MontanaMama]

6. Keep plotting and scheming!

I will ask Owen if he’s interested in Civil Air Patrol. I know nothing about it.

[Ocelot II]

11. CAP is a great way for a kid to get into aviation.

Check here: https://mtwg.cap.gov/

[MontanaMama]

12. I don't know anything about it...

But I’ve bookmarked your link. I really don’t want him in the military…is it a branch of the military? I’ll research it with Owen for sure. Thank you.

[Ocelot II]

15. It's affiliated with the Air Force but not really part of it.

All members are civilian volunteers. Technically it's a federally-chartered non-profit corporation that is also an Air Force auxiliary. They do search and rescue and disaster relief as well as aviation education. I had a lot of fun in CAP, did search and rescue flights as well as flight instruction.

[Diamond_Dog]

4. You must be so friggin' proud of him!

What an amazing young man.

[MontanaMama]

7. Oh DD. Thank you.

He’s really been having a hard time lately…senioritis and being done done done with high school. He always circles back to flying…has since he was tiny.

[Laffy Kat]

9. Oh, good for him!

It's a wonderful, if expensive, hobby. I got my private glider pilot's license another lifetime ago. It becomes such a big part of one's life. He'll learn so much, and it will look great on a college application if he's going to go that route.

[MontanaMama]

13. He is going that route.

He will start college at the University of a Montana this fall.

[Ocelot II]

10. Cool!

I was a flight instructor for quite awhile (let my CFI certificate lapse a couple years ago because I no longer had the time or the situation where I could do it enough to be safe), and it was a blast. I'm sure your son will have a great time, and there is now a shortage of professional pilots if he wants to go that route.

[cilla4progress]

14. How cool

Is that?!

[MontanaMama]

16. I'm really happy for the child.

He’s had a tough go here at the end of high school. He’s so sick of the politics and drama of it all. This is a good thing.

[2naSalit]

17. Cool beans!!

That young man will go far! I hope he enjoys every flight. I'm sure he'll do well during the instruction phase.

You must be just burstin' out all over!

[MontanaMama]

18. I've been so nerved up about this!

I’m a nervous flier but the child doesn’t have those fears. I’m really just happy for him.

[2naSalit]

19. My dad was a fly guy...

I never took to it though he tried to get me into it. I am dyslexic and didn't know it so I sucked at the calculations one had to make for many reasons. I stuck with music, for some reason I could read that.

I'm glad he has a passion like that, it's a damn good and healthy one.