On a Wing and a Prayer

In the mood to try something scary that can also be thrilling and empowering?

Try taking off in one of those tiny aluminum planes that are so light they have to be tied to the ground so a mild breeze won’t blow them away.

They’re called Cessnas, and they are about as big as a minivan on the outside (but not nearly as roomy inside) and their tires are smaller than those on most cars.

“It’s kind of like a beer can,” says Joe Kaenel, a flight instructor at AV8 flying school in Van Nuys.

You finally build the courage to get in the Cessna and put on a headset, which means that shortly you’re going up. The instructor starts the engine and pumps the throttle. The plane approaches the runway wobbling like those old Weeble toys. You feel like it could capsize if you lean over too far.

As you gain speed on the runway, the instructor tells you to pull the yoke, which makes you partly responsible for takeoff.

It’s both exhilarating and nerve-racking as you begin to ascend. Soon you have a view of the area from about 3,500 feet, and it’s spectacular compared to what you see out of those small, oval windows on stuffy commercial flights.

On a clear day you can see Camarillo, the crisp hills of Simi Valley and the sharp Santa Monica Mountains. All from Van Nuys.

Even though it’s your first lesson, you’re allowed to steer the plane in whatever direction you desire.

After a few minutes in the air, your instructor insists on demonstrating just how safe these Cessnas are. He wants to prove that even an engine stall wouldn’t cause a crash landing.

So he proceeds to turn the engine off.

You start sweating profusely and a few seconds later inform your instructor that you get the point.

He finally turns around and makes a smooth landing.

“Landing is the hardest thing to do,” Kaenel says. “You must be stabilized and that takes a while to learn.”

Well, you don’t care how you got there. You’re just ecstatic to be back on the ground.

BE THERE

Here is a list of flying schools in Ventura County that offer Cessna training. Call for prices:

Channel Islands Aviation, Camarillo Airport; (805) 987-1301.

Sun-Air Aviation Inc., Camarillo Airport; (805) 987-8464.

Western Cardinal Inc., Camarillo Airport; (805) 482-2586.

CP Aviation, Santa Paula Airport; (805) 525-2138.

Santa Paula Flight Center, Santa Paula Airport; (805) 525-3561.