Aviation in America has a long and glorious tradition dating all the way back to the days of the Wright Brothers. When these two men decided they would make a flying machine, most people thought they were insane. Man is not meant to fly, that is for the birds. It is impossible, physically and technically and it can never happen. But history has proven the doubters wrong time and again and aviation was no exception.

Now days, anyone can fly. Not only in a commercial plane but anyone with the right frame of mind and desire can learn how to fly themselves. It is not as hard as you might think. There are a slew of independent web sites that can have the wannabe pilot up and running in a very short time.

Most of these online schools cost anywhere from two thousand dollars all the way up to ten thousand. They range from eleven days to several weeks in length. Do some research into what works well with your schedule and decide the best fit before committing to anything. Also, make sure they are an accredited school and your license will be much easier to get.

These classes are fun and informative. You start out by learning the technical aspects of flying, including the rules and regulations of airspace. These guidelines are important to understand when learning to fly. Next, you move on to hands-on interaction with certified instructors. You will learn the ins and outs of the cockpit and the entire plane itself. In order to fully know what you are doing, this approach is key. Be safe first and then have fun with your newly acquired skills.

Keep in mind that passing these first tests does not qualify you for flight. Gaining full status to fly is a longer process but a necessary one. A certain number of hours must be completed in the air before becoming a fully functioning member of the airborne, aviation community. Once this process is complete, your work is over and now the real fun begins.

So what can one do with an aviation license? What activities are fun and available to a fully licensed pilot? First is the possibility of owning your own plane. If you own your own plane, the possibilities for recreation are endless.

Where have you always wanted to go but could not because of time constraints and lack of money? When you are the pilot, nowhere is off limits. Been meaning to go to Canada? Seychelles? No problem, since now you have your own plane and can fly there yourself.

Not to mention you bypass the headache everyone must face now in going to the airport. Why wait in line for hours and go through security checkpoints when you can take off whenever you want and go wherever you want? Flying can become a fun, relaxing, and educational experience rather than the excruciating pain it is now.

Another recreational activity that can be done with flying is skydiving. Skydiving is enjoyed by thousands of people each year. One of the most gratifying experiences is conquering your fear of heights, getting a rush from the free-fall or just plain doing something new and exciting.

For first time skydivers, tandem diving is recommended. With this method, you do not need to learn how to skydive at all but can still enjoy the feeling. A trained professional is connected to you while you jump and they do all the necessary work as you have all the fun. Sounds like a good combination? It is.

For other more seasoned skydivers, there is always the accelerated free-fall. In this method, a person can move faster towards their goal by completing this as a first jump and getting closer to full certification. This is for serious jumpers that intend to continue skydiving for some time.

So, all of this fun and excitement stems from the wonderful invention and profession of aviation. So many opportunities presented themselves when the first plane was flown. Whether one experiences it first hand by learning to fly and becoming a pilot or uses a plane to take a trip or to participate in a fun activity such as skydiving, everyone benefits from its practice.

“But, Georgina,” I can hear you saying, “You can’t do that here in Cayman?”

You can. Just fly somewhere else.