A Thanksgiving To Remember

So for those of you that didn't know, I have relatives who are pilots or have a history in the aviation field. I have two uncles who are pilots and I've had opportunities to go flying with them. Here's a story of one of my adventures that happened three days after last Thanksgiving:


I always had the opportunity to go flying with my uncle in his Cessna 172 Skyhawk II. During Thanksgiving Break in my senior year of high school, I experienced what I thought was the most common thing in the most uncommon way that people usually experienced. It was a beautiful Saturday evening in Salem on November 29, 2008. It’s been two days since the day of Thanksgiving, and with such perfect conditions, my uncle invited me out to go flying with him. My excitement built up as I accepted the invitation. After helping my uncle with the pre-flight, we taxied over to the active runway in Salem Municipal Airport and with clearance from the tower, we took off.

After we were airborne, we turned the Cessna in a Southward direction and my uncle gave me control of plane like he always had in the past. We were about four miles south of the airport when a problem occurred. The two of us felt a drop in power in the plane’s single engine and we both acknowledged the fact we were in trouble. We realized that the engine was losing power and wasn’t gaining any back so my uncle took control of the Cessna, turned it 180 degrees to the right back towards the airport, and called the control tower to declare and emergency, announcing our engine problem. The tower gave us clearance for an emergency landing. From there, my uncle took the plane into a rapid decent and lined up with the same runway we took off from minutes earlier. During these moments, I felt a rush of adrenaline and a sense of fear and anxiety go through my mind. I can’t remember what my exact thoughts were, but I remember saying a quick and heartfelt prayer to myself.

We were able to land the plane safely and taxi back to the tarmac. The tower sent the airport emergency response crews out to make sure we were alright and were prepared for the worst case scenario. After the emergency crews left and we were in the clear, I felt as if I were a totally different person. As we walked away, I had a greater appreciation for life. I was also very thankful. I knew Heavenly Father made sure that we would land safely. I now know that this Thanksgiving experience was a test of my own faith. It was also a test of faith in my uncle and his experience as a pilot. This was one Thanksgiving I won’t forget.

This thrilling, yet frightening experience gave me a whole new outlook on life. I found a greater appreciation for life and I was very thankful to live and tell the tale. I was also thankful for the training and fast response of the airport crews that always look out for us. I’ve also established a greater appreciation for these kinds of people doing their jobs. It makes me want to pursue a career in the aviation field a lot more.


So if you could interpret my story clearly, this experience gave me a Thanksgiving to remember. Thanks for reading. Questions? Comments? I'll answer in the comments section.