First Flight

"I'm so nervous...I've never flown before." These were the words spoken to me and Sarah Sunday morning by our new friend Pam. We were sitting at Gate 9 in AUS, waiting to board our flight to Dallas. Next thing we know, we're telling our new friend Pam all about what she can expect for her first flight. She was prepared with good advice, anxiety medicine, and her prayer book, but she seemed really glad to have some folks to talk to!

Pam is 33, and was flying from AUS to LIT (little rock) to visit her boyfriend. Until two years ago, she'd never left Texas, and that was just to cross over four miles into Louisiana. Now, she's been to Wyoming and Arkansas too. She usually drives to LIT, but this time, her boyfriend Kelly talked her into flying. When we first met her in the gate she was nervous and excited, but not too scared.

We saw our pilots waiting for the airplane in the gate.
Me: "Are you taking us to Dallas?"
Pilot 1: "Yep, we sure are."
Me: "Well this is Pam, and this will be her first flight."
Pilot 2: "Hey, it's his (pointing at pilot 1) first flight too!"
This did not put Pam at ease.

She asked if she could sit with me and Sarah, and sure enough, we had a row for just the three of us! She was really nervous when we we first started the pushback from the gate, but she did pretty well during takeoff! She sure did clench our hands though the whole time we were climbing.

Once we leveled off, she loved it! She wanted to savor every moment of the trip--she saved her peanuts, her napkin, and her cup! And then, just before we were going to land, Tom, our Flight Attendant, brought her a set of wings and a certificate marking her first flight. Pam was SO proud!

A brief 34 minutes later, we landed in Dallas. Pam was shocked that it was so fast! Sarah and I walked her to her gate, showed her how to read the TV monitors, and made sure she was all set for flight#2. We exchanged information, and I promised to mail her the pictures from her very first airplane ride.

She kept saying that we were "her angels" sent to help her on the flight. She was the one though, who blessed us with her excitement and her enthusiasm. She was so surprised to see the other people sleeping around us--she couldn't imagine that they would be so relaxed! It was great to experience something that can become routine for me through her first-time eyes.

So, anyone out there remember your first flight or want to share a special airplane memory??