An Unforgettable Flight...

It was a wonderful day to fly...

I woke up early morning to prepare the things I would bring to Bohol. My boss called me up the day before, that I should be there and meet with some pilots and employees of our company. Tagbilaran was to be the rendezvous point, of something he didn't specify. I was too lazy to disagree, after all, I'd like to be on the other side of Visayas on a weekend.

I would be flying with Capt. Harris on a 2-seater plane. We agreed to take off at 6:00 am (at sunrise) and head off to Tagbilaran Airport (RPVT). I was so excited for the trip. One, because it's been a long time since I last rode or flew on a Cessna 152 and be the acting "co-pilot". I mean I have been a constant passenger of 4-seaters and big planes, but having to manipulate the yoke on an actual flight and step on the brakes before that was new to me, again. Also, I always wanted to visit Bohol. I have passed by bohol a couple of times on the way to other places, and this would be the first time I would literally set foot on that island.

On flight, Capt. Harris and I talked with each other on the radio (using the headset) about many things-church, ministry, and a little about flying. He asked me if I'd have any interest in flying, and I responded that I do like it but I just don't see myself as a pilot-It's just not my passion.I think he was satisfied with my answer, that he just nodded. So we reached RPVT in less than 30 minutes. The sky was clear all the way amidst the passing storm the night before, or so we thought...

After the airport, we were to proceed to a house of a local pastor and have our corporate meeting there. It was also a surprise to receive a donation from our boss to the non-profit organization Capt. Harris and myself was a part of.

At the end of the meeting, we went to the airport to fly some orientation flights around Bohol and after that go home to Dumaguete, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. The sky was black, almost zero visibility and heavy rain was pouring along with strong winds. There was no way we could go home on that condition...

So we stayed for a while. Read the weather and see if we can go home or stay overnight and let the storm pass...

So, we had a slight chance to go home at 3:00 pm...Took off and headed straight to Dumaguete. The wind was so strong that the aircraft didn't seem to move. Mid-way , the air traffic controller of Dumaguete advised us to turn back because of heavy precipitation on our way. We had no choice but to go back. We stayed for a while again and tried to check the weather.

I was anxious, I wanted to go home...I didn't have any extra clothes, and I have to travel again to another town the next day for some ministry work, this time by bus.

At past 4:00 pm the weather turned good. The sky was clear and the clouds began to light up. So, we quickly raced to the airport, boarded the plane and in minutes took off. This time the wind was calm and there was no more rain. I looked at the clouds. I was in awe, watching its formations as it slowly turned gold as the sun was about to set. The sea was calm and a plane shade of blue. Capt.Harris, noticing my silence maybe, told me that this was the best thing when he is up there. The view from the top that no matter if it was at the same time or place, the scene will always be different and almost always exhilarating.

(not the actual scene. Courtesy of Flight Access)

He then started to recite Psalm 19...

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

² Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

³ There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. ^[a]

⁴ Their voice ^[b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

⁵ which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

It was beautiful, and I could really understand what David was talking about in his Psalm...

We landed safe in Dumaguete Airport with the runway lights beaming up our pathway. It was the end of an unforgettable flight...