As we came into view of the natural formations ahead of us, everything was going smoothly. At 10,000 feet in the air, we were successfully following our path, and hadn’t encountered any obstacles on our way up. But just as I was getting comfortable, the plane shuddered as we hit turbulence, filling me with exhilaration and anticipation to demonstrate my skills in the face of instability. Excited, my hands tightened on the controls as I pulled the nose up, steadying us back into level flight. Below me, the Grand Canyon’s cliffs stretched endlessly, the Colorado River winding in vivid color far below. Up ahead, the Dragon Bravo fire was burning on the north rim of the Grand Canyon, sending billowing clouds of smoke in our direction. As we approached the Grand Canyon from up above, the view was breathtaking.

This past summer, I traveled to Prescott, Arizona (AZ) to attend Embry Riddle’s Take Flight Program, a three-day flight camp that included flight training, aviation knowledge topics, and simulated flight. I had recently started flight lessons in Hawaii during the summer, and while I was learning the basics and getting used to being in the air, my parents thought I would benefit from more flight time and experience. This led to my enrollment in the Take Flight program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), a college known for its aviation department. I was nervous about the ERAU flight camp, but also excited about the new opportunities and possibilities awaiting me at the university. As it turned out, my three days at the camp would prove to be both impactful and invaluable in my journey as a pilot.

On the first day of the camp, I was awoken by the loud alarm of my iPhone at 6 a.m.—3 a.m. in Hawaii—as it screamed at me to wake up. We had just landed the day before, and I had yet to adjust to the jet lag and time difference. But the camp started at 8 a.m., so I begrudgingly dragged myself out of bed and got ready to go to the university’s Flight Operations building. When I arrived at the building, I was greeted by my Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Paul, who welcomed me to the camp and briefed me on the Discovery Flight we would be taking. For today, we would be doing a local area flight from Prescott to Sedona, AZ. Before taking off, Paul and I went through the pre-flight check to ensure the plane was in good condition for flying.

Despite being responsible for the plane’s safety, I wasn’t as nervous as one might expect. At that moment, my flight lessons in Hawaii were reaping their benefits, as I had become accustomed to pre-flight checks and what to look for while inspecting. But the plane I was flying was a newer model with more features, so I still had to keep my eyes open and pay attention to each part of the aircraft. After checking the plane, we taxied to the runway before taking off and flying around the local area. While up in the air, it felt good to be back up in the Arizona skies.

As we flew around the airspace, I got to see the cities’ terrain and landscape down below. Looking at the red plateaus and greenery was amazing, and was definitely a good start to this flight camp. It brought back a sense of nostalgia from last year’s flight, reinvigorating me and my passion for flying in the process. After the Discovery Flight, the flight instructors gave us a tour of the Flightline, showing us the several simulators and various planes they had. They later took us to the campus dining hall for a lunch break, and ended the day by taking us back to the flight operations building to go on the simulators before we left.

The next day, my iPhone’s alarm rang in my ears again, before I dragged myself out of bed and did the same routine as the day before. We drove to the flight operations building again, but this time, we were going to be flying cross-country instead of a discovery flight. The flight instructors took us to the Flightline Classroom, where they briefed us on the basics of cross-country flight and the path we would be taking. We were going to be flying from Prescott to Page, AZ, just on the border between Arizona and Utah. After they briefed us, we went back to the operations building to meet up with our CFIs and get ready to take off. This time, my CFI was Andrew, who helped me prepare the plane and taxi it to the runway.

While taking off, Andrew was very helpful, providing me with tips and advice on improving my flying, such as keeping one hand on the throttle while taking off to adjust the speed and altitude easily, which made it easier to control my speed without overdoing it. Using the plane’s trim throughout the flight to remain level while flying was another, and helped me keep the plane steady while flying at an even altitude. These tips helped me improve in real time when I had to stay within a certain altitude while flying, or when I had to stay level in the face of turbulence. Navigating and staying calm was no trouble for me, but the hardest part was multitasking while flying. Although the tips were useful, it was tough to remember all the advice while you’re in the pilot’s seat and with the majority of your attention on flying. But Andrew was very helpful, and made sure to remind me when I forgot to make adjustments.

On our way to our destination, we got to see the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River below us. Up above, the canyon and the river stood out from the rest of the landscape, taking my breath away as we flew over the landmarks. We eventually landed in Page, where we rested and ate lunch in the airport before making our way back to Prescott. On the way back, the winds and turbulence were extreme, shaking and rattling the plane as we slowly inched forward. We successfully navigated our way through the turbulence and made our way back to the university before leaving for the day.

On the final day of camp, I got to sleep in a little more before meeting up at the main university. When we got there, we were taken to the Crash Lab, an accident investigation training facility, and given a tour around the different aircraft accidents, which were re-created from the original accidents. As we walked around the lab and learned about the different accidents scattered across the facility, seeing the wreckage and visualizing the crashes unnerved me a bit. However, it also deepened my understanding of the importance of safety while in the air.

After that, we went to the campus library to discuss the path we would be taking for our night flight, as well as the dangers of flying at night. We were going to fly from Prescott to Scottsdale, AZ, just south of Prescott. Before we took off, we went to the dining hall to eat dinner, and made our way to the flightline to prepare for takeoff. While taking off, there was still some daylight, so getting up in the air wasn’t a challenge. But the skies got darker as we made our way to Scottsdale. I was nervous about flying at night since I wouldn’t be able to see anything in front of me, but I was able to see the lights of the plane ahead of me at times, and Paul assisted me when needed, so flying at night slowly became manageable for me. As we flew, I could also see the city lights below me, sparkling and standing out in the darkness.

By the time we landed, the sky was pitch black, with the only sources of light coming from the city and the airport. We made our way inside the airport, where we rested in the lounge and ate snacks before heading back to the university. While flying back, the flight instructors had decided to test us by having us fly and navigate with our eyes closed. This was the most nerve-wracking part of the flight for me, as I would not only have no idea where they would make me fly or turn, but I was doing it at the dead of night, which exacerbated the situation. Thankfully, the amount of time I spent flying with my eyes closed was short, and the instructors were there to guide and instruct me while I turned or adjusted the plane’s speed and altitude. Upon making it back to the university, I not only felt a sense of relief at making it back to the campus safely, but also exhilaration at having successfully completed a night flight.

Looking back on my time at the camp, I feel that I was positively impacted by the experience. It allowed me to not only acquire more flight hours, bringing me closer to obtaining my private pilot’s license, but also to grow in my knowledge of aviation and flight. I learned various tips to improve my flying skills and control, such as learning to keep one hand on the throttle while taking off to adjust the speed and altitude easily, as well as using the plane’s trim to remain level while flying. The hardest part about flying was constantly multitasking while flying, as I not only had to control the plane, but also listen to my CFI and monitor the flight instruments all at once. But I feel that my time at the camp helped me to become more comfortable with balancing multiple tasks, as well as boost my confidence while flying. Overall, I came away from this experience with more confidence and capability in my flying and piloting skills, as well as more experience and knowledge, shaping me into a more well-rounded and educated pilot.

With aviation, I want to continue acquiring more flight hours to eventually acquire my private pilot’s license. I also want to go to an aeronautical university, Embry-Riddle in particular, to continue my education, as well as expand and broaden my knowledge of aviation and flying. To those considering flight camps, my advice is to just keep an open mind and absorb everything you’re being taught. The CFIs are great mentors, and every event you undergo only helps you grow and improve your skills, as well as gain more experience as a pilot. Altogether, my time at the flight camp was an unforgettable experience that helped me soar and take to the skies.