Cameron Williams '07

It started as a joke between friends Rail Walsh '06 and Stephanie Reichin '06 last spring. Playfully, Walsh asked Reichin, an experienced pilot, if she would let him fly with her. Reichin responded, "I'll only fly you somewhere if you get your license with me," and thus, a co-curricular was born.

Throughout the spring, Walsh and Reichin became more interested in the possibility of taking flying lessons as a co-curricular. Over the summer, Reichin did research and found an instructor, Bill Bonnette. Bonnette teaches at the small Turner's Falls Pioneer Aviation Airport. After working out an arrangement that includes two lessons a week and three days of Special X, Walsh and Reichin began to fly.

Dividing their three-hour lessons in half, Reichin and Walsh fly individually with their instructor. Described by his students as, "calm and great," Bonnette teaches each lesson with a particular focus, such as practicing steep turns. Both Walsh and Reichin fly a CESSNA-172 airplane that has one engine and seats two people.

Reichin and Walsh had some experience flying before starting lessons. In fact, Walsh's first flight was with Reichin and her father, who is a pilot. Walsh was adjusting to the plane's controls and the plane began to dive. Reichin recalled, "As the plane was diving down, I could hear Rail laughing up front." Walsh cites this event as his most memorable experience flying this fall. Reichin, on the other hand, has been flying with her dad since the age of four.

Even though neither Reichin nor Walsh expects to get their pilot's license by the end of the fall term, they have made significant improvements. Though Reichin cited landing as the hardest aspect of flying, she explained that her "former obstacles seem more and more within reach." Walsh has been happy to gain experience and to try something "exciting and new."

Both Reichin and Walsh want to continue flying. Reichin hopes to get her pilot's license before college, while Walsh may "look into a summer job at an airport." Additionally, the two may try to fly on weekends this winter.

For Reichin and Walsh, trying something different and taking a break from the normal routine proved to be the biggest benefits of flying. Additionally, both love the perspective of the area they can get 3,000 feet above ground.

Going into the experience, Walsh took a "why not" approach. He explained, "I just wanted to give it a try and see what happened." Both say that their weekly lessons are something that they look forward to. When asked what the worst part of the experience has been, they both agreed that getting permission and arranging the details was rather difficult.

To students hoping to fly, or even try a more unorthodox co-curricular, Reichin and Walsh would strongly encourage them to do so. Reichin said, "Go for it. I think this has definitely been one of the best experiences I've had at Deerfield." Walsh added, "Much of Deerfield is about trying things you never thought you would, or taking risks, and we would strongly encourage others to do so."

As published in the November 9, 2005 issue of the Deerfield Scroll, the monthly newspaper of Deerfield Academy.