OBSERVER Photos by Frank Besse Instructor Greg Kowal talks about the Garmin1000 computer system. Middle: A view of SUNY Fredonia and Ring Road, a perfect circle. At top: OBSERVER Lifestyles Editor Tracy Rzepka, flying the plane.

The printed e-mail sat in the Lifestyles department “feature ideas” folder for two years, half-heartedly given consideration, forgotten about at some point along the way and buried behind other scraps of potential articles. Serious thought about the proposal emerged to the forefront only after a desperate brainstorming session. Had the time come to finally give in to an adventure quietly knocking on the door of opportunity? Here was an offer to jump in the pilot’s seat, take an introductory flight lesson for free and fly a plane, with no training other than that learned the day of, and share the experience with OBSERVER readers. Why not? People do this all the time and turn out OK, right? But we’re talking about a candidate who, at the slightest change in air pressure, examines the demeanor of flight attendants. Thoughts of a malfunctioning plane leading to the worst-case scenario wrestled with the notion of an unforgettable life experience. “If you don’t do this, I will not let