This article continues the pilot’s journey through the “Learning to Fly” series. Read the complete series here.

It’s been some time since my last post about learning to fly. Recently, I completed my first biennial flight review, a necessary check every two years with an instructor to ensure a pilot’s skills remain sharp and knowledge of regulations is up to date.

I have been actively flying in the Puget Sound area, including some picturesque flights over the mountains of central Washington in rental aircraft from Galvin Flying.

Due to the Pacific Northwest’s notoriously poor winter weather—with low clouds and rain—I had not flown for a couple of months. Thankfully, earlier this month I managed to schedule time with my trusted CFI and took advantage of a break in the weather.

The structure of formal flight training is something I miss, given its challenges. While flying solo poses its own set of challenges, it often becomes routine.

Our recent training session involved practicing touch-and-go landings around Seattle’s Boeing Field, followed by an exploration of one of our local practice areas, located northeast of BFI. Many of my flights generally head southwest towards Tacoma Narrows Airport or northwest to Jefferson County Airport in Port Townsend, so this northeast direction was a welcome change.

Despite nothing extraordinary happening during the flight—just some landing practices and stall exercises—it’s the focused training that enhances safety as a pilot. I’ll be flying again with Adam this spring for simulated emergencies to keep my skills honed.

Summer is just around the corner, and I am looking forward to more flying adventures ahead!