Flying: A Dream That Never Really Lands

I’ve mentioned it before in a note about site changes — Open Source Photography doesn’t shy away from the stories behind the photos, or the occasional deep dive into topics that go well beyond plain gear reviews.

This time, though, it’s a real story about me — and about a passion that’s not photography (well, not entirely).

The link? Let’s just say I’ve taken plenty of photos from the air over time… but this particular flight turned out a bit different, and I always wanted to write about it but never did, well, today I did. Here’s my story :

If there’s one dream that’s stuck with me all my life, it’s flying. Not just hopping on a Boeing to somewhere sunny, but real flying — me, in the cockpit, somewhere between sky and earth. Aircraft fascinated me from the moment I could pronounce the word. And yes, that dream came true.

But what’s a dream really worth if you can’t live it every day? Maybe it’s not a dream at all. Maybe it’s an addiction. Because real flying — truly flying — never lets you go.

The times I’ve been in the air were nothing short of spectacular. One time was even downright surreal. Well… two times, actually — on the same day. That wasn’t entirely planned.

We took off, did some aerobatic maneuvers, and then suddenly — a technical issue.

Right after a corkscrew dive, the engine started acting up. And let me tell you — that gets your full attention when you’re strapped into a cockpit just a few hundred meters above the ground. Sure, I had a parachute. No, I’d never used one. So yeah, it got real for a moment. We flew back carefully. Thankfully, we made a smooth landing and let out a collective sigh of relief.

The plane was checked, the issue fixed, tanks topped off.

And then… back into the air. This time for longer. Maybe to make up for the heart-stopping moment before. More loops, more spins. Steep climbs, sharp dives. And for dessert? A bit of mock combat — “shadow fighting.” Not exactly for the faint of stomach.

This wasn’t your average flight with salted peanuts and warm cava in a plastic cup. This was a ride in a real legend: the P-51 Mustang, a late-WWII fighter plane. I was in it. I smelled the fuel. I felt the engine kick. I lived the steep climb, the combat dive — every bit of it.

It’s etched somewhere deep inside me. But like all things you truly love, it fades over time. Still, the feeling never really goes away. Flying isn’t just an interest. It’s a pull. A craving that never quite lets go.

It’s… indescribable.

Glad you stuck around till landing — hope you liked the story. And hey, if you did, don’t forget to like and subscribe — that’s the kind of motivation that keeps me flying!
See you next time,
Marc

This article was written by Marc R.
While I primarily speak Dutch and have some knowledge of English and a little French, ChatGPT helps ensure my writing is grammatically correct. I often mix Dutch and English in my drafts, and ChatGPT steps in to translate and correct.