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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday November 7, 2007 - 3 Oakville teen and his dad are flying high By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Any father who has seen his child ride a bicycle on their own for the first time can understand why one Oakville father is ecstatic with pride after seeing his 15-yearold son pilot his first solo flight. The plane, a single engine Cessna, was only in the air for about seven minutes on Friday before returning to the Spectrum Airways runway at the Burlington Air Park, but for Keith Francis watching his son, Lucas Sardella, circle overhead for those few minutes was nothing short of magical. "It was the greatest," said Francis. "We fly a lot in our family so we know how hard it is and what a big challenge it is. I feel really proud of him." Francis, a pilot himself, can probably be credited with creating his son's interest in flying as Sardella says he's been flying with his father all his life. Still filled with elation at getting the plane back in one piece, Sardella, who hopes to one day become a commercial pilot, expressed joy at taking the next crucial step towards his goal. "It was just absolutely nuts," he said, adding, "I just looked beside me and there was nobody there. I was quite nervous, but at the same time confident as I was making the flight around the airport." The process of getting Sardella RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER WALKING ON AIR: Luke Sardella is a 15-year-old Abbey Park High School student who just completed his first solo flight in a plane at Burlington Air Park. ready for this moment has not been a long one with flight lessons only beginning during the summer. Since then Sardella has been subject to lessons on such things as proper landing procedures, dealing with crosswinds and emergency procedures for dealing with an engine fire. "He's actually been quite good," said Dennis Simo, Spectrum Airways Flight Instructor. "He was a little shy and reserved at first, but now that he's soloed he's really come out of his shell. He's careful to study the material that I've given him and he has a natural affinity for flying, probably because he's done some flying with his dad in the past." For months Simo accompanied Sardella on practice flights where Sardella was required to pilot the airplane in a variety of weather conditions. A written examination followed and when Sardella's skills got to the point where he could complete preflight inspections, pre-landing checklists, pre-takeoff checklists and other airplane operations without any coaching, Simo decided it was time for Sardella to try the flight solo. Seeing his son lift off actually stirred memories in Francis about what it had been like when he flew alone for the first time. "Once the wheels are off the ground you go, `Uh Oh,' I'm on my own," he said. In the end Sardella was successful, but that does not mean his lessons are over. A series of landings and takeoffs are planned for his immediate future until he accumulates five hours of flying time. "We'll cover some advanced maneuvers that will get him ready for crosscountry navigation. He'll also learn some instrument flying skills and what to do in the event of engine failure in open country where he doesn't have the luxury of gliding back to the airport," said Simo. When Simo feels Sardella has mastered all of this and more he will connect him with a flight test examiner. Success on this test and on the Transport Canada written test will net Sardella a pilot's license, provided he is 16 by then. For the Abbey Park High School student, failure after coming this far is not an option. "I've always wanted to do this," he said. "I've been dreaming about it all my life and hopefully I will become a commercial pilot so I can make a living off of it." 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