As a pilot, I’ve gotten to witness some pretty amazing things. Deep orange sunsets, holes in the clouds with my city peeking through them, rain clouds releasing their wrath on the towns below, and full blown rainbows as the sun peeks up at the horizon. Becoming a pilot is hard work, and I balance this out by making sure to make time for my two other passions: writing and festivals. Today, I merge my three passions into one creation; the story of the day I flew my dad’s plane (a Cessna 150) solo, over Electric Daisy Carnival in Orlando, Florida at sunset.
The date was Friday, November 10th and the time was 4:12pm. “N3424Victor, cleared for takeoff, runway 25 at Orlando Executive”. Full throttle, 50 knots, pull back on the yoke, and I’m in the sky. As I reach 1,000 feet I look down and see Downtown Orlando, with Lake Eola gleaming in the distance. My city.
I was not dressed in my usual flying attire, however. I was decked out in festival gear, as today was rave day, & I was making it to REZZ’s main stage set no matter what. As I pass downtown, to my surprise, I look down next to Camping World Stadium, and I’m able to see kineticFIELD in all its glory, from 1,500 feet up and circuitGROUNDS with the pyrotechnics. I glance at the clock and it’s 4:22, exactly 30 minutes until REZZ’s set. As I overfly the stadium, I’m filled with a sense of awe, and a sense of peace, knowing that 50,000+ people were having the time of their lives below me, one of these people being one of my favorite people on this planet, my brother Evan.
I wondered if they saw me up there. If just one tiny ant of a person poked their heads up out of the crowd and witnessed me, suspended in mid air glory, cruising along through the sky. I wondered if they knew I was one of them, and that I was right where I belonged. I wondered if they understood the impact electronic dance music has had on my life, and all of the tiny little coincidences that have happened along my electronic journey to get me where I am today. I wondered if there was one person down there, just one, who had precisely the same taste in music as me; someone who would completely understand my favorite songs, someone who just gets it.
4:35, 17 minuets until REZZ’s set, and time to head back in for landing. The sunset illuminated kineticFIELD as I glanced back one more time. I was ready to become grounded, immerse myself in the force of REZZ, and relax, because from this moment in time, there’s nothing, nothing of importance for me to do except- land the plane……and then relax, lol. Thanks REZZ.
I tied down the plane & switched vehicles swiftly as I navigated the dreaded streets of Downtown Orlando on festival night. I really do belong in the sky, I think. Less traffic. I ran through the turnstiles & scan my wristband, with massive bass pumping through my veins. 5:16pm. I was late, but it was time.
I stood in front of main stage by myself, taking in the beauty that surrounded me. I looked up in the sky & saw a Cessna 150 at 1,500 feet, and I wondered if they saw me down there…
