4 Aerodynamic Forces of Life

(as published in AERONAUTICA, official student publication of Philippine State College of Aeronautics, May '07)

Call me an enthusiast, admirer, die-hard, obsessed or slave for aviation. Whatever it is, its just how passionate I am to anything that flies. My elementary and high school yearbook says it so on its prophecy pages, envisioning me to be successful in the field of aeronautics. I dream big.

We are the pilot of our lives. Our body is our own aircraft and that we are in command in where to go, what to do, and how to deal with our precarious lives. But we should always be guided with principles to lead us to the right direction. If Buddhists got the Four Noble Truths, Shinto for Japanese, and Feng Shui for Chinese, Aviators got 4 Aerodynamic Forces. Governing an aircraft during flight: Thrust, Lift, Drag and Weight are also applicable to life.

Thrust, powered by a propeller or jet engine,is the forward aerodynamic force. It is our drive to step away from bad old habits and change for the better. The urge to improve our current condition and to propel our way by endlessly rediscovering the meaning of our lives. The engine is our talents, skills, ideals and aspirations that powers us to move forward.

As we advance and speed up, we normally encounter Drag, the backward or retarding force. True success is always accompanied with discontinuities, scratches, obstacles and challenges. It slows us down but should be faced with hopefulness and bravery. Still it reminds us not to go extra fast by exceeding the red line or else damages are inevitable. Over speeding is really damaging, so taking it a bit and savoring the ride is always advisable.

And yes of course, Lift, the upward force enabling us to reach higher altitudes. Cars go forward, but airplanes go up! Going up is attaining a higher ground status, a more prosperous one. But increasing further the angle of attack (or angle of climb) leads to a stall, the point where lift is lost, and the plane suddenly plummets down to the earth. So keep that bent-up neck in check. The sky is the limit but it should be well planned. Targeted goals must be dealt with action, only wishing and wanting to much leads to nothing.

A flight is never really complete without a smooth and safe landing. TheWeight, the downward push of gravity assists on this. We perceived weight as a negative force, but it is not always so. The weight of our lives gives way to humility by eliminating too much pride. Our burdens and failures are blessings in disguise. Do not be afraid of failure, though we never know, it is something that could lead us to our success.

I might had failed the eye examination required to get a pilot's license plus several financial constraints, yet all hopes are not lost for i know it can still all be corrected. Maybe it's not the time, right now, I'm so into my Aeronautical engineering subjects so as to top the board exams. All the while, honing my organizational and leadership skills, becoming the president of my organization (The Aeronautical Engineering – Air Transportation Organization). But only after failing my bid as an SSC president. With that i realize that i should concentrate serving my passion for aviation. All these are for the preparation for the future. Aside from being a pilot, owning an Aviation corporation: an airline, flying school and maintenance hub rolled into one, are among of my big dreams. See, my eyesight might be blurry but my vision for the future is not.