Why We Fly

This Food Network star likes being a student pilot

It's no surprise that a man with an uncommon life like Alton Brown learned to fly in an uncommon way. "My wife says no two Alton days are the same," says Brown. As the host and brains behind Good Eats, a popular cooking show on the Food Network, it's not surprising that his life is busy. Brown's unusual schedule and hectic life sometimes complicated his flight training, but his approach to training and aviation remained consistent, placing safety and utility above all other priorities. That focus was rewarded early in June when he passed his private pilot checkride.

Brown's introduction to aviation is a familiar story. He speaks fondly of the glory days of aviation, and how they shaped his thoughts. "I remember when we would go to observation decks just to watch the glory of flight," he said. "What is more fantastic than that?" Brown began flying lessons in college, partly to connect with his father, who had once taken lessons, and partly because it just seemed cool. When he ran out of money, life took over and the dream faded until just a few years ago.

Writing, starring in, and producing a television show makes for an interesting life. That work, along with considerations for his wife and daughter, brought a new set of challenges and a renewed purpose for learning to fly. Brown travels the country for speaking events, cooking demos, and often to shoot other Food Network shows such as Iron Chef America. Often these trips require hauling hundreds of pounds of very expensive equipment. Add the fact that airline travel is cumbersome, and you have the perfect recipe for general aviation. "I'm not in this for the freedom," he said. "It's not a hobby, it's a form of transport."

Because Brown is in the unique position of being the centerpiece of his product, learning to fly safely was his primary objective. Instead of simply knocking out requirement after requirement, Brown in effect trained for his private pilot certificate and, informally, the instrument rating at the same time. "I'm trying to fill that experience bucket," he said. "I love being a student, and I'll continue to learn as I go out on my own."

Brown admits he was lucky to have the means to take his time in training and learn advanced techniques at his pace, but the way he approached training is a good lesson for all students. Before the checkride, he said, "I will finish my private [pilot certificate] when finishing my private aligns with my state of mind of where I am [in my training]." Instead of performing to the minimum standards, Brown actively sought out resources and tried to answer the why of how things work. He thinks those answers aren't in the basic training materials--you'll have to dig deeper and read more specialized books to really understand weather, airspace, maneuvers, and aerodynamics, he said.

Although Brown talks passionately about safety and the utility of general aviation, and will use his Cessna 206 for business transportation often, he's still an airport bum and a strong believer in the draw of GA. He said that flying not only brings his family together because they're in a small space with no TV or outside influences, but that it's a wonderful way for his young daughter to learn. She loves to study the charts, and he's proud to be able to introduce her to a useful, hands-on skill that teaches her about the physical world. For himself, Brown says he loves "the culture of GA airports" and "flying within the ATC system. I would fly just for that."

Associate Editor Ian J. Twombly holds commercial pilot certificates for airplane single engine and multiengine land and single engine sea. He is also a CFI.