Flying Against the Wind

Suzanne Montgomery

3 years ago

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.
Henry Ford

Aviation is an integral part of my life. Some might say I inherited a passion for flying. But in reality, I was exposed at an early age to airplanes and never stopped being enamored with them.

When I was a young child, my father flew our family all over the US and Canada in our single engine Beechcraft Bonanza. My parents owned a small airport on the north side of Indianapolis and we even lived on the property for three years. However, it wasn’t until I studied the physics of flight as I worked to earn my private pilot’s license that I understood this counterintuitive principle: airplanes take off against the wind, not with it.

Why is this so? Airflow over the wings causes lift. With increased airflow from a headwind, you get enhanced lift and the aircraft takes off in less distance. This is quite important if you’re using a short runway. Taking off against the wind lifts the aircraft higher in a shorter period of time.

Isn’t life much the same? I love Henry Ford’s take on this. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” During times of adversity, innovation and resourcefulness soar. Look at WW2. Scientists and engineers developed numerous groundbreakings advances such as the jet engine, radar and penicillin to name a few. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.

So, when trouble pushes against you and life seems hard, think about this principle from aviation. To what new height is this adversity lifting you? Is God allowing this stress to move you to a better place or perhaps a deeper relationship with Him?

Instead of losing hope in your present circumstance, turn your face against the wind and run into it. Don’t remain grounded but use adversity as a motivator to lift you higher…and fly.