Liu Yang looked up at the airplane through the slick glass windows of the airport terminal. It loomed like a dark mountain, partially obscured by the driving rain. It had four engines that each looked as big as her house, and a funny bulge on top in the front. For a second, it reminded her of the whales at the aquarium the MaMa had taken her to. She dropped her crutch and put her hand on the window, just like at the aquarium, but the plane didn't come any closer. "Yang Yang, take care of your crutch," MaMa said, picking it up and leaning it against the window.
"Is that our airplane?" Liu Yang asked. "Yes," MaMa said. "It's so big and heavy. Are you sure it will fly?" "Of course," MaMa said. "How do you know?" "Some things are made to fly." "Do we have to fly in the dark?" MaMa chuckled. "No, they're just getting it ready." Giant yellow lights clicked on, bathing the plane in a warm glow. People scrambled underneath, doing things to the bottom of the plane. The lights inside turned on, promising somewhere warm and safe, even in the driving rain. "Look Yang Yang, there are the pilots," MaMa said, pointing to two men in white shirts and blue caps, with rolling bags like hers. "They fly the plane." Liu Yang looked at them. "Can girls fly planes?" "Of course. Women can do anything men can do. We hold up half the sky." "Could I fly a plane?" Liu Yang asked, looking down at her crutches. "Once I have my new leg?" "I don't know," MaMa said. "Maybe. But you'll be able to do lots of other things." Liu Yang looked back out the window at the plane. "I want to know," she said. "Can you look on the Internet?" "Right now?" Liu Yang didn't say anything, she just looked out the window at the plane. MaMa pulled out her phone and typed. "It says you can," MaMa said. "There was even a British fighter pilot who flew with two prosthetic legs." MaMa showed her a picture of a white man in an army uniform. "Passengers with children or disabilities are now free to board the aircraft," announced the woman at the gate. Liu Yang got her own seat, right next to the window. Outside the rain continued to pour down and the other planes were only vague shapes in the distance. She didn't get nervous until the plane started moving. She clutched MaMa's hand tight as the engines grew louder. "What if it doesn't work?" she asked. "It's ok, Yang Yang," MaMa said. "Some things are made to fly." She had meant her new leg, but the view distracted her. Outside the runway flashed underneath them, the engines roaring. The plane tilted back and suddenly they were lifting away from the earth. She let go of MaMa's hand and pressed her face to the glass as the airport disappeared in the haze below. She smiled. "Is it always this fun?" she asked MaMa.

The copilot was green and nervous. "So we are at 839 passengers and 321,257 liters of fuel. It's a shorter runway here than I'm used to." "It'll be fine." They taxied onto the runway. "Clear right," the co-pilot said. "Radio the tower." "We going to back track?" the co-pilot asked. "Don't need it, we have plenty of room." The co-pilot keyed his mic and said, "Gibraltar Tower, this is CCA-147 heavy, ready for takeoff." The tower's response came through loud and clear. "CCA-147 heavy, cleared takeoff Runway 27." They both grabbed the throttle lever and pushed it steadily forward. The engines roared that familiar roar, launching the jet down the runway toward the Bay of Gibraltar's blue waters. They pulled back on the steering yokes, and the jet pulled away from the ground. "You were right, plenty of room," the co-pilot said. "It's ok, something you learn with experience," Liu Yang said. "Some things are made to fly."