I Flew to Detroit for a Meeting—and Made It Home for Dinner

A line of severe storms was closing in on Chicago, so I took off at sunrise and flew east across Lake Michigan—staying safely ahead of the weather on my way to Detroit. Less than an hour later, I was on the ground and headed into a full day of meetings. By that evening, I was back in my airplane, flying west toward Chicago, and walked through my front door just in time for dinner. That’s the real magic of general aviation. It’s not simply the freedom to fly—it’s the freedom to travel for business without surrendering entire days to airports, highways and hotel rooms. What would normally require an overnight stay became a same-day trip, with more time spent doing business and less time spent getting there. One airplane. Two crossings of Lake Michigan. A full day in Detroit—and dinner at home. This is why I fly. // Connect on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brendan.m.egan/ learn more at https://BrendanEgan.com // *This video is not affiliated with Cirrus Aircraft, and nothing shown should be considered flight instruction. Always consult a qualified flight instructor and operate within the limitations of your aircraft and your own training. Some of the most frequently asked questions I get asked: -What kind of plane? It’s a 2024 Cirrus SR22T. It’s an Xi which is Cirrus’ custom design program, so we were able to design the paint, colors, interior and truly customize the plane to be our own! -Where are you based? Presently based at KPWK, Chicago Executive Airport, which is about 7 miles north of O’Hare in the north suburbs of Chicago. -What do you do for a living? I own multiple businesses; my main business is a digital marketing agency where we help other businesses grow through digital marketing. -Why do you fly? I got into flying primarily for business. I was sick of dealing with airlines, their schedules, terrible service and delays. I primarily travel for business however also travel for leisure to some pretty amazing places! -When did you start flying? I started flying back in 2016 in a Sundowner; however I quickly realized I very much disliked the plane and didn’t jive with my instructor. I got back into aviation in 2023 and earned my private pilot then with my instrument and commercial the year after. -What do you think is next in your aviation journey? Writing this as of 2026, I’m a little under 1,000 total hours nearly all of which are in a Cirrus. I think there is a good chance a Vision Jet is in my future but for now I am loving my current plane!