take aloft

take aloft (third-person singular simple present takes aloft, present participle taking aloft, simple past took aloft, past participle taken aloft)

1. (transitive, intransitive, aviation, of a pilot) To successfully fly (an aircraft) into the air.
   • 1937, Alfred William Lawson, Lawson: Aircraft Industry Builder:

     On September 21, 1919, I took aloft for a spin over Washington and the surrounding territory, 17 distinguished passengers, including the Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker, and several United States Senators.

   • 2002, Agop Jack Hacikyan, Gabriel Basmajian, Edward S. Franchuk, Nourhan Ouzounian, The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the sixth to the eighteenth century, Wayne State University Press, →ISBN, page 992:

     Here the fiery angel once more took aloft

   • 2013, John Lundstrom, First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942, Naval Institute Press, →ISBN:

     From Buin Lieutenant (jg) Kawamata took aloft at 0850 fifteen Zero 32s from the 6th Air Group, reported inbound at 1017 by Kennedy.