Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of addiction as well as grief due to the loss of immediate family members (father and sister).

Addie’s ultralight is a symbol of security to Addie, who associates the plane with fond memories of her father before he passed away: “My dad used to take me up in it. I always felt safe with him. And happy. After he died, I wasn’t happy anymore. Flying the ultralight makes me feel like he’s still with me” (234). After crashing, the plane returns to its role as a symbol of safety and security when Jo and Marty disassemble it to create the makeshift stretcher for Addie.

For Jo, the ultralight also symbolizes safety and security at the novel's start; she has little else to look forward to while coping with her mother’s addiction and craves the stability of each day’s consistent viewing of The Desert Aviator. The ultralight also provides a vicarious feeling of adventure for Jo, so it represents freedom and release from her worries. Once the ultralight crashes, the plane’s symbolism changes for Jo. Her ideas for its new use as a stretcher prove she is capable and resourceful, so the plane’s parts stand for her future potential as a problem solver.