Piloted a plane

• Went up
• Took up a Cessna
• Took to the skies
• Kept one's nose in the air?
• Worked with props?
• Took to the sky
• Played an ace?

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
vb. (en-past of: aviate )

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Aviate \A"vi*ate\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aviated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Aviating .] To fly, or navigate the air, in an a["e]roplane or heavier-than-air flying machine. [Colloq.]