If Orville and Wilbur knew what chaos they would unleash by flying a few feet on Kitty Hawk, they may have stayed in Ohio. With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite flying experiences, in no particular order:
1. Having the wings de-iced on a snowy day only to have the process take so long we had to go back to the gate because we ran out of gas.
2. Taking students on a trip to France for two weeks and being told by a parent two days before we left that her son had a life-threatening kidney disorder. Oh yeah, he also lost his boarding pass.
3. Vomiting uncontrollably on landing while flying with a friend.
4. Getting bumped up to business class and being excited to see a microphone, which I assumed was for summoning the flight attendants when I needed a snack, and proceeding to talk into it. It was actually an extendable reading light, I was quickly informed.
5. Hitting horrible turbulence and wondering if my beneficiary information was up to date only to be told by the pilot that our flight was a "pathfinder" flight that searches out pockets of turbulence so later flights know where to avoid flying.
6. Flying in a Cessna with a friend and seeing a 747 fly underneath us at 5,000 feet.
7. Having a ticket on a TWA flight two weeks after TWA flight 800 went down in 1996.
8. Witnessing the arrest of Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, while taking off on the adjacent runway.
9. Learning that some plane fuselages are partly manufactured with recycled aluminum cans.
Is the car packed?
I am picturing you talking into the light:
ReplyDeleteWhopper
Fries
Diet
Yeah, and thanks for that...as if I wasn't scared enough already. In April while waiting for the shuttle to the airport I started talking to a flight attendant. I told her I was scared of flying. It was rainy and she said you'll be fine. It will be a little rough for the first 15 minutes. I said yeah, and I am flying on a regional jet. She shuttered. I kid you not, she shuttered. AND said, well with a plane that small it could glide to a stop if you had any trouble. I stood there with this look on my face: O_o
Stay strong, Kim. Stay strong!
DeleteYes Rich that should be shuddered, not shuttered. Should have proof read my auto correct before hitting publish.
ReplyDeleteI find it humbling to recall that I was that friend on that flight referenced at #3. Thanks for that vivid memory Rich. You totally took it in stride and used that barf bag up until we fully landed.
ReplyDeleteRachel- thanks for proving that my stories are true for the non-believers! It sure was vivid.
DeleteDon't forget about the time you were supposed to go to Cincinnati, but originally had a flight booked for Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteDang! Forgot that one! How could I?
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