Beautiful Day for Flying!
I am very fortunate that I travel quite frequently with my job. As an aircraft systems instructor for my airline I have to travel to all of the cities we fly to to conduct recurrent training for the aircraft technicians based in those cities. The FAA requires that certified Aircraft Technicians go through annual recurrent training to ensure they are provided the latest most up to date information. The only downside to this frequent travel is the fact that I live out of my suitcase most times and I spend many nights in diferent hotels and let’s face it, some hotels are better than others! I can tell you some stories! The up side to all of it however is that I get to fly often. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of long lines at security, waiting for hotel shuttles that never come (but they say they did when you call them back) and over priced airport cuisine. I am however a huge fan of actually being on the aircraft. I still get goosebumps everytime we start the takeoff roll and accelerate down the runway. It’s incredible to realize that this 300,000lb craft can out accelerate most performance sports cars, that’s some horsepower! Jet engines are capable of about 4000 horsepower but an aircraft’s engine power is rated in terms of pounds of thrust. The feeling of being pushed back into your seat as the engines spool up and the aircraft starts its takeoff is the best stress relief therapy I can think of! When the airplane rotates, or the nose lifts off the ground, and the main wheels finally lift off the ground, the bumpiness of the runway is replaced by the smoothness of flight and the airplane suddenly seems much happier as though this is where it wants to be. This is in fact where it wants to be!
