Sunday, June 26, 2011

My Big Iron disconnect

I live 2 miles off of Seatac16C. I sit on my deck and listening to Seatac tower & departure.from the time they are cleared to take off till I see the airliner rise above the trees is less than a minute. Shortly after the giant plane appears in view the tower is releasing them to departure and the pilots throttle back for noise abatement.I know what they are doing and often in my mind I picture the Captain & FO at their posts. I don't imagine myself as the pilot. The Idea of my flying a piece of big iron full of people or even cargo is foriegn to me. Flying is fun for me because I am only doing it to please myself. I do it for the thrill I get every time the wheels leave the ground. Flying isn't something I want to become routine. I fly for the excitement I feel seeing the earth so far below my wings.. I can imagine the pilots of those sleek aerial steeds setting the co-ordinates and auto-pilot as they 'fly' off to far away destinations. It just isn't the flying I want to do. I can bank my wings to check for traffic, climb or descend at will. I can do dutch rolls and turns around a point at any time I wish. I have no schedule to meet. I enjoy watching these pros pilot their Boeing's, Bombardier's. Embraila'a and Scarebus's steadily soaring upward. I spot the ones with real savvy by their landing technique. It's easy to hear a hand that is constantly adjusting the power setting. I can hear the guy who keeps the engines alone and glides in like he is on rails. My dive & flare technique would have the pax in the back screaming in fear. I just don't imagine myself as an airline pilot.