Wednesday, September 7, 2005

Buzzed

Earlier this evening, while I sat reading blogs, a single engine plane roared over the old folks home. I ducked.  It sounded like he was going to take the roof off.

A few minutes later he was back, but not quite so close. I jumped on my scooter and went out to find a spot with a clear view of the sky. No plane was visible, but the Moon and Venus shone placidly down. No sign of Jupiter which was supposed to be nearby. It was still twilight and Venus was the only star in the sky.

Later online IM with daughter I reported my negative findings, and she responded with, "You're one of those weird people who run toward the sound of gun fire."

Well not ordinarily, but I have to admit that low flying airplanes make me curious.  I recalled once years ago near San Fernando Airport I saw a light plane making unusual approaches. I left the airport building and walked out to the flight line.

A friend hailed me, "What are you doing out here at this time?"

I replied, "I came to see the crash."

"What crash?"

"The one that is about to happen."

"Oh, that is just Willis.  He just bought that plane and he is checking it out."

At that moment, here came Willis in his newly purchased old plane, about twenty feet too high, stalled, dived nose first into the runway. CRUNCH. He crashed right in front of us.

An old adage is "Any landing is a good landing if you can walk away from it."  Willis walked away from that landing, but his plane had to be hauled home.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heh.  I love what she said about you running toward trouble.  I thought of you this weekend while looking at an aerial photo of Disneyland! - Karen

Anonymous said...

See Karen's comment below" Dear Karen,
  I was flying over Disneyland with my wife.  She wasn't paying attention to my flying. I saw an escaped Mickey Mouse balloon, and that is a challenge any red blooded pilot cannot ignore. I had to pop that balloon with my propeller. Without warning my wife, I banked steeply in an attack on the helium filled rodent.
  My wife screamed, and I broke off the attack.
  That time Mickey escaped.

Anonymous said...

I think you have a little of the devil in you. lol  Another interesting story. Paula

Anonymous said...

I think I am like you when it comes to things like airplanes. I have to run out and see if they are going to crash near by when they are real close to the ground. I actually ran outside the other day when I heard a gun shot. LOL. Now that I think about it, it was probably not a bright idea. LOL  Take Care Chuck.  http://journals.aol.com/kraztweety2/MyBoringLifeInHesperia

Anonymous said...

Sounds like me. I hear a noise outside at night and my first reaction is to grab Bruno, a really big axe handle wrapped in leather at the handle and painted black by my dad for me, and go outside to see what's up.

Anonymous said...

You make me smile-I like people who "run towad the sound od gunfire." I'm curious, too, but more cowardly. I run from window to window to see what's going on. When I grow up I want to be like you! Margo

Anonymous said...

Very funny story with a happy ending I might add.  Oh and yes, I will hide my mouseketer hat when you are around.   lol   mark

Anonymous said...

Oye you pilots are all the same. LOL My dad would run outside to check things out too. ;-)