Aviation Highlights from My Week

Many times I find being associated with aviation is very rewarding, even when I’m not lucky enough to be in an aircraft flying. Being the hard driving Airline CEO that I am, I find more and more of my time is spent on the non-flying elements of my job. So this past Friday afternoon I was catching up on some end of the week paperwork in my office when the distinctive sound of a Merlin engine at takeoff power could be heard out on the runway. There is only one engine that tickles my spine more than a Merlin and that is the Griffin in my friend Captain Eddie Kurdziel’s WWII Fairy Firefly. As I stepped out of my office, a beautiful WWII Mustang was just getting airborne. As it pulled up for an entry back into the pattern for a low pass you could see all the airport’s hangar rats and line lizards coming out of their hideouts to get a glimpse of the airplane. If you are in aviation and the sight and sound of a Mustang roaring down the runway doesn’t stir your vital juices, you aren’t alive. I don’t know who the guy was, but he did an nice pass and made my day and most likely several hundred other people’s days.

So with that happy vicarious experience still on my mind I walked into Western Flight and was greeted by the smiling staff who had not been able to venture outside. They still heard the airplane and just hearing that plane seemed to have brightened up the smile on everyone’s face. I love the life of aviation and everyone else seemed to be loving life also.