Take Your Time
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Have you ever flown in an actual propeller-driven airliner? Although it hasn’t happened often, I have.
Most of us don’t give a second thought to the thousands of small commuter flights that occur all over the U.S., but the fact is, there are still plenty of commuter routes where the prop plane is alive and well.
I remember once taking a short hop from Chicago, Illinois to Peoria, Illinois; approximately 130 miles as the crow flies (although I’ve always wondered why people think crows never fly in a zig-zag). But what made it, er, really fun was that it was right in the dead of winter – on January 2nd, in fact.
After we boarded, the pilot began preparing the plane for takeoff while the field crew started spraying de-icer all over the wings. This went on for some time (nearly 30 minutes!), and all the while the passenger next to me kept fretting about missing their connecting flight in Chicago. In the meantime I’m thinkin’, Keep goin’, boys - whoops, missed a spot!
I gotta tell ya - I wasn’t bothered in the least. Hey, I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned, they can take as much time as they need! See, this stuff they’re spraying all over the plane? Well, it’s to help prevent the plane from turning into an ice cube while at 20,000 feet! (Sadly, ice cubes aren’t known for their gliding characteristics.)
So, without further ado (because as you know, further do would make no sense whatsoever) I give you, maybe not the thought, but at least a Thought for the Day:
Sometimes it just takes time to do things right. Success is usually like that.
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8 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Once I was flying out of Montreal during a blizzard. It was one of those on again/off again takeoffs, so they ended up deicing the plane three times. I had the same reaction - slow and steady wins the race.
Brad, as far as I’m concerned - do it once more just to be really sure!
Just as long as it’s not ‘further do do’, you’re okay.
Yeah, Mike; ’cause then it would just be disgusting!
You are a brave man indeed to fly these planes. I personally have never been aboard anything non-commercial. I bet flying is a great feeling/adrenaline rush though. Pretty cool achievement.
Howdy, Matthew! No, this was a commercial flight. It just happened to be a teeny tiny little one.
And yes, I’ve flown a small plane before. It was… interesting.
I recall being on one such plane where they spent some time rearranging the passengers so as not to overbalance to one side ( or that’s what I assumed they were doing..). I could see the pilot right up there in front of me too - which was somehow both comforting and disturbing!
Yes indeed - sometimes a wee bit extra time will make the world of a difference. In life it’s just about knowing how much and when.
You got it, Jackie! But I haven’t decided whether I like seeing the pilots or not. Sometimes I think it’s better not knowing just how complicated it looks.