The Best Airport Visit Ever!
On August 21st, I (and part of my family) experienced the best airport visit ever. I know it’s a little late to blog about it, but now that I have a cold I can finally excuse myself from sitting on my butt and blogging while there is laundry to be done.
There is a small airport about 15 miles away from where I live that caters to small corporate jets and well-to-doers. The airport has a restaurant that looks out on the runways that offers those of us not in that income grade a view of the high life. It’s a great place to take kids, as long as you take your own booster seat for kids Anna’s size, since they don’t provide high chairs.
On the 21st I thought it would be nice if Anna, my sister Rhiannon, my nephew Brendan, and I all trooped out to the airport for a mid-morning snack and some plane viewing.
When we were seated, having learned from watching Anna wrench her neck the last time we were at the airport, I turned her to face the runway:
Anna facing out
Just after we ordered our French fries and fruit plate, a pair of pilots sat down at the table behind where we were seated. One of the pilots was a very friendly woman who waved at the kids. It was then that I heard her say to her co-pilot, “Should I take them on their tour now or wait until after breakfast?”
Long story short, our new friend Marita the pilot took us past security, out onto the tarmac and on a tour of the plane she was piloting that day. It was a small private jet, with four huge leather seats, wood interior, a plate of chocolate covered fruit in the kitchen area and a pair of champagne glasses waiting for the passengers.
Here’s a view of the interior seating (with Anna and Rhiannon):
In the cabin
Brendan was invited to sit in the cockpit (Anna was too, but said “No” very firmly):
Brendan in the cockpit with Marita
I also got a great picture of Rhiannon and Brendan in front of the jet (Marita said it was a “Hawker”):
In front of the jet
Needless to say, this was by far the best airport visit ever! Cold fries? Who cares! We got to go into a private jet! Thank you Marita!
September 1st, 2009 at 4:34 am
Wow! That sounds like fun!
September 1st, 2009 at 8:38 am
How fun! What a nice pilot.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Great idea! Someday you’ll have to take them to “Wings Over the Rockies” on cockpit day (once a month). I really want to go when they have the cockpit of the F-14 Tomcat open. Remember “Top Gun”? The call signs of the pilots who flew the plane at the museum were “Sled Dog” and “Richie Rich” and their names are painted on the side of the plane.