week of plane days..
The last 2 weeks I've been filling in for a speech-path friend & covering her hospital-- good old Methodist South. I should take a few working hours and pay homage to Graceland and KrispyKreme.. but no time for that. Instead I look forward to driving down Airways & watching huge aircraft take off and land at Memphis International. Thanks to FedEx it stays busy all the time. It reminds me of being a young kid when my Dad drove us to an open lot at Lambert Field, just at the end of the main runway. We would lay out on the hood and roof, and feel the car shake as huge planes roared just above. My Dad would point out 737's, DC9's, L1011's, 707's... I thought he was a genius. (still are Dad!)
Today I pulled over & parked to watch an AirForce C-5 down the runway and take off. (had to look that up to make sure). Its the Mother-load of cargo jets and looks way too heavy to fly. It actually took off with just half the runway.. quite fascinating to me!Watching the runway is so cool when you're a little kid... still cool as I'm a big kid! I hope that parking spot at Lambert is still there, I can't hang out on Airways for too long...
posted by hannah @ 8:45 PM
10 Comments:
Unfortunately, with the airport expansion that little parking lot got bulldozed and the street that it was off of (Lindbergh) now runs through an underground tunnel with the new airport expansion running overhead! We will have to go drive you through it sometime when you are home. It gets harder to find a neat place to watch landings and takeoffs. I still like to watch them also. I guess that means we are still children at heart! I remember my grandfather, Lloyd Thompson, who once told me that the most signficant thing he witnessed in his lifetime was seeing his first airplane around 1915-1916. He remarked that when he saw his
first heavier than air machine fly he knew that was going to change the world. He was right! My father used to take us kids to Lambert to watch the planes take off and land. Back then there were TWA Constellations, Electra turboprops and I can remember seeing the first jet, a Boeing 707!
Well, I guess airports and planes are special for all people! First of all, when I was in Charleston, S.C. this Summer I got to do a flight simulator at the AFB. It was a C-17. Those are big and can carry 2 large buses, 3 helicopters, one of the Army's tanks or other huge cargo and paratroopers. It was a blast. Steven Euler's brother is an Air Force pilot who runs missions across the pond in those. Pretty Cool? Second, I have always loved watching planes take off and land. My grandparents lived in Whitehaven until this year and I would always make my parents drive past and through the airport to see the planes. I especially loved the airport at Christmas because they changed the lights to red and green on the building and changed some of the runway lights! (this comment is long) That being said, I think the power of a big airplane is majestic and a real testimony to what mankind can do working together with the ability and talent that God has given them. Plus, I'm pretty sure God is pleased with airplanes because how else would we get to see the earth from way above and get to experience those AWESOME sunsets in the sky above and through the clouds?
On a more practical note 1) I love watching planes, too. Living away from Memphis, FedEx jets overhead, regardless of the city, always provide a little slice of humid, bar-b-q, bluestown life. 2) Hanging out by Airways...good neighborhood. Say hi to all the "Johns." 3) It's great to stop and smell the roses, I applaud you. We should all do that more. I'm sure the patients at Methodist South were also very pleased by your field trip on the way to make them well ;-)
oh gurrlll, don't you be knowin dos plane things scares me. dey be goin dis way and dat an what if a burd be flyin inta da windshield...oh lawd, i would juss die. i gotsta to takes me a nerve pill now juss thinkin bout it. tell yo mama an em i axed em how she durrin! bye hurnie!
Great picture! Your post reminds me of when I worked in Maryland, near D.C.. The lab I worked in was huge with big windows and me and my supervisor caught a glimpse of Air Force 1 jetting through the sky one morning. It was also neat but scary to see fighter jets and chinook helicopters flying around everywhere on 9/11. Great post, Han!
Hannah- you have pointed out something that I somehow missed along the way. I have never laid upon a car and watched airplanes take off...maybe I should try it.
I did used to go to the airport around Christmas time and sing carols with 3 of my best friends. We made a pretty good quartet.
Maybe I will have to see what I have been missing!
Did you take that picture, Hannah? You need to be careful! :) I keep telling Nate I want him to take me to the air show- I LOVE to watch airplanes, too! Isn't this wierd that so many people have a common interest in planes, but no one ever talks about it? wierd. Anyway- good thoughts! I'm going to ask my dad why he never took us to watch planes!
Shirley Q- 'bout time I heard from you hurnie! My mama say she be durrin jus fine & thanks for axing...Hope yer 19 chillens takin their nerve pill too!
Beck, Connie, Jay, J, Matt, Dad, Love all the comments.. Wouldn't you like to be in U2's Beautiful Day video, at the end of the runway? be sweet.
Interesting...
Luckily, you don't have many pics of me....but I have SEVERAL slumber party pics of ALL of you. Remember those days when I was single with NO man and you guys would be my source of entertainment? Fashion Shows, skits, Elvira. Just wait until I join the blog world.
Julie
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