Taking to the air
A change in routine, today. Instead of the ordinary bus ride to the office, I was squeezed into a seat on a Beech King 100 and flown 980 km NNE, followed by a 980 km return along the same track. In between, other stuff.
We are responsible for schools that are off the usual yellow bus routes. In fact, this school has a bus, for staff. I was onboard, with a new server to install, before my inflight breakfast had properly settled into my tummy. North is north, and the roads were reminiscent of nothing I’ve ever seen. Add in the very visible banks of snow on higher ground, and it was clear that this wasn’t a summer day. As someone pointed out, we didn’t need a knife to cut the blackflies, so the seasons haven’t changed.
I spent the day, productively, including a trip “back to town” in an eleven seat construction van. No sightseeing here. Food in insolated areas is expensive and without variety, but my hamburger was good, just the same. When the call came oveer the PA announcing our ride to the airport, I was mentally and physically prepared.
My one regret is not having carried a camera… I’d like to share the fortified ATM at the airport, but it won’t be possible today.
The plane ride (C-GPRU) was somewhat out of sorts with the paranoia usually attached to air travel. No need to surrender my shoes or my Leatherman. An open-door policy to the cockpit (OK, no door), so I could “keep an eye on things”. I’m a veteran of Flight Simulator, so I like knowing that the DME and the altimeter work as I think they should.
The only negative point is the cockpit noise. My head is still aching, and I landed almost an hour ago.
