Shoup Airlines

Cranking and Banking

This is a cool approach to a runway, at least from a pilot’s perspective, I’m sure some of you will squirm. It gets even better when I realized the airport looks familiar. This is Tegucigalpa airport in Honduras. I’ve been there AND I’ve been on that approach, sadly though only as a passenger.

We used to shoot a very similar approach into La Guardia that had you in a steep bank right over Shea stadium and then dump you less than a 1/2 mile from the end of the runway. If you didn’t nail it just right, you were going around. I was lucky enough to shoot it two weeks out of initial training. You can’t imagine the pucker factor on that one.

August 14th, 2000

We spent the entire day yesterday travelling. Up by 6am, we packed, showered and cleaned house before saying our final goodbyes. At 8am we headed for the market where the women went nuts trying to buy inexpensive furniture and then later realizing they couldn’t bring it on the airplane. Bummer. I got some souvenirs for family and friends and nearly bought some Cuban cigars but figured with my luck would have them confiscated at Customs. So I got some Honduran cigars for El Forke Grande when Judd gets into town.

From the market we rushed to the airport and waited two hours to check in. Finally checking in at 12:15pm we barely caught our 12:25 departure for Houston. The flights back were pretty uneventful. Customs didn’t even check our bags so I was rather pissed I didn’t get those Cubans. Those Honduran cigars were probably some of the worst as Judd can attest to.

On the flight into Minneapolis we got to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets any of us have ever seen. After having just passed through a couple thunderstorms, the sun was half set and Venus was burning bright on the horizon. As the sun finally set, rays of light pierced upward into the darkening horizon, turning it from a deep blue to a rich violet and finally into a pitch black night sky with stars ablaze. Seemed similar to one of those clips of sunrises and sunsets you see in NASA videos. It’s events like this that really make a pilot love his job. ed. note That was as true then as it is today. I saw some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises from the sky while at an airline.

Once in in Minnie, we grabbed the van and headed for home. Almost five hours later, I walked into the apartment at 3:30am! A very long dad indeed. Back to the grind tomorrow, standardization in the Seminole (multi-engine trainer), students needing to be caught up or finished up and Judd needs to be picked up.

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!

Revelations 22:12

August 12th, 2000

Today was a well deserved day of rest. We all got up at the butt crack of dawn, as usual, for a two hour bus ride to the beach. It was well worth it, the water was beautiful and warm, the day was fantastic and the food was excellent! A couple of us walked over to a pier about a 1/2 mile away and watched the fishermen pull up puffers and rock bass. Some children were jumping off the end of the pier, so I figured why not. There being no other takers, I jumped off and swam back to point where the group was. Talk about exhaustion! We counted our sunburns and aches and headed home.

That night we went to church and someone spilled the beans that I could speak Spanish. Lucky me, when they ran out of translation headphones, I got to translate for a couple of us. With all the thees and thous and smiting and begetting going on it’s hard enough in English, now imagine translating from Spanish. Let’s just say this pastor liked to talk and my head hurts now.

After church we went to dinner. They do things late here around here so we didn’t sit down until 9pm. Talk about starving! I had the Honduran version of lasagna with chicken and peppers and the usual canned Sprite. You DO NOT drink anything here unless it is in a can and you opened it. Anyway, dinner was muy excelente!

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28