Shoup Airlines

Brown Out

They finally found something that makes me think twice.

We went out for a goggle flight a couple nights ago and my instructor, never one for the milk runs, wanted me to run us out through Victorville and over into Salton Sea.  It was a nice night to fly: smooth, clear, quiet and zero moon illumination.  Nada, zip, zilch.  This meant absolutely no ambient light in any direction for a good ten miles around Salton Sea.

That just happens to be an unlit airport.

And really more a dirt strip than an airport.

Surrounded by other dirt that happens to be the same color.

This means you have absolutely no contrast, which means very little to no depth perception.  Now go try and land there, never mind simply finding the place.  What’s that, I forgot to mention that because it’s a dirt strip you get all the dust you’ve ever wanted and then some, kicked up by a 22,000 lb contraption that creates its very own tornado?  Yeah, about that.  Just keep your eye on the aircraft that’s a disc and a half in front of you while you’re enveloped in the cloud.

You carrier jockeys can come talk to me when you land on that postage stamp at night with no lights.  In formation.

Shazaaaam, Andy!

Try and get this one out of your head

Everyone’s Inner Eight Year Old Either Just Grinned Or Died A Little Inside

Which one are you?

I wasn’t the biggest A-Team fan but it idled away the hours. Sometimes. I’m not grinning over Murdock (which you shouldn’t be surprised I have an affinity for), but there wasn’t much of him there so the jury is still partially out. The one I feared the most though, ol’ Liam, seems to have pulled Hannibal off pretty damn well.