Fly ......away
I spent more time than I wanted to on Easter weekend in a passenger jet. Don't get me wrong, I like to fly (esp to visit family and friends). I like to go fast and the freedom of movement experience in flight. The feeling is something I've liked and sought since I was a kid. It is why I liked running fast, the swing, bike rides, dreams where I fly, driving fast, etc.
Some of my friends and I went to visit the new National Air and Space Museum a few weekends ago. They have the SR71 there that holds the record for fastest human controled jet powered flight- prominetly displayed in the centre. Also is one of the Air France's Concorde- (all now retired) which was the fastest comercial passenger jet. Fast yes, but I still wouldn't want to spend too much time in it either. They also have Professor Langley's craft. A failed attempt, US government and Smithsonian backed effort to be the first in flight that was beat by the privately funded Wright brothers Flyer(on display at the other Air and Space Museum). That is a good historical story to hear. Another happy suprise for me was the new x-plane on display. This will be the military's jet in the near future, it can take off vertically- like a helicopter and fly like a jet- supersonically. 
Sweet! I isn't all about speed, I liked the gliders on display- the freedom of the flying in one of those... And the infamous Enola Gay. The plane that delivered the first atomic bomb used in war.Featured also are a space shuttle- full size(Never in space, it was used for training- the real one will be there when it is retired from service.)
and the working mockups for the Mars Rovers.Of the so many reasons to visit this museum, the best are the guides. They have a wonderful, knowledgeable volunteer staff giving guided tours. Most are pilots and retired aeronautical engineers. In the picture with me is one of my guides who flew the very Blackbird you see in the museum. Oh, the stories that they told!
Please, come out and visit some time, it would be great to go there again- with you.
posted by Jeff @ 6:50 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Nice jeff you are a wealth of knowledge, and I am so impressed that you can remember the longings of your youth so well. Maybe that is for the best since I think that most of it was about being a grocery clerk.
Dang Jeff! What a triumphant return to blogging! Good pictures, good personal narrative, woven into knowledge for the masses. It was like listening to NPR, but with pictures and no voices. Okay, it wasn't like NPR. It's more like... I gotta go. I got nothin. But it was a great blog. Keep it up.
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