I see you’ve spent some time at my local airport …clearly you know what it’s like…you got a few "planes " wrong but the locations and conditions were exact…excellent work Paul…as always.
Paul–The title mentions “Airport Derelicts”–but even after reading the article, I see that it’s less about the derelict airplanes than it is about the “derelicts” that inhabit the pilot’s lounge. (smile)
I’ve been flying for 59 years–and for 52 of those years, I’ve been the “curator” of the FBO pilot’s lounges. I’ve heard and seen almost all that is discussed in pilot’s lounges–I have a 232-typewritten page manuscript of local pilot stories (ALL TRUE–I SWEAR IT!).
In this business, you’d better love what you’re doing, because the FBO business (and dealing with fellow pilots) becomes your entire life. When we first married, a neighbor asked why I was never home–my wife told her (without a trace of sarcasm)–“Jim’s home is at the airport.”
Excellent job on the description of the Pilot’s Lounge–AND its inhabitants! How about a “write–off” between you and Bertorelli–this time focusing on the AIRPLANE derelicts to be found at airports? Lot’s of high aspirations to be found–“rescuing” and bringing a derelict back to life–and a lot of “school of hard knocks” in facing the realities of restoring a derelict. My two favorite aviation columnists–it would be great to read your separate takes on a subject–BOTH of you put more knowledge and emotion into your writing than any other aviation columnist!
Great piece, Paul. It made me hungry for some stale peanut-butter crackers.
The one thing Boeing left out of their report is how many new (that is,
additional) air traffic controllers will be required to maintain what are
already highly imperiled margins of safety at airports around the U.S.
It took nearly 40 years for the supply of qualified ATC to regain the
level of strength that it had prior to Ronald Reagan’s dismantling of
the union. The multiple dangers that this entailed were evident from
the start, but in the last ten years, the number of accidents involving
civil aviation pilots and aircraft has increased by 25%. While “pilot
error” and other factors are responsible for many of these mishaps,
there is no question that the shortage of ATC contributes its share
to the total, and to the many fatalities that result. Boeing cannot
ignore this problem, or evade it by saying that they are a private
company, not a public agency. In this case, the tail of the 737
does wag the police dog–and all too often, bribes it with treats.
To paraphrase Tom Lehrer, “that’s not my department–Boeing
said with a frown” is no excuse for complacency in this matter.
The “union-busting” policies of the Reagan era did incalculable
damage, not only to the airline industry, but to the entire fabric
of American life. It is high time to reverse them–and there is
no better place to begin than where the whole debacle began.
It is not a matter of partisan politics, but of life and death–or
of safety in the starry skies versus burial beneath the ground.
“…in the last ten years, the number of accidents involving
civil aviation pilots and aircraft has increased by 25%.”
How did this not get reported in the aviation press? Could it be that it’s because it didn’t happen?
This is pure speculation. Nobody knows at this point in time how global or even national / regional air traffic is going to recover.
Even though I added a new rating in late 2020, I could not find a similar lounge at my local airport. The admin building had some couches, but no one seemed to hang out there. I went to the EAA hangar, hoping to hang out and only one guy was there and while he was happy to chat for a few minutes, he was busy working on an airplane and I was glad he was gracious with the few minutes he could chat. While driving across the country, I have tried stopping at small airports and find myself treated more like an invader. I’m aware this could have something to do with the post 9/11 era. I grew up at an airport and spent many days and hours at other airports lounging and sharing stories. One thing I remember is that we reached out and welcomed newbies, whether or not they were pilots, and actively invited them to take a seat on our ratty old stuffing-falling-out-of-it couches or rickety folding chairs. I know from the previous comments that this still exists many places. I hope I can find some of them.