SKY’S THE LIMIT
By Jennifer Reynolds | jensunshine3@gmail.com
AS I WROTE THIS in January, it was winter. Let me clarify. It was winter in New Hampshire. Winter, as in it was 8° upon waking with a high of 27°. I scraped ice off of the car that morning, eager to get back inside and restore my, “But hey, that’s life in the Northeast for you” soul with some hot coffee.
I know firsthand that April often means frost or a possible snowfall, just as much as crocuses are attempting to poke through said frost. Don’t get me wrong. I like New Hampshire and the general surrounding area. There are tons of lakes and trails, the perpetual fresh smell of pine, breathtaking views along the Kancamagus Highway, and maple syrup.
Winter, however, means more than dealing with crazy windchill factors. It means something far, far worse. It means not flying—at least not outdoors, or outdoors easily. The field is snow covered, I no longer own an airplane with skis, and my indoor mini helicopter just doesn’t cut it when I’m craving a huge expanse of open sky. Most of you are aware that I’m slow to build and more of a get-to-it-and-fly person than I am eager to build from scratch, so there goes that notion of building during the cold winter months.
I’m happy, though, that I have been able to do other things to satisfy my flying urges and love of aviation. Toward the end of 2021, I did several related things that got me excited about flight.
My first stop was a trip to the Manchester, New Hampshire, airport’s observation deck. My boyfriend suggested this (he’s a keeper!), and I didn’t hesitate. We took the short drive from our place to the airport, stopped for some caffeine, and spent a couple of hours watching airplanes take off and land. We even struck up a conversation with a few fellow flight enthusiasts who spoke about flight-tracking apps. Sure enough, we could spot the next airplane way in the distance and, just as the app indicated, it was right on time.
Similar to what I’ve found while flying models, being in any aviation-related environment often brings about a dose of flying nostalgia. Plus, who can think about bills, laundry, or work deadlines when you’re caught up in the beauty of flight?
Less than a month later, we were literally up in the sky ourselves, taking a much-needed vacation. I realize it had been roughly 10 years since I’d flown on a commercial flight. Although I certainly traveled during that time, it mostly involved car rides.
Although that worked out well, it wasn’t until I found myself with my nose pressed up to the airplane window like a kid at Christmas that I realized how much I missed flying. I actually became a bit annoyed at the passengers around me who opted to keep
It was cold in New Hampshire, but not in Georgia, where the author sat and watched airplanes from a local airport!
their shades drawn. Don’t they know the fun of looking out the airplane window or, even better, sitting by the wing to watch the excitement?
I couldn’t get enough of the changing cloud patterns and landscapes, watching the Earth below seemingly fade away along with my stress. Plus, it’s just downright fun. I loved reading the information on the screen in front of me. Forget the in-flight movie. I was glued to the details of flight tracking, wind speed, and airplane speed (nearly 500 mph at one point; 603 mph at another point on the Airbus going home).
Our vacation at the beach brought with it reminders of flight as well. From birds to a local airport in Georgia, reminders of flight were everywhere. We carved out some time to enjoy coffee from a nearby bench at the airport, watching landings and takeoffs. Beaches, gorgeous sunsets, and airplanes? Now we’re talking. Even the birds, with the glow of sunrise cast upon their feathers, instilled in me my love of flight, movement, and knowledge that life always has an ebb and flow of navigating turbulence, soaring high, smooth landings, and knowing when to be still.
I was happy to be able to keep up with flight. Although I’d prefer that my models were a part of the equation, it’s not always feasible with frostbite and windchill factors and all. So, here’s to warmer months and more flying at the field. Until then, there are always observation decks, feathered friends in sunny spots, and local airports with airplanes, palm trees, and lovely memories made.
