Tuesday, October 14, 2008
How We Got the Aerial Photos or Emma's First Plane Ride
There is an old air strip outside of town. It's been unused for over twenty years and had become overgrown. Someone new bought it and planned to use it so he cleared the runway of the overgrowth. Then he invited Emergency Services to use it for landing the air ambulance instead of using the school grounds, which they'd been using for years. We live well over an hour from the nearest hospital so the helicopter lands in town on average about once a week. Everyone agreed it was much less danger to the community and the kids for the helicopters to be landing outside of town.

The Emergency Services folks wanted to raise money to make a proper helipad on the property. Enter the nice construction guy. He flies over here several days a week to work on a big mansion being built in the area. He offered to give plane rides to the locals to raise money for Emergency Services. They jumped at the offer. They planned a "fun day" for Saturday and were offering fifteen minute plane rides in any direction you chose for a minimum donation of $25 per person. There were to be two or three planes giving rides. They also had their firetrucks and an air ambulance there for the crowds to check out.

M was determined that he was going to get Emma a plane ride. He showed up almost an hour and a half early to get on the list. Good thing he did. Small communities are fairly predictable. Sure enough the list was already thick with emergency services people and their pals taking the first rides. By showing up super early he secured spots 27, 28 and 29 on the list. The event started at 10:00 a.m. and it was 12:20 p.m. before they got their ride.

Popi rode with them. They said Emma sang in the back of the plane the whole way. M had the pilot fly over our house so Emma could see it. The pilot had to circle around and tilt the plane for Emma to get a good view. Their ride lasted about 13 minutes, but by that time they had over 130 on their list and no chance of getting to them all. As it turned out the pilots came back and gave rides the next day to finish off the list.

Climbing on board...


Rolling away from us and they headed to the end of the runway.


Emma with her gear on, presumably singing.


Our house from the air. We're center-left, tucked against the trees.


M's view over the dash as they were coming in for a landing.


Safely back on the ground. Woo hoo!

Written at 5:34 PM by Highlandgal.
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