The Airport Fence

Coming back from Eastern Canada we stopped at an uncontolled airport,
well it was a class E zone. But the story is, as the ramper was gassing
me up he asked if we would be departing right away and I said, "Yes as
soon as we pay." He replied to me, "That would be great as the little
kid has been there for an hour and hasn't seen much action". Looking
over was a little boy with his nose and fingers poking throught he chain
link fence. His mother some 20 feet away sitting on a large rock in an
decorative garden. Both baking in the hot sun. So when the ramper was
done gassing and went in to the FBO I went over and invited them out to
see the plane. Of course they told me they arn't allowed to and I said
sure you are, now. Just go into that building and I will bring you out.
Everytime I do this the people are afraid to enter the FBO even.

So while I paid my wife showed them the plane and let the boy sit in the
front. Sit in the back. Answer questions, look and touch. See it up close.

This made thier day. And mine. I always do this as it is important to
pause from our rushed schedules sometimes. That day, I arranged with the
ramper, (not busy otherwise) to stay with them airside to watch us
depart. I made it clear though after we left they would have to go back
to their observation post as they are not allowed airside, unescorted.
And I made it clear that the ramper knew I advised them of what was
expected, so he wouldn't be on the spot.

I do this allot. When you look over to the fence and see sometimes a
whole family watching from a crummy spot, what else can you do???? And
they never even expected me to be friendly. There has always been a
stunned moment, like they were looking into some headlights?

It's almost as satisfying as flying. I can't describe it, but I do
encourge it, if you are able to steal 10 or 15 minutes out of a busy
day. It is well worth it for all concerned.

John

snip good stuff

John,

That is a great story. I have offered to take people for a trip around the
circuit; to date noone has taken my up on it. It is common at my local
airport the see people hanging out by the fence as you taxi in/out. The
kids always wave and of course I wave back.

I want to make people as excited about flying as I am. I did get to allow
a kid the opportunity to sit the the pilots seat and answer some questions
once. He was very grateful and was really happy about it. He said that he
had hung out a lot at the airport, but noone ever let him sit in the plane.
It felt really great to be able to let him do that. Since there were no
adults (parents) around, I thought better about asking if he wanted a ride
around the circuit.

--
Mike Flyin'8
PP-ASEL
Temecula, CA
http://flying.4alexanders.com

On Aug 20, 3:06 pm, The Visitor wrote:
Coming back from Eastern Canada we stopped at an uncontolled airport,
well it was a class E zone. But the story is, as the ramper was gassing
me up he asked if we would be departing right away and I said, "Yes as
soon as we pay." He replied to me, "That would be great as the little
kid has been there for an hour and hasn't seen much action". Looking
over was a little boy with his nose and fingers poking throught he chain
link fence. His mother some 20 feet away sitting on a large rock in an
decorative garden. Both baking in the hot sun. So when the ramper was
done gassing and went in to the FBO I went over and invited them out to
see the plane. Of course they told me they arn't allowed to and I said
sure you are, now. Just go into that building and I will bring you out.
Everytime I do this the people are afraid to enter the FBO even.

So while I paid my wife showed them the plane and let the boy sit in the
front. Sit in the back. Answer questions, look and touch. See it up close.

This made thier day. And mine. I always do this as it is important to
pause from our rushed schedules sometimes. That day, I arranged with the
ramper, (not busy otherwise) to stay with them airside to watch us
depart. I made it clear though after we left they would have to go back
to their observation post as they are not allowed airside, unescorted.
And I made it clear that the ramper knew I advised them of what was
expected, so he wouldn't be on the spot.

I do this allot. When you look over to the fence and see sometimes a
whole family watching from a crummy spot, what else can you do???? And
they never even expected me to be friendly. There has always been a
stunned moment, like they were looking into some headlights?

It's almost as satisfying as flying. I can't describe it, but I do
encourge it, if you are able to steal 10 or 15 minutes out of a busy
day. It is well worth it for all concerned.

John

Our airport is fenced but the parking lot is about 20 feet above the
level of the runway/tie downs. It very common to see a dad out there
with his son waiting to watch a plane take off or land. You can see
almost the entire airport from the parking lot.

"The Visitor" wrote in message ...

It's almost as satisfying as flying. I can't describe it, but I do encourge it, if you are able to steal 10 or 15
minutes out of a busy day. It is well worth it for all concerned.

John



Excellent, good job! Do you fly Young Eagles also?

"The Visitor" wrote in message
...
Coming back from Eastern Canada we stopped at an uncontolled airport, well
it was a class E zone. But the story is, as the ramper was gassing me up
he asked if we would be departing right away and I said, "Yes as soon as
we pay." He replied to me, "That would be great as the little kid has been
there for an hour and hasn't seen much action". Looking over was a little
boy with his nose and fingers poking throught he chain link fence.


This post reminds me of the smell of avgas and tall, sunbaked grass; the
gentle rattle of the breeze through the windsock after the departing
aircraft has vanished into the sky; the satisfied smile you feel when you
leave an airport after a perfect day.

I was that kid once. Thank you!

-c

On Aug 20, 5:06 pm, The Visitor wrote:
Coming back from Eastern Canada we stopped at an uncontolled airport,
well it was a class E zone. But the story is, as the ramper was gassing
me up he asked if we would be departing right away and I said, "Yes as
soon as we pay." He replied to me, "That would be great as the little
kid has been there for an hour and hasn't seen much action". Looking
over was a little boy with his nose and fingers poking throught he chain
link fence. His mother some 20 feet away sitting on a large rock in an
decorative garden. Both baking in the hot sun. So when the ramper was
done gassing and went in to the FBO I went over and invited them out to
see the plane. Of course they told me they arn't allowed to and I said
sure you are, now. Just go into that building and I will bring you out.
Everytime I do this the people are afraid to enter the FBO even.

So while I paid my wife showed them the plane and let the boy sit in the
front. Sit in the back. Answer questions, look and touch. See it up close.

This made thier day. And mine. I always do this as it is important to
pause from our rushed schedules sometimes. That day, I arranged with the
ramper, (not busy otherwise) to stay with them airside to watch us
depart. I made it clear though after we left they would have to go back
to their observation post as they are not allowed airside, unescorted.
And I made it clear that the ramper knew I advised them of what was
expected, so he wouldn't be on the spot.

I do this allot. When you look over to the fence and see sometimes a
whole family watching from a crummy spot, what else can you do???? And
they never even expected me to be friendly. There has always been a
stunned moment, like they were looking into some headlights?

It's almost as satisfying as flying. I can't describe it, but I do
encourge it, if you are able to steal 10 or 15 minutes out of a busy
day. It is well worth it for all concerned.

John

Nice. You are creating a lot of warm fuzzies for aviation, and no
doubt some future pilots as well.

This is so outstanding!!

This may sound weird but, seeing as it's only been since February of
'04 that I took that first step into the FBO, prior to that, *I* was
that kid at the fence for the previous 30-ish years...

Wish I'd have known (or met) someone like you many, many years
earlier.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:06:10 -0400, The Visitor
wrote in
:

[Heart warming story snipped]

Well done, John!

I would guess you have created indelible memories in the minds of many
would be aviators.

It's almost as satisfying as flying. I can't describe it, but I do
encourge it, if you are able to steal 10 or 15 minutes out of a busy
day. It is well worth it for all concerned.

We need to clone John, and get one of him stationed at every airport
fence in America. Within 15 years, the airports would be booming
again.

Great job -- and thanks for sharing the story!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Blueskies wrote:
Do you fly Young Eagles also?


Not yet. There is a group at my airport that does this, as well as a Big
Brother and Big Sister Airlift thing.

At my airport there is an airside deck with plastic chairs. People are
afraid to try to enter the building (flying school) let alone go on to
the deck and sit down. I find them at the parking lot fence by the
ramp.I have put a few fathers and sons on that deck. They get to sit
down, sip a soda and have a much better view of things.

We take so much of aviation for granted so easily. Especially the little
things like just getting up close to an airplane. And yes at some
airports it has resulted in inquires about sight seeing and discovery
flights. Not my intention though.

Such as one airport (SW Ontario area) an operator said to me, "Oh I
didn't know they were waiting for you." (Wife and I actually just were
going into town for lunch and shopping that day.) Well it seems obvious
if somebody is watching planes for the fun of it, and you are in the
business, what are you doing leaving them at the fence? That day, Ethan
and his family really were waiting for us.

The mother and son I mentioned; when my wife asked if he wanted to climb
up and sit in front he replied, "No, I don't think you should be walking
on the wings of an airplne." (Seneca) So she briefed him on how to get
in and to stay on the black wing walk. When he got in and looked aft he
exclaimed, "Wow, there's a back!"

As a safety note, my plane, like many, is festooned with static wicks.
Approaching the beast, I point them out, and urge the parents to keep
the children away from them for obvious reasons.

When you put the son in the front of the plane, watch dad. He looks very
happy but sometimes, a wee bit envious.....