Missed them.
Didn’t feel like fighting the traffic, especially since it was raining off and on during the evening leading up to the local show. Heard them off in the distance.
But, it reminded me of another fireworks show last year. No, not during the 4th of July celebrations. It was the middle of May (or so…).
As part of being a pilot, I have to maintain currency for day and night flights with passengers by making 3 landings within the prior 90 days. Being at about 80 days for night flights, I wanted to beat the deadline. So, invited my best friend to come along for company.
There’s something quiet (yeah, ironic considering there’s a noisy engine just a few feet away) and spiritual about night flights. It just feels like you own the sky (yeah, I still keep an eye out for other folks).
After I completed my mandatory 3 landings, we decided to just putter about the sky a little bit on my way back to the ‘home’ airport. Enjoying the stars in the skies…the random airplane lights in the distance…the lights on the ground…
My friend noticed them first. Fireworks in the distance. She pointed them out to me and we decided to go take a look. As I said, we weren’t expecting them since it was before the 4th of July.
This wasn’t just some yahoo in the backyard with leftover, cheapo stuff. These were really big fireworks.
Finding a safe, yet still close, distance away, I started circling. Fully expecting the ‘show’ to stop at any time, we were both thrilled to see the red, gold, green, and other colored fireworks blossom again and again. We circled for about 20 minutes watching this wonderful display.
It was a unique viewpoint. While we couldn’t hear a thing (one of the best parts of fireworks shows is being close enough for the reports to reverberate through your body), we did get to see the bursts from the air.
Finally, they stopped.
The beauty of the night flight got an extra bonus that night. I was very glad to have someone to share it with. And it obviously made an impression, since I still recall it.
It provided a needed reminder that the random and unexpected things in life provide the icing to life’s cake of adventures.
Tags: festive flying, fireworks, recollections, unexpected randomness
The Wilds of Ohio 
July 6, 2009 at 02:40 |
Ah. That must have been awesome. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.
“The right circumstances sometimes happen of their own accord, slyly, without fanfare, without warning. Layman’s alchemy. . . . The magic of everyday things.” – Joanne Harris (Blackberry Wine: A Novel)
July 6, 2009 at 06:13 |
So you can just tool around up there and go where you like? Sorry – stupid question – I’m sure there’s radar and what not, but I just wondered how you find out if someone else in a small plane saw the fireworks as well and decided to drift on over and then – KAPOW! (but the people on the ground only thought it was part of the fireworks). You should write more about flying. I makes me ponder things.
And btw, Ms. Harris said it quite nicely up there SMP. Good one.
July 6, 2009 at 07:34 |
I would have loved to have seen fireworks from your vantage point
July 6, 2009 at 12:37 |
Sounds like a serendipitous moment. I would have liked to have been there, too.
July 6, 2009 at 17:55 |
shame you couldn’t shoot back…
July 7, 2009 at 06:39 |
Miss P – if you can’t be good at finding stuff, be lucky…but i really like that quote as a better way of saying that. but i’m looking forward to more right place/right time opportunities.
mstngsal – well, basically, yeah… but for a few exceptions, it’s a free sky to wander. that puts the pressure on me as the pilot to keep my eyes open for other ‘free flyers’ (and they’re supposed to be looking for me). my passenger got to watch the whole show…me? half traffic watching/flying, half show
nursemyra – you are more than welcome to come visit and i’ll take you fireworks hunting…the flights are often enjoyable even without the extra surprise shows like the fireworks. i’ll save you a seat.
silverstar – the plane has 6 seats… c’mon along! and i like that word, too…serendipitous
daisyfae – thinking on that. i do have a little window that opens on the pilot’s side that i can drop flour bombs or the like. will work on hooking up some rocket launchers to the wings, though. just for fun, mind you.