On a clear day…..

You can see a long way. Greetings from Tucson!

Out here for work. Flying into the city yesterday was actually very interesting. The flight was full and I was in a window seat. Between sleeping and getting about 1/3 of the way through The Singapore Grip, I did not look outside so much. However as the aircraft started its descent, I awakend to see a totally cloudless day out side. As the aircraft descended into Tucson, at first the houses were not so many.

But then the numbers increased. The aircraft banked to the right-so I could look up to see the sun glistening off the mountains. Rolling wings level I could see the houses again-contrasted against the browness of the desert.

Then, the color and style of the buildings changed. Long brown buildings of a style one can find in only one place, an Air Force base. ( Ask anyone who has been to a USAF base-the buildings all look the same whether they are in Osan, or South Carolina). It dawned on me then that we were passing over Davis Monthan Air Force base. And sure enough we were, because right after that we flew over the main runway of  the base. That suprised me somewhat. Mainly because our altitude seemed only to be about 3 or 4 thousand feet and would have thought the USAF would not want Canadair jets flying through their airspace. However we flew right over the runway, which also afforded a clear view of the “Boneyard”, the aircraft storage areas. There, off in the distance were rows and rows of aircraft.

Another banking turn and then we were lined up on the runway. Still not a cloud in the sky.

After landing, as we taxied in I could see rows of 727’s parked-evidently waiting to be bought or repaired. The Arizona Air Guard F-16’s were in their shelters, as we taxied also by the rest of the general aviation ramp.

And then we were at the gate-and the moment was gone.

Sometimes you have to look around a little. Speaking of that-that’s what I am off to do tonight. Ja ne!