What Satisfies Your Aviation Cravings?

[NIKV69]

Aviation climax hahahaha. Good one Phil. I think seeing the 787 doing low approaches at VCV and getting a ride on a B-17 made me climax last year. With watching an L1011 on the downwind and turn for final at LAX getting an honorable mention.

[Gerard]

For me its going out to an airport or heliport and something really cool comes in or is sitting there when I arrive especially if its Military, Govt or Public Safety!! Back in the 90s and I lived in Queens I usually hit Floyd Bennett Field at least once a weekend. That was when USCG Air Station Brooklyn was in operation and they always had some type of military helicopter on the deck visiting!! Oh man that was fun!! Nowadays FRG has turned into the location for me where I find that military aircraft like to layover for awhile.

[cancidas]

Now that was a BAD movie!

oh come one... only as bad as top gun.


interestingly enough it almost got me a job out in CA once.

[megatop412]

Nailing a landing in FS9 in the 747 and hearing the reversers kick in. Going through my Dad's flight satchel with all his old flight plans from the B-24, B-25, and PT-17 as well as mission info from his flights over Nazi Germany. The smell of Jet-A in the morning. Lying in my old bed on summer nights listening to the heavies depart over the house. Being on the CVG ramp at 4am during a UPS tour watching all the browns take off.

-or-

When I was 12 my family took a trip to LA via STL. Before departing STL in a 747-131 I was able to visit the flight deck. Going up that spiral staircase was amazing. When I got there the crew let me read the call items on one of the checklists with the first officer responding. Unquestionably the single greatest moment of my childhood, and a big reason I know all of you today.

[MarkLawrence]

Firstly - the sound of a 4 engine Avro Lancaster bomber (not many left flying now - only 2 if I remember right), or the Avro Shackleton Recon aircraft - 4 of those engines just do something to me.

Secondly, the sound of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine in the Supermarine Spitfire - again - it's just the sound....

After that - spending the time at any airport - not knowing if there is going to be something special coming in - just watching the movements - shooting those movements - and the pleasure of catching that special scheme or aircraft when it comes in - Nick V will be able to tell you what I sounded like when I first saw Habitat in NY a few years ago :)

[steve1840]

I myself cannot limit my answer to just one thing either as I'm sure many of you feel the same way. I love the feeling of the engines spooling up as the flight I'm on starts raoring down the runway and that moment as soon as the wheels leave the surface of the runway. I love being able to stand as close as possible to the flight path on final approach as widebody after widebody float down out of the sky getting ready to touch down and snap off as many pictures as I can. One of my biggest "climaxes" was when I had the chanceto finally come down to JFK this weekend (2/12) and realized how bad the light turned out to be and was rather bummed about it and just then I see another "heavy" coming in the distance approaching the mounds and I think I see three engines. And then it turns out I'm right and here comes a beautiful MD-11 and for a moment I feel as though I can reach out and touch her! Thats what satisfies my cravings. Moments like that.

[NIKV69]

the pleasure of catching that special scheme or aircraft when it comes in - Nick V will be able to tell you what I sounded like when I first saw Habitat in NY a few years ago :)

Mark hit on a great point! Great times that day with you Mark. I have also been just sitting at the airport without checking ACARS when Wunala, Pink Delta and other goodies have just appeared. It's a great part of climaxing!

[gonzalu]

Yeah, unannounced Wunala visit... that's just what i need to climax... ahahaha. But closely related was the unexpected visit of the Etihad F1 A340... total surprise... anyone who saw me at Panera that day must have thought I was a total dweeb!

[NIKV69]

Yeah, unannounced Wunala visit... that's just what i need to climax... ahahaha. But closely related was the unexpected visit of the Etihad F1 A340... total surprise... anyone who saw me at Panera that day must have thought I was a total dweeb!

LOL, one of my fondest memories. Sitting at the mounds in August. Weather was like September, cool and dry and perfect sun. Nobody else out shooting and I can see a red 747 in the distance right about the time of the QF arrival. Total win. Great day! Also can't forget the RAF Tristar just appeareing at LAS and seeing Dave Budd do the hundred yard dash in 9 seconds.

[Steven Holzinger]

Just being around airplanes, hearing a fighter try to blow out my hearing, one of my favorite aerobatic performers doing the (controlled!) unthinkable, all that good stuff!

[NoGreenBox]

Thank you-- great topic. brought back some wonderful memories. My first flight in a piper cub, I think I was about 10; the time my mom and dad took me to a surprise airshow stop at the Newark-Heath Airport; Visiting The AF musuem at Dayton; and some great unexpected sights at airports over the years along with memorable flights. But the pinnacle of it all was my birthday in 1985, September 11th, when the Concorde made its first trip to CMH.

I was excused from school to write about it for my 5th grade newspaper and made the trek with my Dad. We were escorted into a special viewing area on the apron between the terminal and Runway 10L/28R. After a while, it made a low pass, first of 2 or three to announce its arrival. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen or heard. Watching it circle to land, then taxi by us to the international arrivals gate.. completely and totally amazing.

I may have left for a few years, distracted by fire engines, bad relationships, and that god awful thing called growing up, but a love of aviation, a desire to be a pilot, and and a sense of the bigger world (Birtish Airways.... IN OHIO!!) was cemented on that September Morning. Later that night, Pete Rose would break Ty Cobbs hits record (4192) so it was just an ideal birthday. They wouldnt all be that way... but at least that one was.

[Spunker]

I think it's just about everything from hanging around airports, flying on a particular airliner, finding that elusive scale model, the roar of the engines as they pass overhead, seeing the first flight of a new airliner there are so many things that drive my aviation enthusiasm.

[hiss srq]

I'll add an additional one.... Drinking a beer on my roof during the summer and watching JFK 31 arrivals

[mirrodie]

Now that was a BAD movie!

which? I missed it.


I love plannin a photo when I am out there taking pics.


My climax is, as someone else stated, you feel the miracle of physics come to a resounding crescendo at the microsecond of takeoff.

You know: You are sitting in your seat, be it a WN737, AA 777 or Concorde. Th e engines spool up and you feel yourself being pushed further and deeper into your seatback. You feel that nose up, slowly, slowly,
then that second the mains leave the ground, your body is by now in a temporary static mode of moving forward
...
and then it gets a new force, lift, applied to it as you the wings are lifted by teh wair and there is a new sudden swoop or air now hitting the underbody of the place an you rocket up. Its awesome. You feel every bump and crevice ont he runway but the second you leave earth, it is smooth, fluid joy.

The only time it was different was on Concorde.



Having children is exposing me to new ways of enjoying the hobby. I see it through clearer eyes and enjoy it further.

[NIKV69]

I'll add an additional one.... Drinking a beer on my roof during the summer and watching JFK 31 arrivals

Where is that famous pic?