Tucson Once Again 10-3/5

Well we made our 3rd trip to Tucson on Friday for Family Weekend at the University of Arizona. My daughter came with my wife and I this time. We boarded our
Delta flight for the 6:55AM departure to Atlanta but as we taxied out to Runway 3-1`for the departure the captain came over the PA and announced we were being delayed by ATC because of heavy air volume with he said you usually dont get that early in the morning. So instead of 6:55 we had wheels up at 7:45 and flew along the coast instead of an inland route which they had requested. Well the flight was uneventful but after landing at Hartsfield-Jackson which is a huge airport and we began heading to the terminal I began clock watching. We had a 10:55 Delta to Tucson and it was cutting it close. One of the attendants asked those who were not going to make a connection please stay seated to allow those who were to get out faster. There was a family about 5 rows in front and to be nice about it....they were pretty large and one was disabled. My daughter looked at me and said "Dad if they get up we are screwed". :lol: Thankfully they stayed. By 10:20 we exited the plane and of course we had to go to the end of this terminal, downstairs, grab the subway shuttle to another terminal then up to our gate. They were already boarding but we made it. Our luggage didnt which I half expected. At Tucson they told us it would be on the 5:55 flight and they would bring it to our hotel between 6 and 9PM. Uh no thanks I will come and get it. It is an easy 20 minute ride from our hotel to the airport and when we came later about 6:10 it was waiting for us.
After a great weekend the flights home were nice and easy. In fact the flight from Atlanta to LGA was less than two hours and it was such a nice clear ride listening to classic live "Genesis" on my iPod as we flew up to the Maryland shore to Trenton then north up Jersey then flying along the south shore of Staten Island, over Brooklyn and Queens into Runway 4. Hadnt done that route in awhile and I love flying over those neighborhoods.

Your thread got this started...
post-your-best-stored-aircraft-or-boneyard-shots-t13713.html
I love the area!

I hope you got some neat shots and thanks for the report. :borat:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Derf

Your thread got this started...
post-your-best-stored-aircraft-or-boneyard-shots-t13713.html
I love the area!

I hope you got some neat shots and thanks for the report. :borat:

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I didnt go to the boneyard this time as I wanted to explore more areas of Tucson. My son and wife went to the movies early Sat. Aft
so my daughter and I drove up to the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains to the north. It was just very beautiful and nice up there.
My daughter fell asleep so I decided to head southwest of the city and drive up "A" mountain or Sentinel Hill. It is called "A" mountain because in 1915 students painted the UA "A" logo on the side of the mountain. You can drive to the top along a narrow road and my daughter woke up as I drove up to the top and looked out to see a huge NOTHING but the city 2800 feet below!! Kinda freaked her out, LOL!! But just UNBELIEVABLE views from up there!! Breathtaking.
To go back to an aviation theme, we stayed at the hotel close to the school and Friday night I grabbed my iPod and a few cold ones and
walked over to the University Hospital pad. I got a good look as one of the LifeNet Astars departed. Because of high surrounding buildings they elevate straight up before heading out. They come in the same way. Besides LifeNet, PHI and Omniflight both fly medevac operations
in the city and they keep pretty busy. Sunday when we were leaving I saw a nice civilian UH-1 (Bell 204) on the GA ramp at Tucson Airport
getting ready to head out.