~ found photo ~ Ho-Yeol Ryu @ Hannover Airport (Germany)

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RADAR weather earlier this morning ... Tops around 40,000 feet ... That can't be good in a terminal area. I am interested to see with my own eyes how they handle this.

Husband off to interviews and I have almost decided to spend this free day cozied in under my blanket. Hotel armchairs are almost as nice as I might have imagined ... I'm looking forward to seeing if some "still" time alone in this room nets a day well spent.

Last night I left the drapes open 'til around two. My husband is a pretty heavy sleeper, and I wondered what it would sound like ... what it would feel like ... drifting in and out of twilight sleep with the continuous sounds of air traffic moving in and out like waves at the coast. It was good - I liked it.
Today's weather has discouraged balcony time, though I have ventured out with a hand towel to clear the window. Rain and such have pounded through here bringing flight movement to a stand still. CRJs were double stacked with the bigger guys, Boeings and Airbus'. Eventually, all I could see of them was a continuous string of red beacon lights twirling their readiness through the heavy rain. They are coming and going like a school yard jacks tournament now. Lots of Delta paint, a hand full of Airtrans ... ASA ... a couple of US Airways with their stylized flag ... FEDEX ... and a huge Lufthansa plane. I don't know why the airlines have such traditional paint. If liquor is distinguished by the coolness of the bottle, why aren't airplanes similarly marketed ... just saying they could look cooler to an aerodynamically uninformed eye. It might be worth the additional cost. Pilots wouldn't love it! Yes, I am flying a billboard around and it feels like a silly gorilla suit ... Oh! Wow ... Korean Air in the house (Ive been waiting for him ... In from PANC ... If he were moving any slower on the runway after landing, he'd be moving backwards. I know he's just getting his barings and making sure of his taxi clearance, but he has all but stopped on the runway. Wonder what the guys in the tower think of that ... and sporting some true cerulean blue paint ... I'm not really feeling that paint either.)

Predominantly white or predominately sky shades of blue is like flight camo ... I can see an airplane in the sky pretty handily, but they seem to fly right by the under-initiated. Uniform white on American planes must be a financial and probably somewhat cultural decision. Hmmm ... I always dress to blend in, but then I am not marketing anything. Here are some shots from earlier today. Traffic is moving now.
Last few coming in with the guy at the bottom probably diverting.

Then this...nada...flights delayed for approximately an hour.

Here is the first guy off after the lull.

And for my amusement later ... A satellite image of the field

With a close up of the hotel ...

North side about midway.

Yesterday I visited with the chief at a program at PDK ... I wanted to get the info on a II or an MEI ... or I could FIRC my certificate. I'm leaning towards the double I. He said they would hire me on the spot ... for the type of flight instruction I would be able to give. It made me feel good ... and bad. A job in Atlanta is not viable for me. My husband said "if" we didn't have school age kids, he would be happy to commute for his work. I know he would. An entry level flight instructing gig plus a commute at this point in my life is ... just not practical. By time we paid taxes on my salary ... well, it's not about the money. I never wish I hadn't done this, but ... . It's hard. It eats at me. I wonder how much time I should spend keeping current on the knowledge in case there is a job for me somewhere ... It's a lot different then charter flying. I just feel like I've exhausted every possibility ... and as much as I love sitting here watching these planes do their thing, it also stirs up how much of aviation I get ... I'm looking in, but I don't get to participate in a meaningful way. My dream was stillborn.

Yeah. I need to hurry back to sanding doors. Sitting here with my feet on the glass I feel every landing. Yesterday my husband made the accurate assertion that I was perfectly educated and predisposed to be an executive wife. Except I actually enjoy doing things that ding up my hands, but he didn't say that. House cat (he also didn't say that!). There must be something just right for a girl like me. I hope.

I can't bring myself to wish that I didn't love airplanes, but I'm starting to kinda hate how they make me feel.