My View For Awhile: Rapid Western Strike – RETURN TRIP

No, I am not heading to your planet’s moon. I did, however, get up early to watch Super “Snow Moon” set. Quite a sight, all teed up like this.  The largest of 2019.

Parking today was horrid. An advantage of departures at oh-dark is that you get a good spot. Today not so much.

And now they are talking about delays, and I have a tight connection. No bag checked which helps.

UPDATE:

The delay was long enough that even with a cart I just made it as boarding started. At MSP you never know. I have a long-standing habit of coming in and going out from the last, farthest gates.

UPDATE:

This could be a very long flight. More later.

UPDATE:

It’s later.

As it turned out, I had a 3.5 hour flight to LAX surrounded by babies and dogs. I think the total age of the four babies within 2 rows was, perhaps 2… in people years, not dog years. And this DOG thing on the airplane is becoming ridiculous.

And, given the comfort of the seat, this line, from the pre-flight video was a hoot:

Every time we take off, we try to make the world a little smaller.

UPDATE

I gave my talk – a new one with some perennial themes.

Now I’m headed back East to a snow covered car.

Meanwhile, who can interpret what Pius IX wrote in this chirograph?

UPDATE

While I detest still needing a cane for some things, it is good to board a bit early. On the other hand that means more time on the airplane.

It’s always something.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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14 Comments

  1. Charles E Flynn says:

    If you have Internet access, you can watch these five videos on YouTube. The scene is somewhat fictionalized, but dramatically successful:

    Part 1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fVL4AQEW8

  2. hwriggles4 says:

    Fr Z, I have heard from various sources that due to the storms, more than one airline is waiving change fees, so if you get diverted, its not a huge inconvenience.

    In the meantime, I am sure you can go to the Delta lounge, catch up on paperwork/reading/messages , and if you need to catch up on some sleep, you might be able to do that too. I know you are prepared for anything, and you roll with the punches.

  3. bobbird says:

    If anyone has a dog-in-the-cabin story they would like to share, I will gladly put you on my radio show, via telephone. I am a dog-lover and fly annually with my hunting dog(s) IN A KENNEL AND BELOW DECKS where they belong. I pay $$$ for it. I have been told what a chump I am for not filling out a “Comfort Pet” form, and I wanted to spit tacks at the thought. Fr. Z is right, passengers need to speak up. Where do we send complaints, not from a particular in-flight incident, but in regards to general policy? Can anyone in the airline industry tell me how and when this lunatic policy developed? Email bob.bird@hotmail.com if you want to share.

  4. Charles E Flynn says:

    Benjamin Hubert and Airbus elevate the short haul flight experience with smart seating

    https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/layer-benjamin-hubert-airbus-move-project

  5. Charivari Rob says:

    Father, if you had to share with somebody’s canine swiffer, “fur baby” or Louis Vitton peacock – you have my sympathy. If their human was of the “print myself a certificate” ilk, well there’s a special place for people like that.
    If, however, it was a legit service animal… it was exactly where it belonged.

    Charles E Flynn, I never bothered to see the movie (or to follow the hearing/investigation much in the news when it happened). I remember Teterboro being mentioned at the time of the fateful flight, and I’m sure it’s technically a match for what they were flying that day, but I have trouble imagining wanting to try landing a functioning large commercial jet there.

    As to “making the world a little smaller”, Father – only eastbound flights had that today. High-wind jet stream, west-to-east, at a slightly unusual altitude today – meant a tail wind that boosted some eastbound large commercial planes to very unusual speeds – high 700s and even one reported case of 800 MPH.
    Tradeoff is getting headwind that seriously slows down westbound traffic, of course.

  6. Sword40 says:

    So far me Marine son has had no problems on flights with his certified Service dog. (son has PTSD) the dog is a Labrador and extremely well mannered. Yes, the dog has spent many hours in training.

  7. The Egyptian says:

    Goal is to make your seat a little smaller

  8. Gab says:

    Hope your talk was videoed, Fr Z and that you’ll let us see it :)

  9. BrEdmund says:

    “Spiritus sancti gratia illuminet sensus et corda nostra”.
    “May the grace of the Holy Spirit illuminate our senses and our hearts”.
    One of the prayers to begin the Roman Breviary.

  10. Liz says:

    Prayers, Father. I forgot about your injuries. We will be praying for you and all of the priests we know and can think of tonight with Fr. Heilman’s 54-day novena and the Litany for Priests. God bless you!

  11. Lux de Coelo says:

    Well done Br Edmund. You’ve solved my mystery

  12. Charles E Flynn says:

    @Charivari Rob,

    This article does a better job than most of explaining why, although the plane was going 801 mph with respect to the ground, it was not going that fast with the respect to the surrounding air, and so did not break the sound barrier:

    https://www.boston.com/news/travel/2019/02/19/flight-reaches-801-mph-as-a-furious-jet-stream-packs-record-breaking-speeds

    Current commercial aircraft are not engineered to break the sound barrier.

  13. Mariana2 says:

    I’ve been staring at that text. …gratia illuminat semper…?

  14. Mariana2 says:

    Spiritus sancti gratia illuminet sensus et corda vestra?

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