A few days ago an ex Kermite, posted a request that I go check out the Winkler County Airport, since I live nearby, and I do...I live in Wink which is near the the Winkler County Airport, but six hours from everything else.
Since I have a difficult time saying no, I immediately went to the airport in search of Area 51 type stuff. My commentor and ex Kemite, stated that a recent Earth Google turned up an area of the airport blacked out. How could I resist?
I arrived at said airport looking for someone I could ask questions of. No one answered. That's odd, how can planes land without someone giving them permission to land? Don't you need an air traffic controller or is that something that only happens in movies?
Throwing caution to the wind, I drove out to the far end of the airport, I believe the South side. I went a long the runway. I know what you're thinking, but surely...since there were no sign of an air traffic control person, then surely there wouldn't be any planes.
Driving along the runway, I stopped and took pictures here and there. Nothing unusal. Tank farms, windsock, runways, plane...what!?! That's right, to my unexpected surprise a plane was coming in for a landing. I hurriedly made my way back to the hangers.
I profusely apologized to Jim the pilot. He paid me no mind as he gassed up his airplane. After gassing up his plane, he then proceeded to tell me that the weather was taking a turn for the worse. I could see that. My nice sunny day was turning into an ominous foreboding gray with wild winds accompanying it.
After conversing more with Jim, I found out that he is a pipeline pilot. He flies up in the air looking for signs of pipeline leaks. What are these signs? Dead stuff. Yep, and with it being in the dead of winter it makes it pretty hard to distinguish gas dead stuff from winter dead stuff. Jim has an awfully taxing job.
I just couldn't get enough of Jim so I followed him into the office of the airport. That's when I spotted the air traffic controller. He was staring at me intently. I was worried that I was going to be in trouble for driving on the runway, but he let me go with a bark.
As far as I can tell after visiting the airport, there isn't any Area 51 type activity taking place. The only new construction was the extending of the runway.
4 comments:
This was the first time I laughed today. The that's when I spotted the air traffic controller part.
That's Charlie, he runs the show. His wife Brenda was asleep in the back office. They live there at the airport, which was kinda cool. I also met Uncle Milt, but didn't get his picture, he did give me a book he wrote, haven't read it yet.
He must be pulling a double 'cause he's packing a pretty hefty looking lunch there. Life is sure interesting in Wink.
I know, huh...
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