Do you like to fly?

Be the reason someone smiles today.

I used to hate flying.

Well, “hate” might be a little strong.

Takeoffs

Takeoffs always unnerved me. It felt like as soon as we took off from the runway at the Missoula airport, the winds would aggressively jostle the aircraft, threatening to either send us plummeting to the ground or hurling us into the encircling mountains.

Clear Air Turbulence

Even at a "cruising altitude" of over 30,000 feet, we seemed to encounter winds that tested the aircraft's integrity. But the real adrenaline rush came with "clear air turbulence," where we'd plummet nearly a thousand feet in mere seconds.

Definitely an interesting feeling.

Landings

Landings brought their own set of challenges. As much as I wanted to get to the ground and get off the plane, things like thermal turbulence, wind shear, and crosswinds made the plane wobble so much I couldn't imagine how the pilot could straighten things out before we hit the ground.

I recall a flight on a small private plane where the winds were so fierce that one wingtip grazed the ground upon landing. Let me repeat that. One wing actually hit the ground when we landed. I saw it, heard it, and felt the jolt. Luckily, I was on the side of the plane opposite the wing that scraped the runway, and I being just a little bit chunky at the time, and I take personal credit for saving the plane and my fellow passengers from a disaster.

Okay, maybe the pilot had something to do with saving us also.

Losing an Engine

Another memorable flight was aboard an L1011, a massive aircraft. Mid-flight, one of its engines failed. With one engine on each wing and one of those malfunctioning, the landing was anything but ordinary.

Typically, an aircraft's nose aligns with the runway's center when it lands. However, due to the faulty engine, our approach was skewed, with the nose veering about 45 degrees to the left.

Lockheed L1011. Notice the one engine on each wing.

At the last second, the pilot swung the nose around to face the center of the runway and we hit the ground for a safe landing. Everyone cheered the pilot, but we did wonder why the runway was lined with emergency vehicles and firefighting equipment.

I began by saying I used to hate flying, but I don’t hate flying.

Let’s just say I might have been… a little bit nervous. Yeah, that’s a better description of my feelings about flying. Although at times it did border on absolute terror, but it was good for my walk with the Lord.

Before taking off on a flight, I made sure my heart was right with the Lord and I was ready to meet Him if the plane, for some reason, didn’t come down the way planes are supposed to come down.

I’m sharing this because I just ran across a video you might enjoy. It describes the process of landing a commercial airliner at the Paro Airport in Bhutan.

I encourage you to check it out.

For those of you who would like a little more information about what is involved in landing a commercial jet at the Paro Airport, you might want to check out this article on The Jerusalem Post.

Before I go, I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.

“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)

Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today!