I’m a lucky guy~~as I’ve said time and again. Yet another another example came up again a couple weeks ago. As a result of a direct request by retired shuttle pilot Mark Kelly the shuttle Endeavor flew right over Tucson en route to its final destination. I’ve seen shuttles before watching multiple launches from the pier out at Jacksonville Beach as well as touring Kennedy out by Titus. I can’t recall which one they have on display at Kennedy, but it’s quite a site to get right under it in the cavernous warehouse in which it’s displayed. Yet in all it’s stationary, staged glory it’s not much of a match for live, unscripted action such as launches.
Back to my good luck. Given the flexibility and variety in my daily schedule I was able to adjust my day to be at a near-perfect viewing site for the ultra-low flyover. Positioned in a park just a few blocks from campus I brought a couple cameras as well as a couple of my four-legged clients, we found a shady spot and waited. Sure enough within a couple minutes of the pre-announced time we heard the jet approach from the northeast, swing south then curve around heading northwest.
It was really an amazing site and the smattering of elementary school kids and retires with whom we were sharing the park felt the same if their cheers were any indication. In a couple minutes the vision was but a memory==yet one more reminder of how good I’ve got it.
Shuttle Endeavor Flyover – 09/20/12 |