Pilots Make Cheap Tourists
January 23, 1989
Corporate pilots have great opportunities to be tourists on the cheap. They travel to many different places, many of which have worthy-to-see tourist and historical sites. With transportation free and room and board picked up by the company on the expense account, if that's what a pilot is interested in, that's something he or she should do. So, the purpose of this story isn't so much about any one particular trip so much as it is about the tourist opportunities that I failed to take advantage of.
The logbook entry I have posted here is for when George P, my FO, and I took advantage of a trip to SNA to visit the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose (when it was still at Long Beach). I have many such logbook entries for many interesting and historical sites that I have visited, when time and circumstance permitted, while serving as a corporate pilot for my company.
What's missing are those logbook entries for places I went to but never saw what I wanted to see. Out of many trips to BOS, I never went to see the U.S.S. Constitution. Out of many trips to various New York airports, I never went to the Statue of Liberty. Out of many trips to OXC, I never went to see Mystic Seaport. Out of many trips to DAY, I never went to see the Air Force Museum. And I could go on. Lots of places and things I didn't see, but many I opted out on at the time figuring that there would always be one more trip to that place. But good things eventually end. Sometimes sooner than you expect. So take advantage when you can. Being a tourist on your own dime isn't quite the same.
11-28-2022
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References for Non-Pilots:
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