January 16, 2015

So I’m sitting at SYR (Syracuse Airport) awaiting a flight to LGA, so I can connect for a flight to Raleigh-Durham. I’m flying on Delta flight 3618. We are delayed; we were to leave at 5:49 p.m., we are now leaving at 7:20 p.m. The delay is due to weather. With winds up to 29 knots at LGA, I can understand the concern about weather. Luckily, my flight to RDU is delayed as well so I should make my connection. If not, I’ll just sleep at LaGuardia tonight, I guess.

I am fascinated with the people watching here at Syracuse Airport. People seem kicked back. There wasn’t any screaming or crying when a flight to Chicago at an adjacent gate was canceled. I’m not overly concerned about making or missing my flight. It is what it is. Chilling out is enjoyable.

Today turned out to be a beautiful day for mid-January in Central New York. Granted, it was still chilly; at lunch time it wasn’t even 20ºF yet, but nevertheless, the air was calm and the sun was shining brightly.

All the more reason to go for a flight during my lunch hour.

Alone in the airplane, I went for a simple flight: I headed out to the “West Practice Area”, flew around a bit and then flew along the eastern shore of Oneida Lake. I played around with the airplane a little bit, trying out different things that I was always curious about but didn’t really have to time mess around with during my training flights, all in an attempt to better myself as a pilot.

Being able to do this reinforced why I became a pilot in the first place; to celebrate that wonderful sense of freedom.