Casual spotting at EWR today. Lots o fun!

Took the family out to lunch today.
Why not go somewhere nice, with a view. We could see a show.
Already the wife's eyes roll up...............(sigh) "the airport, right?" It must be love.

Off to EWR, Terminal B food court, where there is something for everyone.
I deliver the goods by providing a window table. For some stranger reason I'm the most thrilled about this achievement in our group.

I get a nice grilled chicken and a Caesar salad.
The misses gets oriental bourbon chicken.
JR gets pizza and the wee one Chris gets McDonald's.

Right in front of us is AZ 763. During her routine service the "poopy guy' as the kiddies call him, is filling up the potable water. Wouldn't you know it he walks under her rear end and gets hit with the sudden overflow. -hate when that happens!

A CO 752 lands on 22L, and is chased by the fire brigade, 6 fire trucks and numerous other police cars. No sign of the Budweiser truck, or any other incidence followed.

We see TAP rolling out, an A310. For some strange reason after turning onto the taxi way the front wheels appeared to lock up for about 10 seconds. Smoke poured off the tires! She continued her taxi without delay and no further fan fair occurred. Strange-yet fun.

My youngest, Christopher, spots a mouse sprinting across the baseboard heater coils, through the outer grill. The kids are in la la land for 15 minutes looking for this new found friend. Hey-all the best restaurants have mice, they know the foods good. For some reason the "significant other" is not impressed with the "Mater Dei"

To our far right is Delta, and from across the tarmac comes a luggage tug, with not one but two front flat tires. Completely flat, hanging off the rims. The guy attempting to drive the thing looks like he's on a bucking bronco. Guaranteed sterilization for that fine man for 48 hours! You know their is a story behind that one, and he's in trouble.

Meanwhile, back at AZ, a catering truck upset is unfolding rapidly. Some sort of guff about placing chocks under the wheels. After a few belly slams the pre-sumo wrestlers decide the pension is better then the slammer, and all is right a rain.

Speaking of rain, it was for the most part cloudy at EWR----except for when the all elusive CO Peter Max makes her star taxi cameo appearance! Like poetry in motion, she gracefully pass by - not another plane or GSE dare cross her foreground - the clouds crack- a sun beam strikes her lustful curves, the angles in heaven are singing!------and your truly is without his camera. What else is new?! (too hard to hold on to the kids and a DSLR camera, if you have em, you'll understand)

Shortly, after a brief weeping secession, I put away the worlds smallest Stradivarius, and continue spotting.

In an instant I spot a CO 738 making the most unreal take off I've ever seen. None of the wheels are on the run way, no more then 10 feet, and she's almost flying level! To add perspective, think of an A340 acting like an F-18 in comparison. Now I'm in mid thievery trying to swipe one of Christoper's french fries (a dangerous operation mind you) I jump up and knock the bag over and murmur, "she's not going to make it!" But did. Talk about a lumbering assent, mimicking a heavy laden DC-3. I'm sure she was heavy but God knows it not from CO "fine china and service amenities" Poor bastards stand a better chance of dying from a blood clot or starvation.

Now I recall the incident of the LH 744 castration of a winglet, and we might have found a vital clue. Looking out window and straight down, there is a small flat roof. On its top one can clearly see, a bottle of Bacardi, a bottle of Becks and a bottle of Schnapps. Hey, you never know, and Oktoberfest just ended, but some like to continue the celebration. And Lufty parks just across the way. But for today's service LH has the 744 Star Alliance colors.

So in concluding dining, we adjourn to the monorail. Ride it end to end. And spot the injured LH 744, is parked at the United hanger, North side. Reg is V V. Port side winglet missing and an elevated platform under it. Guess United is thrilled to be an alliance partner- whoopee. No one working on it, so much for Teutonic endurance. I can't recall seeing 2 LH 744's at EWR, at the same time, ever. Sweet. Time to head home.

Like I always say to the kiddies- keep your eyes open, you never know what your going to see at the airport!

Thanks for this Mike... :) Nothing like putting putting the camera down to find our love for airports again, and not just the planes...

Great story Mike, sometimes there's nothing better then just sitting back and watching the action unfold.

Mike, sounds as though you had an interesting day at the airport yesterday, lunch included. Everything from mice to flat tires and a few other things included. Reminded me of Anne's and my first trip to Europe. We were flying a chartered Swissair DC-8 (bunch of skiers) to Zurich. The front of the aircraft to about mid-wing was cargo then the bulkhead and seats for the group. Anne and I were sitting right behind the wing. I, of course, took the window seat and was looking outside at the final preparations for our departure. There were two vans parked close to each other and just behind the wind. It was obvious that the two drivers were having some kind of argument and yelling back and forth at each other. After a minute or two the one guy goes and gets into his van. To my amazement, as I watched him, he pulled the van up a few feet, put it in reverse and then proceeded to ram the other van. He did this about 3 or 4 times before driving off. Here I am sitting in a DC-8 fully fueled and ready to fly to Zurich hoping and praying they don't do something to cause the plane to blow up.

Interesting times for those who spend time at airports ... aren't they?

Art

Thanks all.

And as for you "Uncle Artie", you were invited.
See all the fun you missed!