Houston, we have a problem

Picture: Airplane crash landing on side of runway after gear failure, Eureka, Humboldt County, California

What does this photo have in common with my computer? They both crashed.

I have one guilty pleasure for computer games, namely Microsoft’s Flight Simulator. It’s a relaxing diversion while working on other things in my office, and fills a void for this “always wanted to be a pilot” photographer. Recently I purchased the newest version, called FSX. Well the other day, I was innocently installing a software update, and when I was told to restart my computer, it wouldn’t. It took almost 8 hours on the phone over two days to Microsoft Tech Support in India to resolve the problem and get my system back up and running. That included a call back from them at 5:30 AM. I will say that I was much more impressed with the MS Support than I expected, and they were extremely patient and accommodating.

This photo was taken while shooting for my California Coast book. It was extremely windy as my old college roommate and I waited for our chartered plane that would take us over the Lost Coast. I remember seeing this plane on final approach, but wasn’t really paying attention. The next time I looked out the window, I just remember seeing a wing sticking up over the grass at a really odd angle. I turned to the lone employee at the airport office and said, “I think an airplane just went off the runway”. Fifteen minutes later, I was taxiing past this airplane, enroute to take off, and with no door on my side of the plane. (It was taken off to accommodate my photography.) Between the wind, the lack of a door, only a single seatbelt holding me in, and then going past this plane, it is fair to say my apprehension level went up a couple notches.