Days are long on the road, standing out under the blazing sun, sweating in our flight suits. The crew usually falls into bed exhausted at the end of the day, and while most may not admit it, it is usually before 10pm. But occasionally we have an afternoon or even a whole day free of airplane duties. What do we do with our spare time? We dine with Retired Generals and at quaint little schnitzel houses, get our photos taken with giant lobsters, watch the tide come in the Bay of Fundy, enjoy boat cruises on the Saint John river, and debate the pros and cons of bluegrass music. Basically, we enjoy the scenery and each others company.

Yesterday we transited from Greenwood, up around the Bay of Fundy, and into Moncton. We crossed the water at the narrowest point, near Cape Split. No one got their feet wet, and it was a beautiful, uneventful flight on a gorgeous summer morning. Once in Moncton, we gassed up and wiped down the airplanes and put them to bed for a few days. After 700 cadets, they (and us) needed a good rest.

But before we sign off until the weekend, there is one story that must be shared: the story of the camera case. Our fantastic van driver Brett was riding along in the Harvard on the flight to Waterville last Sunday. He has a beautiful Nikon digital SLR, complete with fancy padded case. He put the case behind the rear seat of the Harvard, on top of the canopy covers and proceeded to enjoy a great flight, happily snapping away. Getting close to Waterville, he opened the canopy to get the full vintage airplane experience (there is no speed limit on the Harvard canopy) and amidst the wind and noise, felt something soft cuff him on the back of the head. He looked back and his camera case was gone. He sat in stunned disbelief for a moment, but being the practical guy that he is, did not lament for long and went about his day. But the story does not end there. A few hours later, while Brett was manning the “swag” tent, a gentleman approached with a camera case in hand – not just any camera case, Brett’s own! Incredulously, a couple had found it on the ground a few miles away, figured it came from an airplane and brought it to the airport! I can’t tell you exactly what the odds of this happening are, but they must be slim. We suggested he go out and buy a lottery ticket too.

As a side note, Brett is almost done his tour of duty. If anyone is looking to have a great adventure on the east coast driving out big yellow van Aug 9-15, please email hfleck@vintagewings.ca.

Our next event is at the Moncton airport, at Moncton Flight College, this coming Sat and Sun, 10-4pm.

Pictures are of transit to Moncton, and the crew with the famous large lobster.