Sundance Already?

Ten days ago I helped push a couple helicopters into the hanger. I was completely stunned to find we were sharing the space with a multitude of private jets. Among them were Citations, Hawkers and most stunningly, two Gulf Stream IV's (which barely fit inside the hangers.)

"Am I missing some important event?" I asked.

"Sundance." was the unanimous one word response.

The festival had completely slipped my mind but to everyone else it was obvious why so many fancy fliers were in OGD. They had already looked up info on some of the jets. One G4 (N745RS) was owned by Rolling Stone Magazine others were leased or owned by larger holding companies.

Regardless of who owned them or what Celeb Du Jour flew in on them, the aircraft themselves were stunning, especially the Gulfstreams. It was remarkable to walk into the hangers on level with the forward loading doors of these small giants of air travel. It was remarkable to me how the stunning design of these aircraft can hold me in awe.

Even more remarkable to me was how little desire I felt to fly one. I was flying helicopters because of an initial desire to fly passenger jets and yet here I was amazed by them yet unimpressed by their lack of ability to land on a 20 foot square opening or to rise straight from the ground and launch themselves skyward. Faced with the airplane of my dreams (or close to it) I was more ready to dream of VERTOL than velocity. Amazing how things can change.