Do you remember the cure for boredom when we were growing up?
A day at the airport…
Such was the case for most of us. It gave parents a break and gave us something to do to while away the time. That never happened when I was growing up. The airport was for the departure and arrival of my father when he traveled internationally during his 35-year career with the National Security Agency (NSA). He traveled the Northern hemisphere, and we were always there for the sendoff and return – sometimes in the wee hours of the morning.
Seems airports have become departure and arrival only places, especially since the 9/11 attacks of 2001. If you’re not flying, they don’t want you in the building. Perhaps I am being cynical, but I think we’ve gone overboard with airport security in the years since. Going to the airport has become such a drag. The reason being Britain never allowed terrorism to deter them from tradition. Brits line fences and populate air parks next to airports where patrons can listen to ATC chatter and document airframes – and they’re mighty good at it.
The British have been notoriously passionate about rail transportation and aviation, and they’ve never wavered. Go to nearly any major airport in Britain and you will see dozens with binoculars and camaras capturing the action. Law enforcement is always there to keep a close eye on enthusiasts and would-be troublemakers, should anyone exhibit life-threatening behavior. They turn out in good weather and bad, enjoying the freedoms they currently have.
Whatever happened to this pastime in the US?
We’ve lost the freedom to do it.
Boomer Journey... 
Yep. drive out to Will Rogers, eat something that tasted like it came from Howard Johnsons, watch the planes take off and land, my dad calling out the make and model. I’ve mentioned before sitting in a rusty Dairy Freeze off the end of the SAC runway in Altus, OK while my dad ate a fried steak sandwich and we listened to the roar of big bombers doing touch and go. Not any more.
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I love your memory. I was stationed at Altus AFB, OK in the late 1970s – MAC with C-5s and C-141s long after the SAC bombers were gone. A lot of stories from the locals about the SAC days. We had a SAC detachment with KC-135s in those days. We had Chicken Kitchen, SONIC, mom and pops… I remember OKC quite well. I’ve always loved Oklahoma City – big city with small town charm.
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