A week in Penn State and I had to go back. As I looked out from the observation deck at Altoona airport I saw my plane and wondered if my journey back would be as exciting as my journey there. Almost. Here's how the story goes. One week earlier as I waited for my flight from Pittsburgh to Altoona, I wondered if my flight would be on time. Over the past few air trips I had become a disbeliever of the airline industry. But leave it to irony to teach you a lesson. Not only was the flight not cancelled, but I was the only one. A 24 seater all for me. It was awesome. The air hostess didn't even have to make announcements. She just told me. She gave me 2 drinks and 2 snack packets too. So it wasn't a luxury jet, not even a jet, but it was all mine for a full 45 minutes.

My journey back was a little more crowded, but nevertheless another adventure. As we took off from Altoona, as soon as the fasten seat belt sign was turned off, just as I was about to take out my ipod, the fasten seat belt signs came on, and pilot announced that we were getting to ready to land in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a town not more than 30 minutes from Altoona by car. The whole flight took 6 minutes. It is the shortest I've ever been on.

Two plane journeys, and my passion for the skies and planes have been re-ignited.