Flights to nowhere can be fun

I hadn’t planned on my brief visit to Vancouver for Web Summit’s second annual conference there to include any flying between my landing at Vancouver International Airport Monday and my departure from YVR Thursday morning. But sometimes, your event schedule has a gap just large enough for somebody to pilot a floatplane through.

That idea of taking an aerial tour of Vancouver got lodged in my head at Web Summit Vancouver last May–when I found myself distracted by aircraft departing from and arriving at Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, next to the convention center and its bitmapped-orca Douglas Coupland sculpture.

And as I was nearing the end of my first five appointments on an overscheduled Tuesday, I realized that a) I had almost two hours before my next appointment and b) the weather looked ideal for flying, at least compared to Wednesday morning’s forecast of clouds and possibly rain. So I booked a 20-minute tour flight on Harbour Air’s site at what seemed a workable time before I had to walk a few blocks away for an offsite panel.

The flight on this 67-year-old de Havilland DHC-3T Turbine Otter was what I hoped and expected it to be, going from my experience taking a floatplane ride above Seattle out of Lake Union 13 years ago. Taking to the air and returning from it without solid ground below the wing feels like cheating at flying; being in a plane small enough where you can see the pilot adjust the controls and almost immediately see and feel the aircraft respond provides an extraordinary demonstration of aerodynamics at work; the views from a large and non-pressurized window maybe 1,000 feet above ground are magical.

(The timing of this particular flight was less than magical, in the sense that it seemed that Harbour consolidated its 3 and 3:15 p.m. tour flights into one that departed at 3:20 and then left me hustling to get to my panel. I’ll expand on my avoidable scheduling fail in this Sunday’s weekly recap.)

Avgeeks sometimes call out-and-back bookings like this “flights to nowhere,”1 and I’ve now taken enough of them to realize I may have a bit of a flying problem.

My introduction, as far as I can remember, took place at a 1997 air show at College Park’s airport–the oldest continuously-operated airfield in the world–at which I recall paying $20 in cash for a flight in what years-later searching suggests was a Stearman Model 75 Kaydet biplane.

I then went almost 16 years before the next such flight, my Lake Union joyride–and then followed that days later with a balloon excursion above Sonoma County, Calif., that remains my slowest-ever aviation experience.

2014 bought a work-related flight to nowhere, a hop out of Austin during SXSW on the inflight WiFi operator Gogo’s business jet. That company invited me to try out the ground-to-air connectivity on this Canadair CL-600 by texting people, so I taunted a friend on the ground with “I’m texting you from a private jet. How are you?” and got the reply I deserved.

I had another Gogo flight to AUS and back in 2016 on the 737-500 that Gogo had acquired in the meantime, on which I saw a travel journalist successfully ask the pilots for a chance to experience takeoff in the cockpit jumpseat. That led me to make the same request before another Gogo flight on that 737 in 2017, treating me to an EWR-departure experience unlike any other.

In 2019, a friend took my wife and I on a tour above Sonoma County in his Diamond Star DA40 single-engine, four-seat aircraft. That remains my smallest-plane experience, and the only one in which I got to touch the controls. Briefly.

In 2021, I had my loudest-plane experience when I spent $450 to fly on a 1945-vintage B-25 bomber out of Hagerstown, Md., my only flight to date to allow a view from a tail gunner’s seat.

And in 2023, JSX treated me and other invited journalists to a DAL-DAL hop to try out Starlink WiFi on an Embraer 145.

The last two years tacked on ORD-ORD and LAX-LAX flights courtesy of United Airlines to test their deployment of Starlink on an Embraer 175 and then a Boeing 737. And with this week’s joyride above British Columbia’s metropolis, I have to accept that I’ve developed a moderately expensive habit here.

Which is okay with me.

https://marylandmatters.org/2025/12/31/priced-out-at-college-park-graduate-students-struggle-with-high-rents/

"Over the past decade, a wave of luxury-style student housing has risen along Route 1 — 16 complexes in total... City Councilmember Denise Mitchell said recent development patterns have pushed many students farther."

Good story. I don't live in a "luxury-style" apartment , but I'm glad they're being built, because it will suck students out of older houses (like where I live) and lower rents for the rest of us.

#maryland #housing #UMD #collegepark #washingtondc #rent

Barbados March, 1970.
1 photograph : color transparency ; 35 mm (slide format)

Title: Toni Frissell Photograph Collection

Date: 1970s (no specific date)

Keywords: Toni Frissell, photographer, black and white photographs, color photographs

Description:
Toni Frissell was an American photographer known for her documentary-style portraits and landscapes of everyday people from all walks of life.

The Toni Frissell photograph collection consists of B&W and color photographs taken by Frissell during her career. The collection is divided into several sub-series and contains over 3,000 images.

Locations mentioned in the text:
- United States

Biography (very short):
Toni Frissell (1895-1968) was an American photographer who traveled extensively throughout the United States, capturing portraits of ordinary people in their daily lives. Her photographs are known for their simplicity and intimacy, offering a glimpse into American life during the mid-20th century.

Collection information:
The collection is part of the Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs Division (P&P). The collection items are stored in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at College Park, Maryland.

#Barbados #ToniFrissell #American #Frissell #theUnitedStates #CollegePark #Maryland #America #barbados #photography

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2021741643/

From Brooklyn to Atlanta: The Handsome Barber Turning Passion Into Purpose

From the heart of Brooklyn to the bustling streets of Atlanta, Troy Malone—widely known as The Handsome Barber—has redefined what it means to be a barber. His story isn’t just about mastering the craft of grooming. It’s about using that craft as a platform for impact, service, and transformation.

What began as cutting hair for family and friends has evolved into Handsome Academy Studio, a creative and uplifting space. Here, transformations reach far beyond the mirror. Each chair in Troy’s studio represents a story, a conversation, and an opportunity. It empowers someone to look and feel their best.

But Troy’s influence doesn’t stop inside the shop. Through his Homeless to Handsome Initiative, he brings dignity and confidence to those in need. He offers free haircuts and support to individuals experiencing homelessness. His ongoing efforts to uplift first responders and mentor young, aspiring barbers demonstrate a deep commitment to service, community, and purpose-driven leadership.

Troy’s journey stands as a testament to resilience, creativity, and connection. He’s not just shaping styles—he’s shaping lives. In a world that often feels disconnected, The Handsome Barber reminds us that purpose and passion can build stronger communities, one transformation at a time.

👉 Learn more: www.handsomeacademystudio.com
📱 Follow on Instagram: @handsomeacademystudio
718-809-8928
[email protected]

#atlanta #barber #barbershop #CollegePark

Okay, I did just reset this to factory settings. Before I throw it away, if anyone near me wants it, it's yours. I live in College Park, MD, USA. Private message me if you want it.

(I also have a couple dozen blank PATA laptop drives, mostly 40Gb. You can have any of those you want, too. They're going to be in a bowl at a cookout next weekend anyway, next to the chips.)

#CollegePark