JL, a self-described “fat flyer” at an AvGeek event in 2012 when he was near his peak weight
This is a piece I’ve written, trashed, and rewritten multiple times over the years. In fact, my notes on the topic date back as far as 2012, shortly after joining AirlineReporter. This is a tough subject to discuss, and it is indeed not easy to put one’s self “out there” for commentary by the general (sometimes harsh) public. Twice in prior pieces, I have dipped my toes into discussing weight issues. First when I mentioned my need for a seat belt extender on a Frontier airlines flight review years ago. And again when writing about my first 5K. Both pieces spurred unacceptable, rude, ’œfat-shaming’ comments which were deleted.
For years this polarizing and real issue has lacked balance and a fundamental perspective: that of the so-called fat flyer. As a frequent traveler who came uncomfortably close to dreaded the “passenger of size” classification, it’s time to add some commentary. So, I’m taking one for the team. Just a quick note – this post uses adjectives that could be perceived as derogatory towards fat flyers. I am intentionally using these to help readers understand the words we so frequently hear. These are my opinions and generalizations. As I’ve noted, this is a sensitive issue, and everyone’s experiences and situations are unique. No disrespect intended.
Welcome on board. You are the last passenger to join us on our Southwest plane. As frequently happens, the middle seat next to me is the last one available on our sold out flight. The armrest which is generally considered to be the personal space boundary between us goes down, barely. I am 6’1″ and medically classified as morbidly obese, or worse. I also manage to squeeze into my seat without a seatbelt extender. Southwest, as it turns out, has generously accommodating seatbelts across their fleet.
Just like those before you, you size me up then look around for better accommodations. This on-the-fly appraisal is something I’ve been through multiple times on this flight alone and something I will encounter hundreds of times throughout the year as I eventually requalify for my elite flyer status. Finally, you come to terms with the fact that you’re stuck with me for the next hour or two.
No matter how much you love flying, you’ve got to admit it can take a toll on your body and mind. Arriving at the airport late is stressful, TSA security checkpoints are hectic, and airplanes are dry. Air travel can bump your blood pressure up a few points and leave you feeling exhausted and dehydrated. And with chronic diseases like high blood pressure affecting tens of millions of Americans, those increased stress levels can definitely do some damage.
Oakland-based healthcare consortium Kaiser Permanente, which cares for millions of Americans, recently helped Oakland Airport redesign its Terminal 2 TSA security checkpoint to make it a more wellness-oriented space. With new H20-to-go machines, outdoorsy imagery, and even a massive living wall, we think they did a pretty solid job. Read on for more photo highlights!
Flyover Country app offers detail on the Bingham Canyon Mine, which is sometimes visible on approach to SLC
How many times have you looked out the airplane window and wondered what it was you were viewing? What’s that curious rock formation? Is that a volcano?! Why is the water in that lake differently colored than in surrounding bodies? These are the sorts of questions the perpetually-inquisitive flyer might briefly ask themselves. Sadly, these are often fleeting inquiries which never get the attention they are due.
Even the best in-flight entertainment systems provide limited detail, if any. And of course, it’s tough to research over often sketchy in-flight internet. Besides, where would we go to look up these geographic curiosities anyway? Fact is: It’s a chore to answer the simple “what’s that out my window” question.
Well, it was. Enter the free, geeky, and delightfully informative Flyover Country App…
Dave Hall holds the very first PlaneTag; he used it as a keychain long enough to nearly wear the design completely off the thing.
While visiting the Los Angeles area a month or so ago, I dropped by the headquarters of MotoArt Studios in Torrance, Calif., maker of cool aviation-themed furniture and the originator of the PlaneTag, for a tour and some conversation with owner and founder Dave Hall. I’ve purchased several of his products over the years, including a polished propeller and quite a few PlaneTags, so I was excited to see his operation.
It feels like these products have been around for a long time, but Hall explained that while the idea for making keychains out of old aircraft skin came to him more than a decade ago, the tags have only been on the market for a few years.
Dave Hall helps one of his crew move a table that’s being built in his studio
“We had a small section of P-51 Mustang skin, and I decided to take a section and make a tag from it. I decided to call it a PlaneTag it’s small enough to connect to a bag or suitcase, or even put in your front pocket on your keys. That first piece of aviation history sat in my pocket on my key chain for years before I actually had the sense to kick off the idea,” Hall said.
This year’s Black Friday marked the three-year anniversary of what’s become his flagship product. “We started with six PlaneTags: the 767 Gimli Glider, a 747, DC-9, A320, B-25, and a DC-3,” he said. He used the existing MotoArt mailing list, which included contacts dating back to 2001, to promote the new product to existing customers. “It was an instant hit,” he said. His online shop now lists close to 30 different types of aircraft tags, including hull No. 1 of the B-1B bomber.
Swiss F-5s fly during the 2018 Fliegerschiessen Axalp live fire demonstration.
This story is written by Jerry T. Lai. Jerry is a Chicago-based photojournalist who read our coverage of 2017’s Axalp show in Switzerland, and decided he had to make the trip to see it for himself. This is his story about the 2018 show – hope you enjoy it, and be sure to let us know if you decide to attend at some point, too!
We’re all AvGeeks here, but what really gets my heart pumping is fast jets at air shows and demonstrations. As someone based in Chicago, I’m spoiled with having the wonderful Chicago Air and Water Show in my backyard, as well as EAA AirVenture in nearby Oshkosh, and am a short flight away from many other fabulous official demonstrations like Fleet Week in SFO.
