Martin Rottler

A Gulfstream IV executive jet, operated by the United States Air Force for VIP members of the Department of Defense. In October 2005 Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was on board when the jet encountered an unusual electrical storm over Illinois. Rumsfeld braced himself in a private cabin, white-knuckling the armrests as the jet bucked and dove, swerved and rocked. A burst of lightening filled the cabin, blinding Rumsfeld for a moment. When he could see again, a hazy blue outline of a woman was sitting across from him, smoking a Lucky Strike. Rumsfeld felt his pants growing wet and warm. The blue outline pulsed, then faded. Rumsfeld swore it was his mother. He never told anyone, of course not. Rumsfeld smelled the smoke of Lucky Strikes for days after.

EXECJET.BMF

In the redwoods yesterday.

An illustration of a Lockheed Martin L-1011 commercial airliner, flying under the Trans World Airlines banner. Rod didn’t like flying, but sometimes it was necessary. In ’83 he flew on an L-1011 from New York to Stuttgart, using his Bahamian passport. It said his name was Roger.

L1011TW.BMF

Rest in peace to one of the characters that made life in Grand Forks, ND strange: www.grandforksherald.com/news/marilyi...

Fun fact: I once wrote something in the school’s newspaper that she called out in an article!

The mime scene in the Aristocrats (documentary, not Disney animated movie). You could hear a pin drop followed by guffawing.

One of my favorite bits of Ohio State lore was this endowed professorship at the hospital:

a man wearing glasses and a black suit is standing in front of a sign that says ' the ' on it ALT: a man wearing glasses and a black suit is standing in front of a sign that says ' the ' on it

Watching B2 stealth bombers fly over DC and realizing what they are flying over for…

Airplane! did it first! i.imgur.com/Gj8S8AQ.jpg

Top 10 movies.

Judge away folks.

The absolute best thing I’ve seen in months.

Launched a thing today. Ask a pilot on your next flight!

news.delta.com/unveiling-de...

I talk a lot about this space at work, and it was awesome to try it out as a customer myself.

Vacation mode engaged.

Soaking up the sun of a new year.

Night 1.

Assisting with a pilot’s retirement flight is always guaranteed to make you feel a whole lot of feels. It’s a true honor!

Some nights you need to put away the work laptop, change into pajamas, and attempt to address your life issues in a comfy chair.

YouTube video by Rotten Tomatoes TV Somebody Somewhere Season 1 Trailer | Rotten Tomatoes TV

If you aren’t watching Somebody Somewhere, you should be!

youtu.be/9xKZZ8iVDN8?...

At Dulles, one doesn’t just spot airplanes. One also spots PlaneMates.

Sunday afternoon things.

Haven’t posted on the bird app since 2022, which was two jobs and a lifetime ago. Maybe this will be better? Anyway, here’s the view from the instructor seat of an A220 sim shooting the River Visual into DCA last week.

Bring back #rainbowsandunicorns