Flexible Flyer: That's All Folks.

So, my last trip was one of my best, except that I never did get the hang of landing the Airbus as well as I had all the Boeing Airplanes and the BAC. If I managed to get a good one, it was just blind luck. The last one was on Runway 13 at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW).

I documented many of the lasts of this trip.

This was the last drive on the Watterson Expressway for a rare daylight departure.

Last time parking in the "secure" parking lot.

Last time going through security.

Last van ride to work.

Last time going in the NASC (the building where we reported and did our flight planning. I never did learn what the acronym meant. Didn't care either.)

Last checkin.

Last envelope of Jeppesen approach plate revisions. I didn't put them in the manuals, just checked to see if any applied to the airports I would be flying to.

First flight plan and release of my last trip.

First Bus of last trip.

First preflight of last trip.

We really had the best job in the world.

Salt Lake City, the first destination of the last trip.

My rig.

One of the layover hotels on my last trip.

One of the competition's Airbus A-300s.

The following is what I wrote when I added this photo to an album on Google Photos.

We had several broken airplane issues with the Airbus (Eurojunk) during this trip. The only other plane I had this much trouble with was the BAC 1-11 (another European plane), but I was an authenticated systems expert on that plane. At least the Airbus's engines did not give me any trouble. I can say that now that I won't be jinxing myself by saying it. All of the guys I flew with on the Bus got to see it do something they had never seen before. The Boeing 747-100 has the distinction of the most engine shutdowns (3) and the only fire warning in 42 years of flying. The BAC was next, with 2 shutdowns. I flew my last leg from Ontario CA to Dallas TX and I am about to board a UPS MD 11 to jumpseat home. This is my last official duty with UPS. By the way, while working in General Aviation, flying "those little airplanes" for 5 years and 5,000 hours I never experienced an engine failure.

Jumpseating home. Trying not to feel too sad.

My pal Lou Berdoll, who was in my new hire class, happened to be at the NASC when I arrived. He would be retiring soon after I did. I always liked standing next to him, because I looked so much better by comparison.