As my crew partner taxiies out, I took a moment to snap a picture of a serene winter scene at an airport in northern New York state one winter.

While a part of me enjoys listening to the calming drone of the engine, music definitely makes time fly -- even while doing a measily 130 MPH.

Flying up the Conneticut coastline, headed east with Westerly State airport in Rhode Island off the nose.

Although the Cessna 172 cruises at a relatively slow 115 knots (130 MPH) it is possible to fly it long distances without too much discomfort. I intend to buy a much faster airplane as soon as finances permit.

Why do birds sing? They don't have to buy gas when they land. Without 100 octane aviation gasoline, this marvelous invention called an airplane is nothing more than an expensive full scale model.

One of the strangest takeoffs I've ever seen is that of an airship. Once free of the moorings, they point the nose up quite a bit and pull away s-l-o-w-l-y. This is the Fuji airship on takeoff from Plymouth, MA.

This is a perfect summer day. Flight above the clouds usually gives a smooth ride.

A look out the right window at some folks having almost as much fun as we are while on approach to Hartford-Brainard airport.

One of the more fun things about flying small airplanes is flying where large airplanes can't go, like small grass strips like this.