Getting to know Icelandair

Boeing 757-223 (TF-ISL, c/n 25295, “Öræfajökull”) at KEF on 2016-04-21

Despite having flown between US and Finland for a few decades now, up until last week I had never done that on Icelandair. Now I wonder why, since I discovered that the BOS-KEF-HEL route is certainly the most convenient way to get from New England to Finland. Draw a great circle route from Boston to Helsinki and it pretty much goes over Iceland.

Flying a 1959 Piper Pacer

This is a tailwheel conversion of the Tri-Pacer.

The author spent an afternoon with SMA advisor Mike Hirsch, a pilot with Delta Airlines, taking Mike’s 1959 Piper PA-22-150 Pacer for a quick spin from Beverly Municipal in Massachusetts. Perfect clear day for flying, albeit a bit cold.

The small plane has cramped quarters in the cockpit. Scenery was very interesting, though, flying around Gloucester and Manchester-by-the-Sea.