While your jet plane is parked...

The holidays equal frantic travel time for far too many folk. If they're lucky, they are heading to some place warm, like Florida or Phoenix or Hawaii. Otherwise, they're likely serving time in a weatherbound airport in cold country. At least this Christmas season; our own snow storm is supposed to arrive tonight, but I'm beginning to have my doubts about the snow part. However, back to the subject of this post which is all those specialized vehicles that routinely show up to prep a jet for its journey whatever the season.

Above is TUG, who moves all those carts below. My favorite of the lot is the portable, mechanical ramp; bet it would make a dandy but dangerous work-out machine. I tried hard to get a picture of the moving jet entryway, but no luck except for the small portion showing in the left hand corner below. Shooting from inside an airport terminal isn't your best photo op, as I found out during my travels this past summer.

The rear truck appears to connect the plane to the fuel source -- a hookup to a line that apparently runs beneath the pavement. In front is the cart for arriving baggage. And below, the specialized jack-knife truck to convey the catered goodies, even in these days of minimal inflight foodservice. Of course, it does also deliver a replenished bar, which is a paying proposition. Can't forget that!

Bags about to take off on a trip are in the open carts, awaiting ramp time at the jet.

Other than paying passengers, there is also the paying freight which wasn't scheduled on a UPS or FedEx jet. Wonder what sort of perishable item is being sent northwards out of Phoenix -- not that I'll ever know.

Seasonal Links: Well, not all of them, but several. Starting with the annual Carnival of Christmas, which will link you to some sixty holiday posts (including my gingerbread houses). And, in case you were caught up in the saga of dotter's toasted gingerbread house, here is the replacement goodie. The Spadefoot Toad returned to a snowy middle west for the holidays, with winter wonderland pictures. Finally, Firefly Forest has posted a pair of pictures of Arizona's elegant trogan, a colorful bird that I'd love to see just one time for real.