So! …. there we were …at 35,000 ft … over 6 miles in altitude …cruising at some airspeed in excess of 600 knots “over the ground” (jet stream tailwind adds to True airspeed through the “air”) and then it happened …. “it was as if Rod Serling had written a script”…….(Relax !  No one in window seat 26A looked like a young William Shatner … and was seeing a little furry gremlin perched atop the wing, opening an engine access panel, and yanking out wiring harnesses) …….. BUT …. B-U-T ! !  Way …waaaaaaaaay more critical than that ….. Donato (The professor formerly known as Dr. Pollio) was unable to plug an 1/8” headphone jack into the receptacle in the end of his arm-rest and hence was unable to listen to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins while he read a few pertinent chapters of the The Iliad and the …whatever that book name was.   But …get this ….It was as if World Air had just covered this type of emergency in last weeks mandatory crew training supplement Appendix B, to Tab A, of Supplement II-2 to Airbus 330 Flight Repair Manual Delta-Victor-4-Alpha.   Flight Attendant “Frank” (names have been changed for no particular reason) leapt into action.  Armed with nothing more than a Walgreens-“esque” nailfile, grit, determination, and a MacGyver sense of duct-tape überall…Frank disassembled the higlhy complex integrated armrest, seat recline, and in-flight audio routing assembly with the dexterity of a brain surgeon … right before Donato’s eyes.  Problem … solved!  A previous passenger on a leg from Katmandu to Hackensack had snapped off a similar 1/8″ plug while inserted into the fitting.  Talk about saving the day …. apparently the Captain was only minutes away from declaring an “integrated armrest, seat recline, and in-flight audio routing assembly” emergency with Halifax flight service center and diverting to Dudly Dowright International so that trained technicians could tackle the task.  Whew! … all’s well that ends well.   Remember … “The shortest distance between two points is a “crooked line” ……through the Twighlight Zone.”

Perhaps these next few photos will allow you to “join your daughter or son” “figuratively on the Philly to Rome leg of EGO15.

Airborne … Airbus 330 …PHL

 

 

The “Team” … looking forward to the 8 to 9 hr flight!  (Little did they know )

 

 

 

Our sumptuous repast …Chicken …or of all things …pasta !  Go figure!

 

Our official “Team” pasta evaluator gave it two thumbs up.  ——–>

 

 

 

The effects of combining pasta, Dramamine, and water can clearly be seen in the photo to the left.

 

Our two little Bulldog stowaways …Nunzio & Luigi (Italian Bulldogs) looked a bit forlorn  as they caught the first glimpse of “what they thought was their beloved Italy” …only to find out that they were passing over  Corsica.  (seen below)

 

In minutes your daughter/son will be wrapping up breakfast, climbing aboard the absolutely (no levity at all here) fantastic coach …with our driver Salvatore … and heading out for Segesta (Google that ..for a pre-peek) … photos to follow in a later post.  Time 0730 Sicilia time.  Martedi, 9 June 2015.  Ciao.