Thursday, June 17, 2010

Skimming the Skies with Ocean Point Aviation


                On Tuesday of this week, your faithful scribe had an opportunity to check out a local sightseeing trip. Now, you say, there are plenty of sightseeing trips in Boothbay Harbor, and I would tell you that was true. However, this particular trip was not in Boothbay Harbor- it was above it. David and Kerrith Stapp, owners and operators of Ocean Point Aviation, LLC, had extended an invitation for local hospitality staff to experience a scenic flight of the area, and to experience firsthand what they had to offer. Guests can choose from a short tour for $85 per person, which lasts about a half hour, and a long tour, about an hour, for $115 per person; as anyone can plainly see, the longer trip is much more economical. It was explained to me that this reflects the preparation time on the ground that it takes for a flight, regardless of the time in the air- so why not take the longer flight, it is defiantly worth the extra thirty dollars.



              After a short drive up to Wiscasset- traffic was light on Tuesday, so it made for easy going- I met with David, owner and chief pilot, and prepared for my scenic flight. Utilizing a state of the art Cessna 172, with seating for three plus the pilot, David Stapp certainly looks the part. Aviators firmly in place on the weather perfect day, he invited me to join him in the cockpit to begin our flight. The first thing that I noticed was a large graphical display on the dash- current GPS technology has advanced leaps and bounds since I have been in the cockpit of a small airplane. Providing my pilot with up to date information on weather, traffic patterns and other airplanes, this handy gadget definitely eases any doubts as to the safety of the flight; just below the display is a row of back-up, non-technological gauges, in the case that the computers fail. Back-ups for back-ups make for a very safe flight. There was a shout of, “Clear prop!” and we were off.
 
                Though it was short flight, simply to give me a flavor of what they were offering; the brief trip afforded me some spectacular views of Boothbay Harbor and the surrounding the area. If you have never seen the Botanical Gardens from the air, it is quite impressive. The harbor, with its scores of moored sailboats and powerboats, is quite picturesque from the air. Ocean Point Aviation certainly provides a unique way to take in the sights- a standard long flight will take you down the river to Bath, up along the coast, giving you a glimpse of Fort Popham and the beach; you will also be able take in many of the local lighthouses from the air, as well as gain a true appreciation for the proverbial “rocky coast” of Maine.
               
                Though the cross-winds at the Wiscasset Airport are ranked in the top five for worst in the country – learn to fly there and you can fly anywhere, they tell me- our landing was smooth, if a bit rocky. Our journey completed, my feet back on the ground, I met with David’s wife, Kerrith, who handles the marketing for their business- we had a quick chat about social marketing and its growing importance into today’s market. After a few tasty nibbles on the provided snacks, I was back on the road, heading back into Boothbay Harbor. However, my head remained in the clouds; my mind’s eye soaring with the wind- the Boothbay Harbor Region is simply breathtaking from the air. Call Ocean Point Aviation at 207-380-1884 today to book your own scenic coastal plane ride today!                

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