Takeoffs and Touchdowns

Taking off in a plane is one of my favorite things in the world.

It’s a moment ripe with possibility; the act of becoming airborne compresses you further back into your seat even as it hurls you forward. You spiral upward into the clouds, first tucking away your landing gear, then gaining altitude, then setting a course for someplace new.

Touching down on a runway can be equally exciting.

When the wings change shape to slow your forward motion, the landing gear descends, and the massive mechanis...