Chapter 219

I was watching the training after spending a few minutes with Tony, Kathy and Janet. They had gone upstairs and left Crash sitting with me to transfer the data and update the big map. They promised that when they finished tonight we could have a group meeting and make some decisions.

I asked Crash what time he normally turned in.

"Well, I usually watch the late news and the agriculture report," he replied.

"You have a TV and all the channels there are in your room," I said.

"Vicky gave me the tour, helped me put away my clothes, she showed me how to work the TV and where everything was located. She even said I could have a beer or two out of the fridge if I wanted," he said. "They are really nice guest rooms."

"Crash, if you haven't guessed it - we are a unique house hold. What you see in the house has to stay in the house. We will try not offending your senses but we will not change our lifestyle," I said.

"Everything you do is different than what people expect. I will be as quiet as a fly on the wall. Don't change anything for me. I was not exactly known for being a saint," he said with a grin.

We sat a while longer watching the girls train the agency people, when a voice asked me in German how I was feeling.

"Not too bad, just very sensitive to touch in places," I replied in German. I guess that was going to be the language for tonight.

The conversation continued as we watched the action on the mats.

I asked, "What kind of reports are you are getting back from the two groups?"

"Between the ache and pain complaints - very positive, they are learning and very afraid of the more advanced things at the very end," he replied.

"Good, that means they will be on their toes and won't relax," I replied.

Tony sent me a text asking if I was still in the building to come up for a near final look at the plot.

"I need to go upstairs for a few minutes Crash, are you going to be OK here?" I asked.

"Yep, I am going to have another one of those decadent strawberry sundae smoothie drinks while you are gone."

I nodded for Rodney to follow me up. I made a quick introduction and asked, "What have you got?"

Tony and his two engineers laid out the rough design. I listened to the explanations and all the ways they had found to short-cut and save money. With Crash's house being gone it made the whole picture come together. They wanted to present it tonight after the training then review it in the morning and go home tomorrow afternoon. If we decided to go with it, equipment would start coming in Monday morning.

"Ok, you still have an hour and a half; have your best presentation ready at 10, the training will be finished before then and I will have everyone here," I replied.

Rodney did not say anything but he was studying the drawings intently. Then he said, "I'm going to watch the group and then call it a night,"

I worked on e-mails until 10, and then went down to get the girls and Crash, Tony said everything was ready.

"Here is the preliminary plan," Tony began the presentation.

"After the house was burned we changed the configuration. We have laid this out so you can do it as your funding permits. There are crossing runways 100 feet, wide 8 thousand feet long, corner to corner on the property. 100 feet wide is an FAA standard. That will leave fifteen hundred feet at the end of each runway for an ILS system if you ever want to put one in."

"We drew a P loop at the end of each runway. The aircraft makes the loop and uses the runway to back taxi to the hangers or terminal. That eliminates the cost of building the taxiways. If the airport ever gets too busy you can add the taxiways later."