I flew to Sandpoint, ID (SZT) the other day to visit a friend and to use the compass rose. My home base of Lewiston (LWS) has a nice new one but it's off by exactly twice the magnetic declination (can you imagine how that happened? :-).
Before my return takeoff, I taxied onto the compass rose and sequentially lined up on the four cardinal headings. Naturally I did this with the engine running and a "normal" electrical load (i.e. strobes). The compass rose was within about 100 yards of a workman who was doing something with a transit.
My friend (who is also a pilot) stood by and watched the process and later Emailed me this: "Here's something to sooth you with a laugh. When you guys were taxiing around to the various points of the compass rose, the guy surveying on the grass near by, finished up, and as he walked by with his equipment he muttered to us, "seems like they're having trouble finding their way to the runway."
Sheesh! It would be funny if the public's ignorance of aviation wasn't so pitiful. OK, it's still funny!
--
Joe
