Austrians in Nebraska?....

As I was taking my car on its roadworthiness runs (after changing the O-rings and antifreeze return line on the oil cooler), I saw what has to be the oddest thing I've ever seen at Lincoln Municipal. Flying right overhead of me as I was driving down Cornhusker Highway was a 737. This is strange enough, as United (the only 737 operator currently doing business at LNK) hasn't had mainline service to Lincoln for five or six years. The plane was heading right for me, so i couldn't get a look at its tail, but as I caught a view of its underside, I saw what seemes like a turquoise and cream paint job, used only (so far as I know) by AirTran. It gets stranger, though. As i went to the airport later that day to see if it was still doing touch-and-gos, I finally got a look at it side-on, and realized that the turquoise was actually dark gray, and it wasn't an AirTran, it was, in fact, a Lauda Air 737, sans titles, and with a U.S. registration number. What would a short-range aircraft from an Austrian carrier be doing way the heck out in the middle of the U.S.?

posted by Fred Gay @ 20:39