Mexico

So apparently all those cliche's about Mexico are true! You totally have to pay people off to get anything done!

David flew to Mexico for the first time on Friday. He learned all sorts of interesting things! First of all, to keep from having major issues you have to hire a "handler" to take care of your time there. The handler is in charge of paying everyone off that needs to be paid off- this way you are able to land, wait, and depart again without issues, supposedly. As David found out, the handler not only gets paid a rate for his services, he also gets a "tip" of $200 for each trip they make there. He was irate when he learned that David and the other pilot did not have $200 cash on them. He finally had to settle for the $60 they could scrape up between them and a promise that their next trip there he would get the remainder on top of the regular $200 he gets.... I guess this is what he has gotten every time there has been a flight there, but no one bothered to warn the guys before they went.

SO, he made it home in one piece, his eyes a little more open to the ins and outs of Mexico. He has another flight there today that he felt prepared for, he felt like he knew what to expect this time. Unfortunately though, a little wrench was thrown into things last night. David got a call from a co-worker that there was, basically, a rumor that the FBO they fly into in Mexico was closed. David called the company that handles things for them there, and they in turn called the FBO to see what issues, if any there were. Turns out that a factory next door to the FBO caught fire, and it spread to several other factories around it. The FBO did close for a time because of low visibility due to smoke.

Once we heard that we assumed there would be no problem with their flight since it was due to leave the next day- surely the fires would be out by then and the smoke would be gone. Only Mexico does not do things like the US. Their plan was to let the fires burn themselves out. No need to put out the fires when you know they will eventually stop on their own- right?

This morning, David got up, got dressed and headed to the hangar for his flight out. We both fully expected the flight would be cancelled due to continued fires and visibility problems- but turns out, they took off! I just talked to him, and while he is nervous about being there, (it is Juarez after all,) it looks like everything is fine...

By the way, if any of you are planning a trip to Mexico, ANY PART, I would put that on hold for a while. Men standing guard over anything that sits still with guns in hand kind of ruins whole atmosphere... you know?