While playing the Twin Warriors Golf Course in Albuquerque, NM last weekend, I was lucky enough to let my curiosity get the best of me; and I gazed up at a passing plane which was flying over the fifth hole green. I heard the aircraft, as it was a little noisier than normal; this was because of the altitude. Upon closer look, it was a Boeing 747. I was sure the Albuquerque Airport had no such service. But much to my surprise, piggy-backing on the Boeing was the shuttle Discovery. This was an amazing sight and one I pointed out to my fellow golfers. The shuttle Discovery had landed at Andrews Air Force Base on 9/11 due to weather, and it was being ferried back to the Kennedy Space Center. They turned this puppy around quickly, as this was seen on 9/20 over Albuquerque. The modified 747 had to fly at lower altitudes than usual to maintain the pressure and temperature for fear of damage to the shuttle’s electrical systems. Since it flew at lower altitudes, the 747 burned more fuel, due to greater friction from a denser atmosphere. This, coupled with the shape of the shuttle on the back of the Boeing, meant more drag and more fuel burn. The plane had to make several refueling stops on the way, and a scout plane flew ahead and reported on the weather. All this cost just $1 million — seems reasonable to me! It was certainly a great sight to see on a beautiful, clear day in Albuquerque. — Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO