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Duck!!

We make no apologies about how much we love technology. It makes the world go around: and in the case of this post, that means literally. Or, should it be round the world, rather than makes the world go round? Yes, this is another post regaling the joys of technology – but it’s focused on one specific aspect of technology: commercial aircraft.

It’s an interesting dichotomy that something that is as light as air can be so heavy: the average commercial aircraft weighs between 152.9 and 220.1 tons – or 337,100 to 485,300 pounds, or 220,100 kilos. And that’s just the plane. Add several hundred humans, their luggage and all of the ephemera in the jet’s belly, it truly is a miracle of nature meeting science.

So, when we get the chance to get up close and personal with one of these beast-swans of the air, we jump. But here, the process is reversed; the jets make us jump. We live in Vancouver, Canada and people here love to shop. One of the local shopping hot spots is the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet. It’s modeled as an outdoor village, but in actuality, high-end clothing storefronts takes the place of “your neighbour’s house. And – finally to the main point – what we’re writing about here is that McArthurGlen is smack underneath a YVR runway. Boeing 737s and Airbus Airbus A321s howl past and almost graze your heads as they skim over McArthurGlen with a deafening roar. We jump up and down like little children when the jets pass. It’s really fun. Come visit and try it. As you would expect with this kind of tech, there will be anoraks / dweebs / dorks and boffins waiting for the planes to fly over. Watch the video below and simply admire their devotion and attention. Not a jet fan? Lots of expensive shops await you.

You can see people waving from the planes! Let’s hope they emptied the toilets before they landed.

Rather skip the jets? There’s stores galore, including Spain’s Desigual. Click here to book.

You can take the Skytrain from Downtown Vancouver directly to the Outlet and the Airport. Nice!

AirTransat flies from Vancouver (YVR.) Click here to book for terrific deals.

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