Aerial survey

I look down on RVs. Dozens of them every day. As a commercial seaplane pilot based in Seattle, I'm amazed at the number of motorhomes and trailers I notice in driveways or back yards as I make my aerial rounds. They seem to be everywhere. Over some neighborhoods I can count 10 or more at a glance: A travel trailer here, a Class A there, a couple of fifth-wheels on that street.... Is that an Airstream in the cul-de-sac?

I shouldn't be surprised, though, for the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association reports that almost eight million U.S. households now own an RV. That's about one in 12. The RVIA says the average RV owner makes $68,000 a year, an income that's reflected in the middle-class houses abutting the great majority of RVs I see. Although some hovels have an RV nearby, I rarely spot one parked by a mansion. Maybe rich folks travel mostly in private jets and luxury cruise ships. Or they can afford to garage their RVs out of sight.

In western Washington, where I do most of my flying, towables and motorhomes appear to be equally represented as I look around below. My eyeball survey notes few truck campers.

Of course, frequency of use is impossible to gauge from the cockpit, but I can make some judgments about care. One trailer might have tire and air-conditioner covers, its body sparkling from waxing, while a neighboring one shows black streaks on the sides and green mold on the roof.

Sometimes I fantasize about pulling into an RV park on a trip and noticing, in one of the sites, a distinctive rig I had often seen parked in a backyard. "Hi there," I say to the owner while walking the dog. "I see you added a second solar panel to your roof." The owner frowns. "How did you know that? It's not visible from the ground." I small and walk on.