Maybe you have seen the hullabaloo about “Artificial Intelligence.” That’s not the correct term, but it is the term people are using. Marvin Minsky famously always said artificial intelligence was just twenty years away. He was saying that for more than twenty years.

I was in a hotel room in Dallas debating how early to leave in the morning. Should I book out of the hotel at first light, or wait to see what the steam table offered? In the end I wound up taking a look at the “free” breakfast, crying inside that they replaced bacon (how hard is it to cook bacon?) with a big pile of “Bacon Bits!” and departing for the field.

The night before I wondered about where to stop for fuel and whether I had enough time to post on one of my aviation boards and get an answer. Probably not. Then I remember about ChatGPT. It was an interesting test. So I asked it:

I am flying a little plane from KTFW toward KOWD. I will make my first stop near Nashville for fuel. Is there a little airport nearby, perhaps Smyrna or KJWN, which has breakfast on the field, or very close to the airport? A place with a nice breakfast sandwich, perhaps?

This is a query that a person familiar with the route, the size plane, and the area around Nashville would have a good time with. Back in my days of flying a lot, I could answer this question about flights around Southern California and a few directions east and north with some specificity. I was not surprised when ChatGPT answered:

Yes, there are a couple of airports near Nashville, Tennessee, that you can consider for a fuel stop and breakfast. Smyrna Airport (KMQY) and John C. Tune Airport (KJWN) are both viable options.

Smyrna Airport (KMQY) is located approximately 20 miles southeast of Nashville. While there isn’t a restaurant on the airport itself, there are several dining options available within a short distance. Just outside the airport, you’ll find a popular restaurant called “Jonathan’s Grille” (613 Back St, Smyrna, TN 37167) that serves breakfast and offers a variety of options, including breakfast sandwiches.

John C. Tune Airport (KJWN) is situated about 8 miles west of downtown Nashville. There isn’t a restaurant located directly on the field, but there are several dining choices nearby. One option is “Cock of the Walk” (2624 Music Valley Dr, Nashville, TN 37214), which is known for its Southern cuisine and hearty breakfast dishes.

Both airports are easily accessible and should provide you with an opportunity to refuel and enjoy a delicious breakfast before continuing your journey. Remember to check the operating hours of the restaurants in advance and ensure they are open during your planned stop.

And it is really smart of it to suggest calling ahead to check hours. I asked about breakfast and a couple of those choices didn’t open until 11am. I googled a couple and found out they were chains. So I asked for non-chains that would be open by 9am. (It was late at night, in my dreams I thought perhaps I’d launch at 6am with a tailwind.)

If you’re looking for non-chain restaurants near Smyrna Airport (KMQY) that offer breakfast and are open by 9am, here is an option:

• Scrumptious Cafe (2855 S Lowry St, Smyrna, TN 37167): This local café opens at 7am and offers a variety of breakfast options, including sandwiches, omelets, and pancakes.

After four hours of flying I landed at Smyrna. In the FBO as they were arranging to loan me a crew car (free!), I asked where they recommended for breakfast. As is more and more common across the country, the two of the CSRs rattled off the names of chains. Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, and the like. I asked if they had been to the Scrumptious Cafe. They had not, but would love to hear about it, since there were new places popping up all the time.

Not this one. This one didn’t exist. Has never existed. Does not exist and has never existed. That church has been the only structure at that address (which isn’t really the address of the church), ever. It was on a highway on ramp. Making that turn to get to the church? Well, “Jesus take the wheel” would be a fine choice.

I knew this was a possibility with ChatGPT. One of the first queries I did was “How do I land an airplane?” and there was a glaring mistake right away (“Point the nose of the plane at the ground”). So I was prepared and tootled on to First Watch where I had a delicious Banana Fosters French Toast with a side of Millionaires Bacon.