Retired Navy Pilot Andy Ledger crossed the Atlantic coast line at three thousand feet and was skirting the Washington D.C. forbidden air control zone.
The pilot always bumped up against the no fly zone to push his own internal anti-government button just to make himself smile.
Andy knew some of the guys that would scramble the jets to intercept any intruders and right now they were sitting up in bed wondering what nut job was making a run on the White House.
Turning his plane right to a heading of 275 would place the aircraft in the proper landing pattern to land at Reagan International Airport just across the Potomac river from Washington D.C.
Andy loved to fly and he could clearly see the Nations capitol which gave him an honest sense of pride. After all those years in the Navy he knew how great the United States was at one time but she had kind of lost her way. He looked out his right window and wondered what all those government fools would do today.
His airport landing clearance already received for runway 33 which would require more maneuvering but it was a blue sky clear day perfect for flying so he nudged and shoved the controls to assure his perfect approach.
The pilot always bumped up against the no fly zone to push his own internal anti-government button just to make himself smile.
Andy knew some of the guys that would scramble the jets to intercept any intruders and right now they were sitting up in bed wondering what nut job was making a run on the White House.
Turning his plane right to a heading of 275 would place the aircraft in the proper landing pattern to land at Reagan International Airport just across the Potomac river from Washington D.C.
Andy loved to fly and he could clearly see the Nations capitol which gave him an honest sense of pride. After all those years in the Navy he knew how great the United States was at one time but she had kind of lost her way. He looked out his right window and wondered what all those government fools would do today.
His airport landing clearance already received for runway 33 which would require more maneuvering but it was a blue sky clear day perfect for flying so he nudged and shoved the controls to assure his perfect approach.
Andy Ledger had flown this same pattern a million times it seemed so he was relaxed and in control as he piloted the Cessna 518 multi engine down to one thousand three hundred feet and reduced his airspeed to one hundred and sixty knots fifty two miles from the airport coming out of the east.
Andy looked out his windshield and his right window and was just crossing over the Chesapeake Bay and was lined up with the Brandywine FAA transponder.
The electronic signals received by his aircrafts instruments were the invisible guided highways in the sky that experienced instrument pilots flew by and were being transmitted by Brandywine. Andy could follow the invisible signal right to the end of runway 33 at Reagan International.
Andy looked out his windshield and his right window and was just crossing over the Chesapeake Bay and was lined up with the Brandywine FAA transponder.
The electronic signals received by his aircrafts instruments were the invisible guided highways in the sky that experienced instrument pilots flew by and were being transmitted by Brandywine. Andy could follow the invisible signal right to the end of runway 33 at Reagan International.
The Cessna 518 was a powerful multi engine airplane that responded as Andy reduced the two engines power settings just a little which would slow the propellers slightly reducing his airspeed. It was a powerful flying machine that carried the latest and most advanced navigation and communications technology that Andy really couldn't afford.
Andy looked over to the left of the aircraft cabin and saw his flight student following the instruments so Andy reminded the student again to look out the window and just glance at the instruments. They were flying a short cross country trip to give his student a better understanding of weather and navigational opportunities and she was doing pretty good.
Andy talked into the radio microphone "Reagan International this is "N18547W" turning Brandywine final approach" The Cessna's powerful radio would reach out and and advise controllers the intentions of their flight.
Andy simply pushed a tiny button on his flight wheel to activate his voice communication radio to talk to the air traffic controllers inside the tower watching over Reagan International Airport.
Andy simply pushed a tiny button on his flight wheel to activate his voice communication radio to talk to the air traffic controllers inside the tower watching over Reagan International Airport.
"November one eight five four seven Whiskey" Andy's radio was receiving the routine response from the controllers watching all the air traffic in the area. Andy couldn't tell but the voice sounded like Bud Haynes the tower supervisor.
The Cessna's 518 cabin was almost noiseless which was a remarkable technology offered in Cessna's newest model 518.
The controllers voice was inflexible and firm which gave all pilots that strange reassurance of safety.
The Cessna's 518 cabin was almost noiseless which was a remarkable technology offered in Cessna's newest model 518.
The controllers voice was inflexible and firm which gave all pilots that strange reassurance of safety.
The controller continued "Cleared for 33" "Winds North at 5" "Barometric 29.92" "Cleared for landing" Andy was sure it was Bud that time. Andy pressed his transmit button "It's Bud Time" Over
The controller clicked back "Andy, it's always Bud Time Cleared to 33, Over."
The controller clicked back "Andy, it's always Bud Time Cleared to 33, Over."
Andy looked over at his student pilot and told her she was pilot in command as he let go of the flight wheel. He had been maintaining a light touch on the flight wheel to help her make those dozens of small to tiny adjustments during the approach over Washington D.C. Andy looked out the right window and could see the airport and the runway 33 which they would land on in just a minute of so.
It was smooth flying and she gently took hold of the flight wheel and maintained the glide path of the aircraft with minor adjustments.
It was smooth flying and she gently took hold of the flight wheel and maintained the glide path of the aircraft with minor adjustments.
"Look at the runway" Andy glanced at the instruments and watched her do a pretty good job this time staying in line with runway 33.
She was now flying over the Potomac River at about one thousand eight feet (AGL) above ground level and their runway was clearly in sight now.
She was now flying over the Potomac River at about one thousand eight feet (AGL) above ground level and their runway was clearly in sight now.
"Watch your altitude, you're a little high, lower your nose" She responded to Andy's suggestions and made the required adjustments.
Every new pilot got a little touchy making a landing approach because it was a very busy time. Closer to the ground now the Cessna bumped around a little bit crossing through various winds and directions.
Every new pilot got a little touchy making a landing approach because it was a very busy time. Closer to the ground now the Cessna bumped around a little bit crossing through various winds and directions.
"Watch your airspeed" She also noticed that she was just a bit too fast and reduced her power settings at about the same time Andy advised her airspeed, landing gear down.
Andy knew she was thinking and adjusting so she was doing a lot better than last week.
Andy knew she was thinking and adjusting so she was doing a lot better than last week.
She continued to lower the flaps of the aircraft which would create a great deal of lift at lower speeds but tends to force the nose of the aircraft up at the same time.
"Put your nose down" Andy made a hand full of suggestions as the runway was getting closer and closer. "Look out the windshield." She was doing just fine and the Cessna's airspeed and angle of attack should set her up for a perfect landing, her first.
The black pavement of runway 33 filled the windshield at two hundred feet as the student pilot pulled up slightly on the flight wheel just as the Cessna passed over the end of the runway.
The aircraft's nose was now higher than the horizon and the windshield displayed blue skies and just a little bit on runway in the lowest area of the glass. The nose a little higher than the horizon and the tail lower their landing gear wheels should gently touch down in a few seconds.
The aircraft's nose was now higher than the horizon and the windshield displayed blue skies and just a little bit on runway in the lowest area of the glass. The nose a little higher than the horizon and the tail lower their landing gear wheels should gently touch down in a few seconds.
The left wing dropped a bit too much in flight so Andy made the immediate correction by nudging the wheel to the right without saying a word. They were on the runway and she had just about hit the wide center line painted white on the runway.
His student pilot reduced the powerful engines to their idle positions and gently applied her wheel brakes.
They crossed over runway 22 and continued down their authorized runway 33 and continued to reduce the aircraft's ground speed.
They would travel runway 33 until they crossed over another runway 19 and then turn left on the authorized taxiway leading to the airport's terminal area.
His student pilot reduced the powerful engines to their idle positions and gently applied her wheel brakes.
They crossed over runway 22 and continued down their authorized runway 33 and continued to reduce the aircraft's ground speed.
They would travel runway 33 until they crossed over another runway 19 and then turn left on the authorized taxiway leading to the airport's terminal area.
The Cessna 518 was moving along at thirty miles per hour now on the ground taxiway heading to the far off hanger of Ledgers "THE LOFTY FLYING SCHOOL" on the extreme northern corner of the airport.
His student had a smile as she could now simply drive the aircraft much like an automobile without the use of the rudders like older planes.
She had made this trip several times before but with all the commercial aircraft moving on the ground taxiway's it could be intimidating even for an experienced pilot.
The bigger jets were just that, very big and powerful. The commercial engines produced jet blasts that would rock the not so little Cessna like a toy.
She had made this trip several times before but with all the commercial aircraft moving on the ground taxiway's it could be intimidating even for an experienced pilot.
The bigger jets were just that, very big and powerful. The commercial engines produced jet blasts that would rock the not so little Cessna like a toy.
The parking ramp area of the Lofty Flying School was right in front of Andy's red building so it was easy to spot from this distance. Andy noticed that another plane was moving over his ramp for some reason but they had plenty of time to get out of the way as they approached his private ramp.
He had painted his building red so it would stand out and all his customers were simple told "we're in the red building."
He had painted his building red so it would stand out and all his customers were simple told "we're in the red building."
As the Cessna 518 passed over the last yellow line on the taxiway his student slowed the plane again to a ground speed of about five miles per hour and they entered his private ramp area which was just really a giant parking lot of black pavement.
Andy had painted a nose circle on the pavement and every pilot played the game. The idea was to put the nose wheel right in the middle of circle so his student was slow and easy.
Andy had painted a nose circle on the pavement and every pilot played the game. The idea was to put the nose wheel right in the middle of circle so his student was slow and easy.
As he looked out his student pilots left window he noticed about a hundred yards down the line the (MTS) Military Terminal Services ramp was busy.
Several jets were nosed up into the receiving hub that loaded up passengers and received others and government officials filled that place just about twenty four hours a day.
The MTS had really been busy the last couple of years and the generals and their staff members would fly into Reagan International and hop on interstate 395 and arrive inside Washington D.C. in just twenty minutes or so.
Several jets were nosed up into the receiving hub that loaded up passengers and received others and government officials filled that place just about twenty four hours a day.
The MTS had really been busy the last couple of years and the generals and their staff members would fly into Reagan International and hop on interstate 395 and arrive inside Washington D.C. in just twenty minutes or so.
Most of the Congress would arrive at Reagan and their government cars by the dozens would be parked in front of the Military Terminal Services airport building to pick up the leaders of the free world.
Andy's flight student parked his brand new Cessna 518 right on the spot along side of his red building that housed his ground school and offices and also his charter business. She was pleased Andy could tell because she knew she had a perfect park which meant Andy would have to buy her a cold Coke out of the machine in his lobby.
Andy Ledger had started his charter business several years ago and business was good but even in good times they had down time. Today's student would pay over three thousand dollars for this little cross country flight but she would also log over three hours of valuable flight time.
Andy Ledger had started his charter business several years ago and business was good but even in good times they had down time. Today's student would pay over three thousand dollars for this little cross country flight but she would also log over three hours of valuable flight time.
Andy's Air Charter business "HIGHFLY" was earning him a good living but at times the flight school paid even more.
The Lofty Flying School would handle just a hand full of students at a time mostly because of the scheduling of aircraft.
Andy owned a total of four prop planes with the newest one being the Cessna 518 that had just been tenderly parked outside his office area. The new Cessna was his pride and joy and also the reason he never had any money. The multi-engine plane was the best small passenger plane on the market today and Andy had mortgaged everything to qualify for the loan.
The Lofty Flying School would handle just a hand full of students at a time mostly because of the scheduling of aircraft.
Andy owned a total of four prop planes with the newest one being the Cessna 518 that had just been tenderly parked outside his office area. The new Cessna was his pride and joy and also the reason he never had any money. The multi-engine plane was the best small passenger plane on the market today and Andy had mortgaged everything to qualify for the loan.
Andy opened his door and the fresh air was November cool and he smiled at his student pilot which hadn't said a word since they landed.
"You can breathe now." Andy was making sure she wasn't still holding her breath as her returned smile made him smile.
"You did good Vicky, not bad young lady." Andy looked at her and didn't ever remember being that young let alone having enough money to train in a multi-engine high tech airplane.
When he had started flying it was in a Cessna but it was about the size of a big grasshopper but it had him hooked from the very first minute.
When he had started flying it was in a Cessna but it was about the size of a big grasshopper but it had him hooked from the very first minute.
His student pilot had passed the ground school part of her flight training and she was several hours into her actual flight training. She would make a pretty good pilot and she was sharp and quick and that was about half the battle. Modern aircraft were easy to fly compared to planes years ago. With all the gadgets the computer voices talked to you, the G.P.S. autopilot would take you to and from anyplace on earth.
Vicky opened her side of the aircraft and stepped out onto the Cessna wings making sure she was firmly on the walking strips that protected the wing and allowed her sure footing.
Vicky took off her aviator sunglasses and her baseball cap and her long black hair fell over her shoulders making her look like a girl again.
She shook her head like Andy's dog and the effort made her hair almost fluff back up the way she liked it. They closed the aircraft doors and tied up the aircraft and chocked the wheels making sure it didn't move off the parking spot.
She shook her head like Andy's dog and the effort made her hair almost fluff back up the way she liked it. They closed the aircraft doors and tied up the aircraft and chocked the wheels making sure it didn't move off the parking spot.
Andy patted the Cessna on the right wing as they walked to the front glass door of the red building as if it was his best friend.
Vicky stepped in front of him and opened the door and the little brass bell rang announcing their arrival as they stepped into warmth of electric heat.
Vicky stepped in front of him and opened the door and the little brass bell rang announcing their arrival as they stepped into warmth of electric heat.
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Early Saturday morning Andy was leaning against the counter typing up his computerized flight schedule into the FAA data base. It was a nice little Charter flight to Long Island New York to pick up Mr. Hodges and his three guests. The Hodges family and big money and were a lot of fun on charter flights.
Andy would fly out to Long Island and pick up the Hodge party and end up on the Vineyard so they could play golf or something.
Andy would fly out to Long Island and pick up the Hodge party and end up on the Vineyard so they could play golf or something.
Andy typed in his departure time from Reagan International Airport and his E.T.A. time estimation concerning his arrival at MacArthur Airport on Long Island.
Andy would then fly from Long Island MacArthur to Martha's Vineyard Airport where the rich and famous play. It was a regional flight and the weather was good. The only bad weather was North into Alaska but shouldn't play into his flight.
Andy would then fly from Long Island MacArthur to Martha's Vineyard Airport where the rich and famous play. It was a regional flight and the weather was good. The only bad weather was North into Alaska but shouldn't play into his flight.
Andy's Cessna 518 could make the Hodges six hour automobile trip into a two hour flight over islands and oceans which is a lot more fun and it also paid $24,900 to Andy for a few hours work.
Andy hit the computer enter button and the FAA data base shot him a flight number as the trip was now registered with the government. The FAA flight plans showed the entire trip start to finish and a projected time line.
If the Cessna didn't show up at certain times people started looking.
Most little planes don't file a plan which is a big mistake. If you go down over the ocean or on a mountain top you want people looking for you along a certain flight path.
Andy hit the computer enter button and the FAA data base shot him a flight number as the trip was now registered with the government. The FAA flight plans showed the entire trip start to finish and a projected time line.
If the Cessna didn't show up at certain times people started looking.
Most little planes don't file a plan which is a big mistake. If you go down over the ocean or on a mountain top you want people looking for you along a certain flight path.
Andy walked outside into the predawn darkness and untied the Cessna twin engine airplane and opened the pilot side door on the left side as he noticed the car lights approaching.
He tossed in his flight bag and grabbed up the pre-flight sheet after he climbed into the cabin.
Andy started checking his instruments and systems and tapped on his computer screens out of the habit of tapping old fashioned instruments.
The cockpit smelled like new leather and the dust on the instrument glass bothered him so he opened up the map box and grabbed the cleaning cloth. A new plane shouldn't have dust so he started cleaning and dusting the instrument screens.
He tossed in his flight bag and grabbed up the pre-flight sheet after he climbed into the cabin.
Andy started checking his instruments and systems and tapped on his computer screens out of the habit of tapping old fashioned instruments.
The cockpit smelled like new leather and the dust on the instrument glass bothered him so he opened up the map box and grabbed the cleaning cloth. A new plane shouldn't have dust so he started cleaning and dusting the instrument screens.
He saw Vicky drive up and she jumped out of her little sports car and parked off to the side of the building.
Andy watched her approach with a leather flight bag and she even looked like a pilot which made Andy smile even more. He really liked the lady as she carried herself well and was a lot of fun.
Andy knew her daddy had some money and her thirty something life-style told the story. She had the foreign sports car and lived in a super nice condo on the water.
She had told Andy she had wanted to be a cop but her family didn't like the idea of their baby girl chasing drug dealers and bank robbers. Her college career of four years opened the door to law school and she had just passed the bar exam and had a job somewhere in Washington D.C.
Her five foot seven frame fit nicely into her black pants and the white shirt looked professional and crisp. She looked like a commercial airline pilot which was the entire idea because she would be flying with Andy today to get some free flight time and make the coffee.
Andy watched her approach with a leather flight bag and she even looked like a pilot which made Andy smile even more. He really liked the lady as she carried herself well and was a lot of fun.
Andy knew her daddy had some money and her thirty something life-style told the story. She had the foreign sports car and lived in a super nice condo on the water.
She had told Andy she had wanted to be a cop but her family didn't like the idea of their baby girl chasing drug dealers and bank robbers. Her college career of four years opened the door to law school and she had just passed the bar exam and had a job somewhere in Washington D.C.
Her five foot seven frame fit nicely into her black pants and the white shirt looked professional and crisp. She looked like a commercial airline pilot which was the entire idea because she would be flying with Andy today to get some free flight time and make the coffee.
It had been several months, in fact almost a year now and Vicky had become a good pilot and had earned her multi-engine certificate pilots license.
She didn't have a lot of experience yet but she appreciated the offer to fly right seat to Long Island and then to Martha's Vineyard. It was the old practice of working for free flight time that Vicky learned very quickly.
She could fly some for free and then she could work the cabin and help the Hodges family if they wanted coffee or something. Every new pilot carried bags, washed and waxed planes or just about anything else for free air time. Andy never asked Vicky but he had a feeling that she was broke most of the time and her family helped her now and then.
She didn't have a lot of experience yet but she appreciated the offer to fly right seat to Long Island and then to Martha's Vineyard. It was the old practice of working for free flight time that Vicky learned very quickly.
She could fly some for free and then she could work the cabin and help the Hodges family if they wanted coffee or something. Every new pilot carried bags, washed and waxed planes or just about anything else for free air time. Andy never asked Vicky but he had a feeling that she was broke most of the time and her family helped her now and then.
Vicky had her pilots license but didn't have her commercial license so by law she couldn't fly the Cessna with paying passengers on board. What she could do is fly the plane when it was just her and Andy and log the hours as he was her official flight instructor.
Once the Hodge group got on board she would be a flight attendant and serve coffee and light cigars if they wanted and Andy would add dusting the cabin.
Andy had done the same things years ago and washed many planes trying to get free flight time. Vicky was a trooper and she enjoyed flying and seemed a natural with straight and level flying but she had a ways to go on navigation.
Anybody with a brain could use the instruments to navigate but turn all the junk off and you had to be a mountain man. Flying from peak to peak, lake to lake, building to building was the old way and it could save your life someday. Andy had planned to do some seat of your pants flying today if they had time.
Andy had done the same things years ago and washed many planes trying to get free flight time. Vicky was a trooper and she enjoyed flying and seemed a natural with straight and level flying but she had a ways to go on navigation.
Anybody with a brain could use the instruments to navigate but turn all the junk off and you had to be a mountain man. Flying from peak to peak, lake to lake, building to building was the old way and it could save your life someday. Andy had planned to do some seat of your pants flying today if they had time.
"Hello Andy Ledger" Vicky peeked inside the pilot in command door "You're in my sit?" Vicky pushed at his leg a bit like she was trying to push him out of the pilots seat.
Andy gave her a quick smile and told her they had about ten minutes "so pull the chocks" as he kept working the preflight list and had finished his dusting.
"I'm flying to Long Island right?" Vicky was planning to fly today so was ready to go.
"It's your plane today because I brought a book." Andy held up his latest political science book and tucked it inside the map box on the right side.
Andy gave her a quick smile and told her they had about ten minutes "so pull the chocks" as he kept working the preflight list and had finished his dusting.
"I'm flying to Long Island right?" Vicky was planning to fly today so was ready to go.
"It's your plane today because I brought a book." Andy held up his latest political science book and tucked it inside the map box on the right side.
Andy checked off the preflight list and climbed onto the left wing and then stepped down to the damp pavement. The area got a little rain last night but it was moving South and East so it was going to be a clear day with just a few puffy clouds. He liked the cool dampness and the air was perfect for pushing over the wings to create lift.
Vicky had already pulled the wheel chocks and came back around and joined Andy for the preflight check. You have to check everything on the ground unless you wanted to be a wing-walker which Andy didn't recommend.
Vicky had already pulled the wheel chocks and came back around and joined Andy for the preflight check. You have to check everything on the ground unless you wanted to be a wing-walker which Andy didn't recommend.
Andy took a step away from the wing "alright lady, check my baby." which gave Vicky the go ahead to start the walk around check.
You could tell that she had the routine but you had to be careful about routines because you stop thinking and just go through the steps.
You could tell that she had the routine but you had to be careful about routines because you stop thinking and just go through the steps.
She bled some fuel out of the left tank to make sure water had not been introduced into the aviation fuel and then pulled and pushed at the propeller and continued to the nose of the Cessna.
Andy could smell the fuel that hit the ground and in a strange sweet way he liked the odor of oil, fuel and rubber the components of any flying machine.
Andy could smell the fuel that hit the ground and in a strange sweet way he liked the odor of oil, fuel and rubber the components of any flying machine.
Vicky checked the leading edges of both wings and pulled at each propeller to see if they may fall off. She checked the tires and landing gear and even played around with the tail section almost bouncing off the smaller wings.
She walked around the entire plan and checked everything and the Cessna was almost ready to leave the ground.
She walked around the entire plan and checked everything and the Cessna was almost ready to leave the ground.
Vicky jumped up on the wing and opened the fuel caps and looked inside to see if she could see the fuel levels.
Vicky was satisfied that they had fuel, wings and props so she was ready to go but Andy wasn't that satisfied
"check the oil!"
as he walked back to the red building and made sure the front door was locked.
Vicky didn't like to check the oil because you just about had to crawl inside the engine compartment to grab at the dip stick.
Vicky was satisfied that they had fuel, wings and props so she was ready to go but Andy wasn't that satisfied
"check the oil!"
as he walked back to the red building and made sure the front door was locked.
Vicky didn't like to check the oil because you just about had to crawl inside the engine compartment to grab at the dip stick.
He turned around and saw Vicky stretch her body through the engine cowling to pull the oil dip stick to check the engine oil levels.
Andy noticed that Vicky had a really nice figure and he admired her stretch into the one engine compartment longer than he should have but, he did the same thing with engine number two.
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Vicky was sitting in the pilot in command seat on the left side and she was strapped in and her headset in place over one ear.
Andy was doing the same thing on the right side
"it's your plane Vicky"
which meant he was going to take a nap maybe or maybe read one of the hundreds of books contained in her personal library.
Andy was doing the same thing on the right side
"it's your plane Vicky"
which meant he was going to take a nap maybe or maybe read one of the hundreds of books contained in her personal library.
The Cessna 518 left port side engine number one turned a few times before the powerful 614 horsepower engine coughed up a little smoke and Vicky looked out the port side window.
As the engine grew in power she checked her instruments for oil pressure, manifold pressure and a host of other key areas.
Vicky being satisfied with engine number one she flipped the two switches up and on and turned the engine number two key and looked out the right window.
As the engine grew in power she checked her instruments for oil pressure, manifold pressure and a host of other key areas.
Vicky being satisfied with engine number one she flipped the two switches up and on and turned the engine number two key and looked out the right window.
The number two engine came to life and the vibrations in the flight cabin were now balanced and the entire air-frame vibrated through her hands holding the flight control wheel.
She like the feel of power in her hands and scanned the instruments making sure the two engines were within their upper and lower control limits.
Vicky touched and pushed her radio transmitter button;
She like the feel of power in her hands and scanned the instruments making sure the two engines were within their upper and lower control limits.
Vicky touched and pushed her radio transmitter button;
"Reagan Control this is "November one eight five four seven Whiskey" "Over."
Vicky had come a long way and her voice was confident and the controller responded by radio "Go Ahead 47".
Vicky had come a long way and her voice was confident and the controller responded by radio "Go Ahead 47".
The controller was crisp and clear for a Saturday morning and displayed the same confidence that Vicky was showing.
"November one eight five four seven Whiskey" "requesting take off instructions on FAA S01125K MacArthur Long Island."
Vicky quickly gave the controller the FAA flight plan number which he would type into his computer to activate the flight plan.
Vicky quickly gave the controller the FAA flight plan number which he would type into his computer to activate the flight plan.
"47 Whiskey" "Cleared to move to runway 15." "Hold at taxiway, roger?"
With these instructions Vicky move the throttles forward and the thrust started to move the Cessna as she steered with the flight wheel. She expertly missed the military jet that had parked just a bit too close to the ramp for her liking.
With these instructions Vicky move the throttles forward and the thrust started to move the Cessna as she steered with the flight wheel. She expertly missed the military jet that had parked just a bit too close to the ramp for her liking.
She moved the Cessna to the end of the taxiway and applied the brakes and checked the instrument panel once more.
During the taxi time she adjusted her trim settings, made sure the flaps were fully up and checked and rechecked. Andy liked what he saw.
She also ran up the engines to maximum power for about five seconds to check their performance and everything was green to go. She adjust a few control knobs and waited.
She transmitted to the tower again using her radio;
During the taxi time she adjusted her trim settings, made sure the flaps were fully up and checked and rechecked. Andy liked what he saw.
She also ran up the engines to maximum power for about five seconds to check their performance and everything was green to go. She adjust a few control knobs and waited.
She transmitted to the tower again using her radio;
"Reagan Control 47 Whiskey holding 15 taxi" Vicky seemed to be yelling almost for some reason as she had both engines at half throttle to check their performance.
Andy glanced her way "We have a silent cabin Vicky" which she knew meant that she was yelling for no reason at all. Vicky smiled back and winked at him and she looked cute and professional at the same time with her baseball cap on backwards.
"47 Whiskey" The controller continued "Cleared for 15" "Winds North at 12 gusts to 20" "Barometric 29.97" "Cleared for takeoff 15" "Good Day"
Vicky pointed the Cessna 518 to the end of runway 15 and steered hard right and put the Cessna's nose perfectly on the center line. With her right hand she adjusted the barometer to 29.97 which assured exact altitude indications.
Vicky pointed the Cessna 518 to the end of runway 15 and steered hard right and put the Cessna's nose perfectly on the center line. With her right hand she adjusted the barometer to 29.97 which assured exact altitude indications.
It was still dark outside so the landing lights of the Cessna and the runway side lights and center line markings made everything look different. Just like driving a car during the day and driving at night. Everything looks different and it felt different as she ran up the engines.
Vicky had never taken off at night with the Cessna 518 and it looked felt odd for many reason. You could see lights at the end of the runway but you couldn't see the runway. She knew the river was at the end of the runway so she had to trust her training and instruments to climb away from earth.
Vicky had never taken off at night with the Cessna 518 and it looked felt odd for many reason. You could see lights at the end of the runway but you couldn't see the runway. She knew the river was at the end of the runway so she had to trust her training and instruments to climb away from earth.
She didn't want to mess this up so she was deep in concentration.
Andy noticed her tension and hesitation
"relax the runways out there and long enough"
he placed his left hand on the throttles on top of Vicky's hand and helped her push to full power. Her hands were soft and warm but he noticed her strength as she grasped the throttle controls.
She clicked on the radio button;
Andy noticed her tension and hesitation
"relax the runways out there and long enough"
he placed his left hand on the throttles on top of Vicky's hand and helped her push to full power. Her hands were soft and warm but he noticed her strength as she grasped the throttle controls.
She clicked on the radio button;
"47 Whiskey rolling." This would be that last thing the controller would want to hear as he understood the message.
The Cessna 518 flying to Long Island New York this morning was at full power rolling down runway 15 getting ready to leave the ground. The air traffic controller would now be looking at the plane moving down the runway to verify their rolling message.
The Cessna 518 flying to Long Island New York this morning was at full power rolling down runway 15 getting ready to leave the ground. The air traffic controller would now be looking at the plane moving down the runway to verify their rolling message.
Vicky had decided that Andy's hand gave her just enough confidence not to be afraid of the dark and truly enjoyed the power of the two engines gaining considerable speed and pushing her back into her seat.
The force reminded her of the sports car accelerating from 0 to sixty and she loved the feeling. The Cessna would take her way beyond sixty miles per hour and very quickly. The Cessna would win any quarter mile drag race as she felt her body being pushed back hard into the soft leather padded pilots seat.
The force reminded her of the sports car accelerating from 0 to sixty and she loved the feeling. The Cessna would take her way beyond sixty miles per hour and very quickly. The Cessna would win any quarter mile drag race as she felt her body being pushed back hard into the soft leather padded pilots seat.
As the Cessna 518 gained speed closer to the rotation flying speed Vicky didn't blink or look away from the center-line. Andy could feel her hand below his push on the throttles to make sure they were full open and he watched her glance at her ground speed.
Andy wasn't planning to say a word but also watched the center-line and the instruments and their position on the runway.
It was truly difficult not to fly the plane when your the instructor and the owner. Andy felt the same forces pushing him back into his right side co-pilot seat with the engines and the props pushing air over the wings faster and faster.
Andy wasn't planning to say a word but also watched the center-line and the instruments and their position on the runway.
It was truly difficult not to fly the plane when your the instructor and the owner. Andy felt the same forces pushing him back into his right side co-pilot seat with the engines and the props pushing air over the wings faster and faster.
At the exact time of rotation speed Vicky pulled up on the flight wheel very gently and the Cessna 518 climbed to about three hundred feet almost instantly.
Vicky climbed off the runway and turned right onto her new heading and was over the Potomac and climbing slightly as she lowered the nose to gain airspeed and raised the landing gear.
Takeoff was the most dangerous time flying an airplane because every system was at maximum capacity. The engines were at maximum output and if anything went wrong you're too close to the ground to recover.
Vicky climbed off the runway and turned right onto her new heading and was over the Potomac and climbing slightly as she lowered the nose to gain airspeed and raised the landing gear.
Takeoff was the most dangerous time flying an airplane because every system was at maximum capacity. The engines were at maximum output and if anything went wrong you're too close to the ground to recover.
Vicky assured the gear was up and climbed to the altitude of two thousand three hundred feet and turned toward Brandywine transponder, just like a pro she would become some day.
..
..
Morgan Hodges was very rich and you would guess that he was one of the richest of the rich.
He lived in the Hodges Mansion that was constructed in 1918 during the enchanted days of great American wealth and enjoyed a charmed life that only the super rich could enjoy.
He lived in the Hodges Mansion that was constructed in 1918 during the enchanted days of great American wealth and enjoyed a charmed life that only the super rich could enjoy.
The Hodges family estates at one time consisted of over two thousand acres of prime coastal property on the north side of Long Island. They called it the Gold Coast for a reason as all the old barons had built massive mansions, gardens and club houses on Long Island and five hundred of the biggest and best were located within the Gold Coast area.
Over the years the fortunes continued to grow but just like all old money they had their thin years. The Hodges had a lot of connections on Wall Street and Main Street as they owned the largest chain of high class retail stores on the east coast.
The Albert and Hodges department stores consisted of eight hundred and four stand alone stores and their revenues were several billion dollars per quarter. Andy and Vicky had shopped there as most everybody did during Christmas. They were famous for their impressive display windows and traditional shopping that the middle and upper middle class shoppers kept them going decade after decade.
The Albert and Hodges department stores consisted of eight hundred and four stand alone stores and their revenues were several billion dollars per quarter. Andy and Vicky had shopped there as most everybody did during Christmas. They were famous for their impressive display windows and traditional shopping that the middle and upper middle class shoppers kept them going decade after decade.
The Rothschild and Hodges family were from the old country of Germany and the Rothschild banking empire financed the Hodges department stores even before they were department stores.
The named brands of "Victoria" "Baronet" and "Dynasty" connected the names of Rothschild and Hodges in the American consumer market forever.
Andy loved history and enjoyed learning about the powerful railroad men, retailers, oil drillers, land and cattle investors and inventors that created the new wealth of the world.
The named brands of "Victoria" "Baronet" and "Dynasty" connected the names of Rothschild and Hodges in the American consumer market forever.
Andy loved history and enjoyed learning about the powerful railroad men, retailers, oil drillers, land and cattle investors and inventors that created the new wealth of the world.
Morgan Hodges was said to be worth several billion dollars and was always listed on the Forbes rich man list. Andy had flown Mr. Hodges several times in the past but Morgan Hodges had never taken a flight on Andy's new Cessna 518 that he would soon see for the first time. Morgan could afford his own private jet but he liked the idea of a private charter pilot on call to fly him around to the smaller airports and resorts.
When Andy Ledger was a pilot for Manhattan Air he first flew Morgan Hodges and his wife back and forth to Martha Vineyards from their Long Island New York estate.
These smaller airplanes were perfect for their fast life-style as they could land at all the smaller airports and resorts and kind of skip over borders without customs and passports. Andy had flown Morgan Hodges into Canada more than once just to pick up a few cases of liquor without going through customs. Rich people liked to break the law because they thought it was fun to cheat the government out of $58 in liquor taxes. Morgan also enjoyed all the Navy stores that Andy could tell and even just a bit about his combat days flying jets.
These smaller airplanes were perfect for their fast life-style as they could land at all the smaller airports and resorts and kind of skip over borders without customs and passports. Andy had flown Morgan Hodges into Canada more than once just to pick up a few cases of liquor without going through customs. Rich people liked to break the law because they thought it was fun to cheat the government out of $58 in liquor taxes. Morgan also enjoyed all the Navy stores that Andy could tell and even just a bit about his combat days flying jets.
Andy's Cessna 518 had twelve leather bound seats but all but four had been removed from this flight. The four executive chairs inserted into the cabin were "Captain Chairs" and the rest of the open space was filled with an open liquor bar and two dining tables were food and other snacks would be made available. the cabin would hold twelve passengers with total comfort so with only four chairs you could walk around, toss a football or sit at the bar and enjoy your drink. The Cessna 518 was one step down from a corporate jet and was a lot less expensive. Andy could cruise at 378 miles per hour ground speed at twelve thousand feet at a seventy five percent power setting. If you couldn't afford a corporate jet you bought the 518 which Andy had done.
The head room in the Cessna 518 was much larger than a commercial passenger jet as you could stand up and walk around, visit the restrooms in the rear, brew fresh coffee and even sported an electric oven for baking and warming.
The technology connections allowed you to watch local news or movies and even make phone calls or check your email.
Andy knew he didn't have $4.3 million dollars to buy the Cessna 518 but he also knew he never would if he didn't go first class for the first class customers. Morgan Hodges wasn't his only first class rich customer he had several out of Long Island thanks to Morgan and his friends.
The technology connections allowed you to watch local news or movies and even make phone calls or check your email.
Andy knew he didn't have $4.3 million dollars to buy the Cessna 518 but he also knew he never would if he didn't go first class for the first class customers. Morgan Hodges wasn't his only first class rich customer he had several out of Long Island thanks to Morgan and his friends.
Andy hadn't seen Morgan Hodges since Mr. Hodges wife had passed away several months ago. Andy saw this as a good sign that Morgan was getting around a little and charted the flight because he was a good guy and could be a lot of fun. Morgan had even called one of his bankers and helped Andy buy the 518 and pushed a little until Andy received the loan.
Seventy two miles outside of MacArthur Airport Long Island New York Andy's cell phone rang and it was from Cathy at the office.
"Andy can you hear me?" Andy kind of wondered why the women he knew didn't trust technology.
Andy still knew people that yelled when they talked long distance seemingly creating a better connection.
Andy still knew people that yelled when they talked long distance seemingly creating a better connection.
"Good morning Cathy." to be honest it did feel odd to take a phone call at eight thousand feet over the ocean.
"I've got news from Morgan, he canceled the flight." Cathy was still talking too loud for their perfect cell phone connection.
Andy's face most likely turned just a little bit red "what do you mean Cathy?" as he looked around the cockpit as Vicky sipped her coffee.
"He had to cancel and said he was sorry." Cathy was just about done when she added "He'll pay the invoice and kick in a tip." Cathy started to repeat the message in different ways.
"O.K. we got it Cathy." Andy just sat for a few seconds. "We're going to proceed to Long Island we'll call you from there." Now it seemed like Andy was talking too loud talking to Cathy.
Andy closed up the phone and silently said "shit" and started playing with some of the instruments.
Andy gave Vicky a quick glance and they made eye contact "We're not going to pick up Morgan!" "He had to cancel!" for some reason which Andy didn't know but Morgan said he would pay the tab for the aborted trip.
Andy closed up the phone and silently said "shit" and started playing with some of the instruments.
Andy gave Vicky a quick glance and they made eye contact "We're not going to pick up Morgan!" "He had to cancel!" for some reason which Andy didn't know but Morgan said he would pay the tab for the aborted trip.
..
..
"Hodges killed the trip." Andy didn't even turn around to face Vicky because he was too busy thinking and pushing a few buttons. "He killed it but he'll pay anyway!" Andy gave another glance to Vicky as she turned his way.
"Where do we go?" Vicky was still on the heading to MacArthur airport on Long Island.
"We'll go to MacArthur and have lunch, Morgans buying the fuel." so Vicky checked her headings and continued on their way.
Andy felt the bump just like Vicky did and they both smiled at the same time. They had crashed into the invisible wall of air with different density that jerked the plane around. The Cessna bounced up and then down and slid to the right which was keeping Vicky busy.
"Vicky!" "Lets go up and get some better air." Andy gave her the suggestion and she quickly dialed in the radio to the New York controller.
"New York Air Traffic this is November one eight five four seven Whiskey" the message went out at the speed of sound. "Over"
The controller responded;
"Five Four Seven Whiskey?"
"New York Air, Five Four Seven Whiskey looking for better air?"
These was a couple of seconds delay. Andy knew the controller was looking at them on their radar and also checking weather radar for smoother air. They would also check the flight plan at the click of a computer button and become their tour director and travel agent for the moment.
"Five Four Seven Whiskey, change your heading to 045 right and climb to fifteen five, Over!"
Vicky glanced over to Andy like she was asking for permission but Andy had picked up a book and was reading about the Authoritarian Socialist government of the United States.
"New York Air Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey turning to 045 will climb to fifteen thousand five hundred and maintain." Vicky started a nice gradual turn to her right and started to increase the engines power and pull back on the flight wheel. The Cessna's nose was up just a little and the climb indicator showed Vicky gaining altitude at six hundred feet a minute.
In just a few minutes the air flow was a lot smoother and Vicky had made her adjustments and was cruising at 15.5 at the proper heading. She also laid out a new line to MacArthur Airport because of the change of headings. It would only add about ten minutes or so to the flight so she glanced out of her left window and noticed the ocean below.
She really liked navigation but it took a while to learn and get that comfort level. Flying and navigating is two different things that you must do at the exact same time. Vicky had a good grasp on the flight wheel when she saw the tiny dot approaching from the right side.
Vicky selected her radio button;
"New York Air Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey advise traffic my area?" Vicky pushed on Andy's arm to get his attention because he was really into his new book.
"Two o'clock just a little high!" she pointed out the right window.
Andy looked out his side and saw the dot in the sky.
"New York Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey military traffic at eighteen thousand feet."
It was a military flight which hundreds filled the skies every day of the year.
"New York Air Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey can I request a lower altitude for comfort?" Vicky didn't ask Andy and didn't even look his way.
"New York Traffic, Student Pilot Five Four Seven Whiskey maintain heading cleared to ten thousand feet at your leisure."
Vicky looked at Andy this time "What pissed him off!" "I'm not a damn student pilot!" Vicky had some fire in her eyes.
Andy looked her way "You made him work." "You have plenty of vertical clearance so you're making him work for nothing." he glanced out his right window and noticed the far away dot getting bigger.
Vicky reduced her power by ten percent and lowered the nose and starting moving closer to the ground. She made a nice easy decent and by the time the military jet passed over they had over a mile an a half vertical clearance.
Vicky looked up at the jet approaching them from above "That's fucking Air Force One Andy!" she pointed at what he was already watching out his window.
"The Presidents not on it Vicky." It's just another jumbo jet until the man's on board and Andy knew they would never be that close to Air Force One with the President on board.
..
..
"Where do we go?" Vicky was still on the heading to MacArthur airport on Long Island.
"We'll go to MacArthur and have lunch, Morgans buying the fuel." so Vicky checked her headings and continued on their way.
Andy felt the bump just like Vicky did and they both smiled at the same time. They had crashed into the invisible wall of air with different density that jerked the plane around. The Cessna bounced up and then down and slid to the right which was keeping Vicky busy.
"Vicky!" "Lets go up and get some better air." Andy gave her the suggestion and she quickly dialed in the radio to the New York controller.
"New York Air Traffic this is November one eight five four seven Whiskey" the message went out at the speed of sound. "Over"
The controller responded;
"Five Four Seven Whiskey?"
"New York Air, Five Four Seven Whiskey looking for better air?"
These was a couple of seconds delay. Andy knew the controller was looking at them on their radar and also checking weather radar for smoother air. They would also check the flight plan at the click of a computer button and become their tour director and travel agent for the moment.
"Five Four Seven Whiskey, change your heading to 045 right and climb to fifteen five, Over!"
Vicky glanced over to Andy like she was asking for permission but Andy had picked up a book and was reading about the Authoritarian Socialist government of the United States.
"New York Air Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey turning to 045 will climb to fifteen thousand five hundred and maintain." Vicky started a nice gradual turn to her right and started to increase the engines power and pull back on the flight wheel. The Cessna's nose was up just a little and the climb indicator showed Vicky gaining altitude at six hundred feet a minute.
In just a few minutes the air flow was a lot smoother and Vicky had made her adjustments and was cruising at 15.5 at the proper heading. She also laid out a new line to MacArthur Airport because of the change of headings. It would only add about ten minutes or so to the flight so she glanced out of her left window and noticed the ocean below.
She really liked navigation but it took a while to learn and get that comfort level. Flying and navigating is two different things that you must do at the exact same time. Vicky had a good grasp on the flight wheel when she saw the tiny dot approaching from the right side.
Vicky selected her radio button;
"New York Air Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey advise traffic my area?" Vicky pushed on Andy's arm to get his attention because he was really into his new book.
"Two o'clock just a little high!" she pointed out the right window.
Andy looked out his side and saw the dot in the sky.
"New York Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey military traffic at eighteen thousand feet."
It was a military flight which hundreds filled the skies every day of the year.
"New York Air Traffic, Five Four Seven Whiskey can I request a lower altitude for comfort?" Vicky didn't ask Andy and didn't even look his way.
"New York Traffic, Student Pilot Five Four Seven Whiskey maintain heading cleared to ten thousand feet at your leisure."
Vicky looked at Andy this time "What pissed him off!" "I'm not a damn student pilot!" Vicky had some fire in her eyes.
Andy looked her way "You made him work." "You have plenty of vertical clearance so you're making him work for nothing." he glanced out his right window and noticed the far away dot getting bigger.
Vicky reduced her power by ten percent and lowered the nose and starting moving closer to the ground. She made a nice easy decent and by the time the military jet passed over they had over a mile an a half vertical clearance.
Vicky looked up at the jet approaching them from above "That's fucking Air Force One Andy!" she pointed at what he was already watching out his window.
"The Presidents not on it Vicky." It's just another jumbo jet until the man's on board and Andy knew they would never be that close to Air Force One with the President on board.
..
..
The number two engine light came to life and the computerized warning voice started her warning.
"Warning Oil Pressure." "Warning Oil Pressure." the lights flashed and the verbal warning continued until Andy pushed the reset button.
Andy was pointing at the engine computer screen.
"Look at the fucking oil pressure number two!" Andy still didn't look at Vicky because he grabbed the flight wheel and killed the auto pilot.
"Warning Oil Pressure." "Warning Oil Pressure." the lights flashed and the verbal warning continued until Andy pushed the reset button.
Andy was pointing at the engine computer screen.
"Look at the fucking oil pressure number two!" Andy still didn't look at Vicky because he grabbed the flight wheel and killed the auto pilot.
"I've got it!" his blunt statement was directed to Vicky and it wasn't a request or a question. The R.P.M.'s had already started to drop on engine two and the speed was decreasing most likely to increased internal friction causing tremendous heat.
Andy pulled the throttle back on the starboard right side engine to reduce the manifold pressure and oil pressure. He punched a few buttons on the engine display screens and noticed low levels being indicated on engine number two. The warning was clear something was very wrong with engine two.
The Cessna had multiple systems to protect from failures during long distant flights so Andy had to do some work now. He was going under the cabin and access the wing well to see if he had a leaking connection or a fire hazard, neither was good.
"Vicky, take the wheel, fly the plane, find us a place to land!" Andy unbuckled his seat belt and lifted himself off the leather seat wrapped in a soft and cooling sheep skin cover.
Vicky looked with her big hazel eyes "where you going Andy?"
"God Damn Vicky, call it in, we're going down!" he knew he spoke too loud but she kind of froze when he took the controls for a few seconds. "Feather out number two if that pressure continues to climb and call in our fucking location!" "It's called Mayday God Damit!"
Vicky didn't move and she stared at the instruments too long before she hit the radio's transmit button. The air traffic control system was 100% digital now and with radio's and the satellite links you could reach out to the world with the right equipment and the Cessna 518 had the right equipment.
They were flying under the White Plains New York Air Traffic Controllers so she hit the radio button.
They were flying under the White Plains New York Air Traffic Controllers so she hit the radio button.
The radio's green light came on when she pushed the button;
"White Plains Controller this is Mayday Mayday November one eight five four seven Whiskey"
"Mayday, Please come in over!"
Vicky was almost to tears as she attempted to the fly the Cessna without autopilot in the early morning light, watching the engine control screens as her heart pounded and she was having some problems breathing.
The change in power settings changed the smooth flight in to a rodeo match because the engine power was out of balance and flying straight and level was now a very difficult task.
"Mayday, Please come in over!"
Vicky was almost to tears as she attempted to the fly the Cessna without autopilot in the early morning light, watching the engine control screens as her heart pounded and she was having some problems breathing.
The change in power settings changed the smooth flight in to a rodeo match because the engine power was out of balance and flying straight and level was now a very difficult task.
The controller didn't answer back so Vicky tried again.
"White Plains Control this is a Mayday Emergency call November one eight five four seven Whiskey" "Over White Plains."
Andy came back into the cabin and heard the no response from White Plains
"It must be electrical, you're transmitting but not receiving."
Andy pulled the fuse panel and noticed that at least three 40 amp fuses were melted inside the fuse box.
"It must be electrical, you're transmitting but not receiving."
Andy pulled the fuse panel and noticed that at least three 40 amp fuses were melted inside the fuse box.
Vicky again looked up at Andy searching his eyes for answers.
Andy noticed for the first time that she looked like a little girl that just got in trouble.
Andy noticed for the first time that she looked like a little girl that just got in trouble.
"Go to the G.P.S. flight calculator and find the ground." Andy was being blunt and precise. The G.P.S. calculator would position their airplane and help locate the nearest suitable airport.
"Vicky, keep broadcasting Mayday, don't stop." As you're barking our heading, speed and G.P.S. location you've go to find an airport."
Andy pulled at her arm to turn her head again to look at him.
"Feather that fucking propeller before we vibrate to pieces!"
Andy pulled at her arm to turn her head again to look at him.
"Feather that fucking propeller before we vibrate to pieces!"
Vicky continued to transmit and feathered the starboard propeller to change its angle into the cold air at eight thousand feet.
Vicky had her hands full as they had lost altitude and speed in a matter of five seconds or less.
The vibration became less which made her feel good but no pilot is ever ready for what happened next.
Vicky had her hands full as they had lost altitude and speed in a matter of five seconds or less.
The vibration became less which made her feel good but no pilot is ever ready for what happened next.
The right number two engine just stopped and the plane reacted violently as all the power was isolated on the left side port wing. It would be like driving a car and the right side wheels locked up at a hundred miles per hour.
Vicky pulled hard on the wheel and forced the rudder pedals into a flying position but the Cessna's nose went straight down.
Vicky pulled hard on the wheel and forced the rudder pedals into a flying position but the Cessna's nose went straight down.
Vicky screamed "Andy!" "Help Me!" she pulled the throttle back on number one left engine and pulled the nose up and pushed hard on the left rudder. The Cessna was trying to recover but she had cut too much power and the violent change in angle of attack made the entire plane shutter.
The Cessna 518 had systems to help Vicky fly so the auto trim tabs reacted and helped her fly even though it didn't feel like it. The on-board flight computers made thousands of minor adjustments per second to help Vicky right all the wrongs.
The Cessna began to respond to Vicky's controls and started to stabilize but they were now flying at four thousand and two hundred feet well below their flight path.
Vicky had to fly the plane hard and it was hard flying.
She glanced at the G.P.S. emergency screen.
"Andy!" "Breezy Point Long Island New York!"
Vicky didn't wait for Andy to respond she changed her heading and reduced the power to the left port engine maybe just a little too much as the stall warning sounds filled the cabin and emergency lights flashed with the automated voice "Stall Indicated" "Stall Indicated" the voice would only stop when Vicky corrected the problem.
"Fucking Bitch!" Vicky was talking to the automated computer voice that Andy thought was sexy. "Shut the fuck up bitch!" as the sexy female voice stopped as Vicky improved her airspeed and continued her change of course.
"Andy!" Vicky was shouting inside the noiseless cockpit and cabin but she didn't get an answer. She thought maybe he had gotten hurt when the ride turned violent but she sure didn't have time to go look.
The G.P.S. indicated less than twenty miles to Breezy Point New York and she had the heading dialed into her navigation system but it wouldn't lock into the computer.
Vicky would fly by compass but she was having trouble maintaining any type of altitude.
The G.P.S. computer screen showed her the distance from the airport and it was closing fast.
She was way too high so Vicky would set up her glide slope and reduce power and add just a little flaps to create some needed lift at low speeds.
The G.P.S. computer screen showed her the distance from the airport and it was closing fast.
She was way too high so Vicky would set up her glide slope and reduce power and add just a little flaps to create some needed lift at low speeds.
She punched up the Breezy Point Private Airport on her navigation screen and the runway data showed only a three thousand foot runway. "Andy!" "Breezy point is less than four thousand feet!"
The Cessna needed a minimum of four thousand feet to land unless you wanted to create a circus act.
Breezy point looked to be a single lane road less than three thousand feet that was built in some guys back yard and had trees on both ends and a damn hill in the middle.
Breezy point looked to be a single lane road less than three thousand feet that was built in some guys back yard and had trees on both ends and a damn hill in the middle.
Vicky checked her compass and her best guess was she had already passed Breezy point so she would have to turn around but that wasn't a good idea with only one engine.
She punched the G.P.S. again and decided on Point Lookout New York almost on the water's edge.
"Andy, Point Lookout!" Vicky didn't expect any type of response but she knew she died and went to hell.
She was flying this death trap down toward the ocean looking for Point Lookout without any navigation except a compass.
"Andy, Point Lookout!" Vicky didn't expect any type of response but she knew she died and went to hell.
She was flying this death trap down toward the ocean looking for Point Lookout without any navigation except a compass.
The right engine stopped a long time ago and she was getting the hang of keeping the Cessna straight and level.
The G.P.S. indicated thirty two miles to Point Lookout and another three thousand foot runway. Vicky increased the left engine number one to full power and retracted the flaps because she was getting way to low for a thirty mile trip.
The G.P.S. indicated thirty two miles to Point Lookout and another three thousand foot runway. Vicky increased the left engine number one to full power and retracted the flaps because she was getting way to low for a thirty mile trip.
The Cessna 518 climbed at a very slow late but increasing the distance from the water made Vicky feel better.
She looked out the right window and got a sick feeling seeing the propeller not moving at all as she struggled with gravity to keep airborne.
She looked out the right window and got a sick feeling seeing the propeller not moving at all as she struggled with gravity to keep airborne.
She was now at twenty five hundred feet and she had never stopped the Mayday calls but no response.
She followed the coast line and saw nothing but water out her right window and land on her left side.
At this altitude you could see cars on the coastal highways and small boats playing on the waves.
What Vicky was looking for was that break in land mass that indicated the end of this island which would be Point Lookout.
At the end of the island there should be a small runway to her left about a mile North of the beach line.
She had tried her best to line up the Cessna for a landing and the runway would be running South to North which was the only good news she had recently.
At this altitude you could see cars on the coastal highways and small boats playing on the waves.
What Vicky was looking for was that break in land mass that indicated the end of this island which would be Point Lookout.
At the end of the island there should be a small runway to her left about a mile North of the beach line.
She had tried her best to line up the Cessna for a landing and the runway would be running South to North which was the only good news she had recently.
Vicky spotted the break in the land mass and spotted the orange wind sock flying straight out from a telephone pole next to the Point Lookout private runway. It was surely a short dirt runway and this was going to be ugly.
She had maybe three miles to go and the angle and speed was right so she added just a little flaps and dropped the landing gear.
The Cessna countered her moves by losing about two hundred feet in altitude in less than a second that made Vicky's stomach rise to her throat.
Just like driving fast over a dip in the road the feeling was fun but could make you sick.
The Cessna countered her moves by losing about two hundred feet in altitude in less than a second that made Vicky's stomach rise to her throat.
Just like driving fast over a dip in the road the feeling was fun but could make you sick.
The sexy bitch started her computerized voice barking "Low Altitude Warning" "Low Altitude Warning" and the warning lights looked like a Christmas tree and the voice wasn't going to stop this time.
Vicky now could see the runway that was marked with a giant white X which meant it was closed.
"That's fucking great!" Vicky wasn't talking to anybody except her lonely self.
Vicky had tears coming to her eyes but she never stopped working the Cessna and didn't take her eyes off the end of the short runway. Everything looked good on her end and God will decide the finish.
"That's fucking great!" Vicky wasn't talking to anybody except her lonely self.
Vicky had tears coming to her eyes but she never stopped working the Cessna and didn't take her eyes off the end of the short runway. Everything looked good on her end and God will decide the finish.
She would never answer the question why she took a couple of seconds and fixed her baseball cap and tucked her hair back inside only about two miles from the end of the runway.
She wasn't prepared at all.
It would shock ever nerve in her body.
It just wasn't fair to be alive.
..
..
Andy jumped into his right seat and pushed the fuel switch to green and the right propeller starting turning as he changed the pitch of the blades and the forward motion of the Cessna started the engine.
Within five seconds the right number two engine was fired up and Andy pulled the controls away from Vicky and forced both throttles to full power, retracted the landing gear, reduced the flaps to zero and banked right while still over the ocean.
The Cessna lurched faster but still too slow and Andy pulled the wheel to his chest a half inch at a time.
Vicky was frozen in her pilot in command seat and tried to help Andy do whatever he was doing.
Vicky knew they had full power so he must have fixed something so she tried the radio again but Andy turned her radio controls off with his left hand.
The Cessna lurched faster but still too slow and Andy pulled the wheel to his chest a half inch at a time.
Vicky was frozen in her pilot in command seat and tried to help Andy do whatever he was doing.
Vicky knew they had full power so he must have fixed something so she tried the radio again but Andy turned her radio controls off with his left hand.
The full power of the Cessna 518 could frighten you as you were forced back into your seats and pulling G's meant the pressure could hurt you for a while.
Andy pushed the nose down and which freaked out Vicky but almost immediately pulled the wheel straight back and the two powerful engines forced the plane almost straight up.
Andy pushed the nose down and which freaked out Vicky but almost immediately pulled the wheel straight back and the two powerful engines forced the plane almost straight up.
The engines screamed outside but you could barely hear them inside the noiseless cockpit but the flight instruments indicated the strain on everything inside the aircraft.
The climb only lasted a couple of seconds and Andy pushed the nose down hard which created that roller coaster feeling inside your body. Andy leveled the nose and backed off the throttles and maintained two thousand feet above sea level.
The climb only lasted a couple of seconds and Andy pushed the nose down hard which created that roller coaster feeling inside your body. Andy leveled the nose and backed off the throttles and maintained two thousand feet above sea level.
Andy activated his side of the radio "White Plains Control November one eight five four seven Whiskey" "Over"
"Four Seven Whiskey"
"White Plaines, November one eight five four seven Whiskey simulation concluded" "Over"
"Four Seven Whiskey we were watching." "I think you have a pilot there not a student Four Seven Whiskey." "Have a good day."
Andy changed course again that would put them outside of MacArthur in less than thirty minutes or so.
He had no intentions of saying the first word to Vicky until she spoke first and that would take another ten minutes or so.
"Andy" she turned to him
"You want to fuck me?" she looked Andy in the eye.
"I thought I just did!" Andy gave her a big smile and turned and adjusted for a perfect approach to MacArthur Airport on Long Island New York.
Vicky gave him a smile "Well, maybe dinner then?"
..
..
Andy was reporting to the Naval Reserve Base as he had been called up by the Navy just three months earlier. Andy Ledger was one of those flying retired sailors and he loved aircraft carriers and the adventures at sea but it had been a long time since he had been in Norfolk Virginia. Norfolk was overcast and foggy which made the Naval base look dreary even though it was full of activity.
He was standing at the Naval Station Naval Medical Center Norfolk Virginia looking at the long line of aviators standing in front of him waiting for their examinations. After he went through a medical exam he would be transported over to the U.S.S. Wisconsin BB64 which would be the temporary quarters for his assigned squadron that hadn't been named yet.
Naval doctors are famous for being fast so Andy waited only an hour or so and that waiting time was spent filling out endless forms concerning medical history, medications and other ailments or complaints.
Andy's name was called;
"Commander Andrew Walker Ledger!" the young nurse didn't look into the waiting room she just stood at the door and yelled names out.
"Here!" Andy stood up and waived to the nurse that wasn't looking.
The exam room was thin on equipment but the doctor was waiting for the U.S. Naval Commander (retired) Andrew Walker Ledger to enter the room wearing blue jeans and his Annapolis College T-Shirt that he had bought at the hotel gift shop last night. Annapolis was the college used for training U.S. Navy Officers and Andy Ledger had graduated almost thirty years before but he sported a brand new t-shirt today.
"Commander, is there any medical reasons you cannot reenter the services of the United States Naval Services?' at least the Naval doctor looked him in the eye asking his questions.
"Yes Sir, Bankruptcy!" Andy was an officer and he outranked the doctor but the doctor didn't enjoy the humor.
As the Naval doctor asked the same questions that Andy completed on all the forms before the nurse pulled Andy's t-shirt off and loosened his belt and told Andy to drop his pants to the floor. Even a commander has to take orders from a nurse so his pants hit the tile.
"Nice" the nurse looked at Andy's body in a way that approved of his highly toned body and seemed to offer respect to a man of Andy's age.
The nurse let the doctor go to work and now the Naval nurse was asking her own set of questions as they were now both pulling and pushing and taking written medical notations.
"Where did you get that?" The nurse had pulled down Andy's underwear down to his knees and was again highly respectful and appreciated what she had found. "No Commander, not your dick, that scar?"
"Syria."
"That shit must of hurt." The Naval nurse told Andy to pull down his underwear further and turned him around and told him to bend and cough. The now gloved nurse lubricated her longest finger and jammed it hard into the Commander and pronounced that he didn't have prostate cancer and told him to get dressed.
"Your all done Commander, nice to see you." The nurse walked away and grabbed up another fly boy by yelling into the waiting room.
It was good to be home Andy thought.
..
..
The Battle Ship was commissioned in 1940 and was almost nine hundred feet long and had been tied up off Waterside Drive in Norfolk Virginia long ago. BB64 sported the name of "Whisky" with its name painted in giant twenty three foot white letters on her older and dreary hull.
Andy Ledger was again Naval Commander Andrew Walker Ledger and wearing his service khaki's and a button up shirt with the standard gold belt buckle. His six foot four frame and new hair cut made him remember the Navy more than ever before. Andy looked like everybody else on the ship but he received several signals of respect by saluting sailors.
Andy's white shirt and two front flap pockets and that pointed collar made him look like Navy. Once he reported to the U.S.S. Wisconsin retired battle ship they had tossed him some clothes upon his arrival and a bottle of water.
The nametag was to be worn above his right pocket and a stick pin insignia on his collar demonstrated Commander for all to see. He wasn't wearing his ribbons which would have told his new mates that he was the owner of the highest three awards the Navy offered combat pilots.
He had some headgear and nice black shoes and white socks but all he really wanted was some food and to get off the hot deck of the rusting warrior ship they called Whisky.
He was waiting in another line to receive his area assignment and he noticed Uncle Sam hadn't changed much. A bunch of young kids running around the decks, filling out forms, handing out water while floating around on Uncle Sam's bucket.
The United States had a lot of economic problems and you could see it by watching the slow moving aircraft carrier leaving Norfolk Naval Station with rusty streaks of red rust streaming along her steel sides. The aircraft carrier was maybe thirty yards off the stern and Andy knew that all U.S. military adventures started with all the carriers being moved out to sea.
Andy noticed the sea water markings also on the wings of the aircraft sitting on the flight deck which meant they had never been cleaned and polished while at port at Norfolk. The big floating airport had maybe eight thousand sailors onboard as the new boats thrilled the pilots and sailors but killed the budgets.
Andy's memory didn't remember rust streaks and dirty planes as he watched a blinding billowing of white hot steam pour out the smoke stack of the Wisconsin. It looked more like a smoke screen than a boiler steam plant being cranked up below deck.
Some of the men started choking and the steam and smoke swirled around all the white shirts and left little hot dots of flames on everything.
Andy wanted to fly away to another vessel, maybe something with million dollar teakwood and cold beer. Coughing and gasping Andy jogged and skidded under a steel awning to keep fresh air in his lungs and fire off his new hair cut. You could almost hear the giant boilers deep within the ship gulping fresh air while the pressurized boilers busted the pipes and filled the engine rooms with smoke and hot embers. Andy straightened out and looked over the awning and the smoke was white but steam was still pouring out what looked like a deadly chemical fog all over the ship and surrounding areas.
Andy was sure that the boiler experts were having fun and adventure trying to crank up the systems on this old bucket. At one time the U.S.S. Wisconsin would of represented the best ship designs in the world but all the safeguards were rusted closed and her time had past decades ago.
Andy could see the single-seat, high speed, scouting jet above Norfolk as the jet went straight up and to increase its climb the pilot kicked in the high efficiency twin after-burners that lifted him through the clouds and in less than a moment he was gone. Andy had seen pictures of them and these smaller single seat jets were meant to fly supersonic at tree top levels to scout attacking troop and equipment movements and take their picture.
The scouts would then land on a carrier at sea and take on fuel and do it again. Andy heard the screeching of the jet engines and the scout jet plunging down with the pull out starting at about four thousand which started to hold the attention of the guys on the deck. The flyer leveled out at about two or three hundred feet and was about to crank it up again but decided against it and went into the landing grove.
His precision flying was remarkable and the thrills started when he killed the power, put down the landing gear and dropped full flaps causing the stall he wanted to stop flying and he was just a hundred feet over the swells of the water. The scout jet dropped its hook and had his airspeed at seventy or so if Andy has to guess and dropped on the aircraft carrier that had passed by minutes before.
That flyer had made so many split second decisions flying that bullet it made Andy feel old and a little out of date. The war machines of the United States could be exciting and their highly trained pilots were truly specialists at the top of their trade. When it comes to variety, speed, thrills and killing you just couldn't beat the U.S. Navy.
..
..
Andy wasn't a great tourist but he enjoyed the time that he and Vicky walked the boardwalk in New Jersey. It had been almost three years since Andy started teaching Vicky how to fly his Cessna 518 and she had become a licensed commercial pilot and had entered the salt mines of being a paid pilot.
Andy gave her a phone call and wanted to know if she had any free time outside of a cockpit anytime soon. It took Vicky three days to call him back which meant she crashed in the woods or was really busy.
She had been working for "TROTTERS" which Andy knew was a low level mail and banking charter flight business which meant you flew paper around in the darkness of night.
Even with the technology of today a lot of mail traveled by little planes and canceled checks moved from bank to bank through document hubs.
Andy knew these dark flights were great training for pilots because you flew from hub to hub and they had many. She was flying out of Richmond Virginia to and from over thirty two different hubs spread out all over East of the Mississippi. If it was snowing you took off. If a thunder storm was ten minutes away you took off in the opposite direction and circled around it but you always left the ground. It was good training but the pay was low because they took new pilots and they were a lot of them.
Andy wanted a lot more from Vicky and he really didn't know how to ask her for anything, let alone more. Andy had at one time held her closely but nothing had happened because she was a little too drunk and he was a little too old.
He had to temporarily abandon their time together because of the Navy and he need to see her before he went back to Norfolk for more training. His history with women wasn't great because he had been lost in the Navy for many years fighting American wars and had little time for romance and love. He was going underground for the Navy again and he didn't want Vicky lost in the coming darkness of silence that was sure to come.
"Vicky the history is not that good." Andy sat down on a boardwalk bench and prompted her to do the same.
"I've never talked a lot to you about the Navy but this new government thing in Washington D.C. is out of control." Vicky could tell that Andy was bound up with many thoughts and feelings and they only had a few hours remaining of their play day.
"Vicky my job is to find them and watch them and whatever else it takes to keep this country on its high wire-rope act."
Andy became keenly aware how beautiful Vicky was sitting there on that bench beside him and there was a splendor burning inside him. He couldn't tell her the mission so he dropped a few hints like some art puzzle tossed across a table that maybe she could put together later.
..
..
Andy was told that it had streets, houses and even monuments in the town square and it was all underground. Private power generation kept them supplied with electricity that keep their underground railways running and their factories operating. They had grocery stores, dry cleaners and bowling alleys and even banks where you could cash a check.
The C.I.A. intelligence expert knew it sounded unbelievable but it was all true and Andy saw the out of focused black and white pictures and even the original blueprints.
During World War II the government had built dozens of large underground shelters for elite government officials and during the cold war they got bigger and better.
These underground shelters had been expanded further after North Korea attacked the United States in Alaska by using EMP Electro Magnetic Pulse weapons that literally knocked out the U.S. armed forces without firing a single shot.
These short burst EMP devices radiated a magnetic field like a invisible lightning strike that always resulted in widespread damage to anything electronic. These EMP weapons, both nuclear and non-nuclear are very real and have gained traction all over the world as the little guys bomb.
North Korea paid the price as North Korea was invaded by South Korea and the United States four months later.
The North Koreans didn't have the weapons they showed off during their national parades and they were blow to hell and hammered back into the stone age without nuclear weapons.
China bumped around the conflict but when the day was done they kept their troops in the barracks and their jets on the ground with few exceptions. Andy was glad to have missed that little war because it didn't stay small for long. China laid low but Russia the old Soviet Union didn't want America as a neighbor.
The entire conflict ended when the North Korean Communist central government was removed and replaced by a so-called Democratic government with a constitution.
The Russian Army reminded their new neighbors that the American Army could be struck at anytime day or night. The Russians sent in small forces and played gorilla for a long time and kept reminding U.S. troops that they should rent and not lease North Korea.
The Russian Army brought in over 500,000 new men twice a year and grew their once reduced army into the giant on earth. The four progressive troop call ups Andy knew about because he had been kept informed by his military oriented contacts. The United States was worried about Russians crossing the borders with all their new draftees and starting a war for North Korea.
The American President declared another cold war and took his two children and wife to the largest underground bunker ever created on earth. As a man with a Ph.D. he didn't understand his own proclamation of war against the Russians but they did.
During his administration the military was disabled due to budget cuts and the Syrian war was very costly and included dodging Russian bullets fired from Iranian weapons on the battle field for over two years. Andy wasn't lucky enough to miss out on Syria and he spent eighteen months flying high and low over the battlefields.
After twenty seven years in the Navy he made his last landing and was released from services and offered retirement. The president kept reducing the military and Andy knew it was time to leave so he accepted early retirement, full benefits and a hunk of cash.
The permanent readiness of the U.S. forces was now a myth per the C.I.A. Intelligence officer. Our own federal government was underground and or close by to massive underground cities. The government in Washington D.C. is having some problems suppressing the real news since some of the big media networks filed bankruptcy or merged. Even with government control over the internet the news is still leaking out to the public.
The C.I.A. officer looked Andy dead the eye. "The fucking Russians are coming Andy and we're not ready!"
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