Chapter 16: Fly MGF

Sun, Nov 30, 1969

We were Learning to Fly! We were to start that day, having a Day of Ground School 1st. Before we could get in a Plane, we had to Learn all the Terminology, as well as Flight Rules.

I had mentioned to B-G one time that I’d like to Learn to Fly. He said he knew the perfect guys to learn from. There were 4 of them, all Air Force Hot Shots. They were too good to send to Nam, so they were immediately made Instructors. They learned to fly everything, so they could then Teach others.

They had just gotten out of the Air Force though. They had set up shop over in NJ, just North of the Meadowlands Sports Complex. There was a Corporate Airport in Teterboro, NJ, called TEB.

We were combining Flight Training, with our 1st big Recruiting Trip for more MGF’s. We would Learn to Fly between Recruiting Cities. Ali, Barbie & Bambi were going with me, all Learning to Fly too. Katy, Ali’s Mom’ was with us, an Observer this time, but soon would also get her License. Her husband, Roger would also Learn.

Have I mentioned Bambi yet? If not, she was Barbie’s Sister, a twin at 17yo. She was Ali’s MGF, as Ali had gotten busy too, especially with the MGF Recruitment.

I have mentioned MGF’s a bit, but let me try to get across my meaning. I think of them as My Girl Fridays, the perfect Personal Assistant. They would have all the abilities of a traditional Secretary, but be far more than that. Some would be assigned to a Person or Project, often for years. They would be my personal Representatives to that Person or Project, as if I was there in Person.

In addition to normal Assistant duties, they would be trained in basic Inspections, Accounting, Law, etc, to be aware of all aspects that may arise. Any MGF could shut down a Project if she felt it was needed. We could then bring in the Troops to fix the issue.

After our Bike Ride, we washed up & had Suki drive us under the Hudson River, through the Lincoln Tunnel.

Fred-30yo, Angel-27yo, Barry-26yo & Randy-28yo, were working out of a Hanger at the South End of TEB.

Cool! They were in the Location of an FBO I had seen as Ralf, the Jet Aviation FBO. It would become the #1 FBO in the NYC Area. In 1969 though, there was just an old rusty Quonset-Hut Hanger there, left over from WW2.

We were to be their 1st Students, since they had just gotten out of the Air Force only a few weeks before. They had bought their 4th used Cessna 172, just the day before.

Since there were 4 Instructor Pilots, all with their own C-172, there would be one for each of us.

Two of our Instructor Pilots were also AMT’s, Aircraft Maintenance Technicians, a mechanic for Planes. You don’t just work on an Airplane, you 1st go to School, then more School, then more School. Our Guys went to ALL Schools the Air Force had to offer. They were Type-Rated on Fighters, Bombers, Freighters, Spy Planes, you name it. They had already given the 1st 3 Cessna’s an Annual Service, replacing anything that was worn. All 4 Cessna’s were in good shape though.

Since we would be gone a few days, Suki just dropped us & our Luggage, including our Folding Bikes. We brought Bikes for the guys too. All of us had packed only a single Duffel Bag of comfortable clothes, dressing down.

Each 172 had 4 Seats, so we had plenty of room for our gear. Of course, to a Pilot, WEIGHT is all important. You have to add up the Empty Weight of the Plane. Then you Weighed the Fuel. Each Gallon has a weight you account for. Then you weigh the People & Baggage. You don’t fudge on that. If you do?

All of us introduced ourselves, then the Formal Ground School began. These guys were great Teachers! They took us by the hand when needed.

By Noon, the guys said to get our Gear, as we were going Flying! We grabbed a quick Sandwich, then did a very thorough Pre-Trip. The Cessna 172 is well known as the perfect Training Aircraft, as it is almost impossible to Stall. A Stall is when the Airplane starts losing its Lift.

Since there were 4 Instructors, & 4 Students, we decided to Rotate each Day, that way we would get each one’s knowledge. Today, I was with Fred. We were in Cessna 172 with a Registration ID, N5255R. (N-Number)

On the Pre-Trip, we were looking for anything abnormal. I was told any abnormalities would become evident the more we learned.

We checked all Parts that moved, by seeing if they moved correctly. We checked if there were any Liquid Leaks, by looking at Couplings, as well as on the Ramp for Liquid Spots.

We checked Under the Hood, or Cowl. We checked the Oil, Connections, etc. We Drained a little Fuel in a Tube, checking for any Oil in Water Contamination. We checked the Landing Gear, whacking the Tires with a Bar.

Inside the Plane, Fred showed me each Instrument & Control. He taught me how the Inside Checklist was as important as the Outside one. Some Instrument Dials, he flicked with his finger, saying they sometimes got stuck.

We then started the Engine, letting it Idle, adjusting the Fuel Handle, In for Power, Out for Less.

In old Planes, they had Round Balls on the end of the Throttle Handles. When they wanted Full Power, it was “Balls to the Wall,” meaning push all the way to the Dashboard. Plural because they usually had more than one Engine, each with its own Ball. We also Preset the Radios & Navigation Gear. The last thing we did was set the Altimeter. Barometric Pressure & Elevation were a couple reasons you had to Set it for each Time before Takeoff or Landing.

After all 4 of us were ready, we each called Ground Control, asking for Permission to Taxi to the Active Runway. We were given Permission to Access the Runway, via a specific Taxiway. We led the 3 other 172’s.

Once ready for Takeoff, we switched over from Ground Control to Air Traffic Control, ATC. They would let us know when we could access the Runway. They would also let us know what Altitude & Vectors to use.

The Winds today required us to Takeoff Heading South, as the Winds were Out of the South. The Wright Brothers learned early on, to get the best Lift under the Wings, you headed INTO the Wind. That’s why you see Wind Socks at Airports & Heliports.

Because of this, we had to Taxi the entire Length of TEB. Fred constantly corrected me, but by the end of the Taxiway, I felt pretty comfortable. As I’ve said before, as Ralf, I had Operated Trucks, Buses & Trains, so a Plane wouldn’t be too much more difficult. Although, if you f/u, it’s worse up in the Air! Actually, it’s the Landing that hurts!

The best thing Fred taught me, was to stay off the Toe Brakes. We increased or reduced Power to maintain Taxi Speed. Another thing is, you Steer by using the Rudder Pedals as much as the Nose Wheel even while Taxiing. Most people have issues with Riding The Brakes as beginners.

Fred taught how to make Tight Turns on the Ramp, by Applying just one Brake. Left Brake to Turn Left, & vice-versa. As we Taxied, Fred had me continue to check Systems & Gauges.

We were behind a few Corporate Planes, both Jets & Props. The Taxiway ended just before the Access Point to the North End of the Runway. We were Taking Off from Runway 19, meaning it was at the 190 Degree quadrant was, at our Backs. Taking Off from the other End was Runway 1. We would be Taking Off due South.

Fred had me pull around when it was our turn. He had me apply full Toe Brakes, Balls to the Wall on Power, watching the Tach. When Fred felt we were at max Power, but held by the Brakes, he had me Release the Toe Brakes. This was done by Foot Pedals at the Top of the Rudder Pedals. Fred told me it would all be 2nd Nature in a short time.

When I let up on the Brakes, we didn’t shoot down the Runway, just a steady flow. When we Reached Rotation Speed, 60 mph, the Nose Wheel was already lifting up off the Runway on its own.

We Climbed pretty fast, reaching our Assigned Altitude of 7,000 Feet. Fred explained to me what Vector Airways were, as well as Flight Levels. The Cessna 172 Climbed at 7,000 Ft Per Minute, so I guess we were at Altitude in only 1 Minute.

As with Trains, all Air Rules were Written in Blood, meaning after Accidents. Everything was Trial & Error back then. The Rules were to keep everyone as safe as possible. Shit would happen anyway, but with Training, we would know what to do. Yeah, right.

Flying through the NYC Airspace was a complicated Maze. JFK, LGA, EWR, & the other Commuter Airports, are all interconnected. There are VERY tight Flight Paths each Plane had to take, to get to & from all NYC Airports. When the Winds Changed, ALL Airports had to Reverse T/O & Landing Directions at the same time. During Transition, all Planes were on Hold, either Held on the Ground, or in a Holding Pattern in the Air, often causing them to divert to another Airport due to Low Fuel.

We made it through NYC without me Shitting Myself, but I was Sweating.

Fred wanted me to experience all types of Airports today, so our 1st Airport was the monster of JFK. From TEB to JFK was 18 nm & 22 Minutes in the Air. We were in the Pattern for 9 Minutes. We did a Touch & Go, which meant we didn’t do a Full Stop. Instead, we Took Off right away again, without stopping. T&G’s are used to Train Pilots on Landings & Takeoffs, the most important thing to any new Pilot. At least I’d be able to Land.

We then Flew to Republic Airport, FRG., It was in E Farmingdale, LI, NY. It was about 1/3 of the way out on Long Island. It was between Huntington, LI, NY to the North, & Jones Beach to the South. It was small, but still had Runway 14/32 at 6,800 Ft & Runway 1/19 at 5,500 Ft. This allowed it to be used by most Corporate Jets. Of course our little Cessna 172 could access even the shortest Runways.

Cessna 172’s needed 1,250 Ft to Takeoff, Fully Loaded, at Sea Level. Hot Air & Altitude required longer Distances. 172’s needed only 445 Ft to Land though.

We did another T&G, then headed to ISP, which is MacArthur Airport, that was about 1/2 way out on the Island. It was 16 nm & a 20 Minute Flight. At ISP, we did a Full Stop, which took about 20 Minutes to Turn Around & Taxi back to the Active Runway. Then we were behind 3 small Planes & a Gulfstream Corporate Jet.

The whole day, Fred bombarded me with Questions & Suggestions. He was constantly making minor adjustments on my technic, giving me pointers as needed, We practiced Stalls, which were almost impossible in the 172. The main mistake new Pilots make, is to Raise the Nose too much, eventually causing a Stall. If the Plane is set up correctly, the Plane should Fly Level by itself. If you do feel a Stall coming on, just Drop the Nose some.

He showed me how he would Mimic an Engine-Out Situation, by Pulling Out the Throttle Handle, cutting Power to the Engine. An Instructor Pilot will do that unannounced while Flying, requiring the Student to React. 1st, I would Lower the Nose slightly, keeping up Airspeed.

An Airplane turns into a Glider w/o its Engine, some better, some Drop Like A Brick. The 172 was easy to Fly w/o Power, once I took a breath, that is. Next, I looked for the best place to Land. Being up High, it was easy to see some Fields & a Golf Course. He said the Golf Course was the better option. He had me Circle Down, slowly losing Altitude. As I lined up for a Landing, he Applied Power & had me Climb back to our Assigned Altitude or 9,000 Ft. We had gotten ATC to OK the Training Engine-Out Procedure.

We next headed to the farthest East A/P on Long Island, East Hampton, HTO. It’s another small Airport, but can still handle Small Corporate Jets with Runway 10/28 at 4,255 Ft. Its Crosswind Runway, 16/34 of 2,060 Ft could only handle smaller Planes, or STOL Planes. That stands for, Short Takeoff & Landing.

From IST to HTO is 35 nm & took 35 Min, as we were doing Maneuvers along the way that took Time. Our Normal Cruise Speed was 122 Kts, or 140 mph. Our Climbing Rate was 7,000 Ft Per Minute. Our Operational Ceiling was 14,000 Ft. That meant we couldn’t Fly any higher than 14,000 Ft.

We did another Full Stop at HTO, getting Fuel too. Fred made me do it. Not a problem, but I was going to Bring Gloves & Coveralls, as I got AvGas on me.

The Fuel Tanks or Bladders are in both sides of the Wing, as they used all Space in a Plane. I had to Climb on a Step Ladder, dragging the Long Hose from the Fuel Truck. After Fueling each Tank, you stick your Finger in to see if its Full. Cessna 172’s had their Wing above, thus the Step Ladder.

It was fun Flying with 3 other Planes, but In Flight, we were separated by Altitude & Distance. We next headed across Long Island Sound, to Tweed New Haven Airport, HVN. It was 36 nm & took 32 Minutes. It was a pretty big Airport, handling Commuter Jets, as well as Corporate & Private Planes

We landed in New Haven, CT, the home to Yale & other great Colleges nearby. Ali had reached out to her friends who had went on to College. We were meeting 11 young women. There was a nice Restaurant at the A/P, so we met there.

I was sold on all 11 right away. Ali & her Girl Friends were great, as they were Smart, Savvy, Smart, Cute, Smart. Did I say they were Smart? All were also Team Payers to the Max.

Ali & her Mom, Katy, took over the Interviews. They felt the same as me, asking all to head to NYC when they could. Roger Lang would get them settled, beginning their Training on being a great MGF.

Most would remain in School while starting with us. We would Pay all School Costs, reimbursing them for monies spent.

We hated to press on, but we wanted to spend the night in Boston.

These are the basic Private Pilot Requirements: Hope I get this right.

1. Must be at least 17yo, although ANY Age can take Lessons. Even 5yo’s?

2. Must get in 40 Hours of Flight Time, 20 with a Flight Instructor.

3. Must get in 10 Hours of Night Flying, with 1 Flight Cross Country & 1 Flight of over 100 nm. Also must have 10 T/O & Landings at Night, to a Full Stop.

4. Must get in 3 Hours of Instrument Flying with Instructor.

5. Must get in 3 Hours of Cross Country Flying with Instructor.

6. Must get in 10 Hours of Solo Flying, with at least 5 Hours of Cross Country & over 100 nm of Cross Country on a single Flight, with 3 Full Stops at Locations with Control Towers.

There were a bunch more requirements, but it was cool to see we were getting our Hours in pretty fast this way.

We next Flew into the behemoth of Boston Logan, BOS. It was 109 nm & 1 Hour & 14 Minutes from HVN to BOS. This time we Flew directly there. Today, Fred handled all the Radio Traffic, leaving me to concentrate on the Plane & my View out the Windscreen.

Fred talked me through the Maze of Taxiways at BOS. The multi colored lights were mesmerizing, almost putting me in the zone. Once Waved to our Assigned Tie-Down location, I Shut Down the Engine, also all E/E. Fred showed me where the Tie-Down Straps were kept. He then showed me how to correctly install them, so the Plane wouldn’t be moved by a Gust of Wind.

We Rented a Lincoln Continental from Hertz. Our Pilots were staying near the Airport, but the rest of us were heading to Cambridge, the Home of Harvard & MIT. Nearby were many more Colleges, too.