Chapter 17

Ash’s smirk hinted at mischief, and I felt a twinge of excitement as Melanie entertained the idea of joining me on the journey to High Noon. Her adventurous spirit was infectious, and soon we found ourselves contemplating the logistics of our trip. Melanie, always up for adventure, had already mentally begun packing her bags for High Noon.

“How are we going to get there? Drive?” she chuckled, but Ash’s response caught us off guard.

“Nope! You two are going to fly there,” he replied before I could say anything.

Melanie’s concern about the long journey was evident, and the frown between her eyes spoke volumes. “Oh, that’s a really long way for Bibi,” she mused. “At a hundred and twenty knots it will take us seven to eight hours to get there. Not to speak of stopping along the way for fuel...”

But Ash had a solution up his sleeve, as always. “You take the Otter,” he stated matter-of-factly, and his eyes sparkled.

“The Otter? That one is on lease to Don Lambert!” I replied.

He leaned back, cryptic as ever. “True, but the Otter needs to return to Canada. Take it back to the Western Cape. Swap it with the one Don bought. Easy. It will be collected at your place when it is replaced with the Don’s new one. When you come back here in a week or two, just fly the new Otter back here.”

“He bought an Otter. A DHC Twin Otter?” Melanie’s curiosity was piqued.

“Yeah...” Ash replied. “And had it painted in a new colour livery to suit the South African environment,” He added cryptically. “South African vibes, you know.”

Melanie shifted her focus to me, the frown still between her eyes.

“What about getting checked out in the Otter? Besides, I will be useless with these two feet of mine...”

She had a valid concern.

“Don’t worry. Leah and Olivia will be going back with you and will check out Ty on the Otter. It is not much different than his King Air 350. Only it will have floats,” Ash reassured us.

“Okay, it makes sense, and Mel with her King Air experience will have no problem in helping out as co-pilot. She doesn’t need her feet to raise and drop the flaps or the wheels for hard surface landings.”

But Melanie wasn’t fully convinced. “You guys make it out as a walk in the park. That bird is twice the size of Bibi!”

“Or play pilot non-flying and monitoring. The Otter is single pilot certified,” Ash added.

“It’s also a little bit higher off the surface than Bibi,” Mel mused.

“Just flare a little higher,” Ash laughed.

“Don’t worry, Mel, you’ll soon get the hang of it, then you’ll ace it.” I soothed her. I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “ ... and you’ve flown King Airs before? So, you will do fine.”

“The King Air doesn’t have thirty-one feet long floats that sits six-feet high, attached to it.”

“Like I said: Just flare a little higher. Besides, it is equipped with a Laser Gear Advisory System that at about 400 feet above ground level, while preparing for landing, the Laser Gear Advisory System detects if you are over a water or land surface. After detecting the surface a light illuminates on the gear advisory display indicating either land or water surface.” Ash reiterated.

“Now that is something!” I commented.

“And like with your Cessna, the front wheels retract to form a dock buffer for a soft docking to any pier or jetty.”

She hesitated for a moment before agreeing, albeit with an additional condition. “Okay, you two! I’ll do it. BUT...”

“But what?” I asked, curious.

“When I do make a submarine out of it, I would like a tomato wood coffin, in the shape of Bibi, with brass handles.”

Our banter earned her a swat on the head from me.

“Beast!”

“No, you can’t have that type of coffin,” I said, keeping a straight face.

“And why not?”

“I have first dibs on that coffin, as I will be next to you when we go visit the fishes...” I teased.

Swat!

“Ouch! Hey!”

“Hmm ... Domestic violence. Let me go see what is cooking with TC and the Rangers,” Ash chuckled, stood, and walked off.

I looked over at my darling and smirked: “And so, our journey begins, the Otter, the painted skies, and your tomato wood dreams.”

“Beast! I thought you loved me. Now you make fun of me...”

“I’m not making fun of you. You’re going to get current on turboprops and get a new type rating as you go.”

“Yeah, doofus! For a type rating I need to fly the bird, take-off, climb, cruise, decent, final approach and landing, without smearing us over the runway or go visit the fish, as you said!”

“Or wrapping us around a pine tree...” I chuckled.

“Beast!”

“Mel?”

“Yes, Ty?”

“I love you, Porcupine!”

“Now I’m a large ugly rodent with quills?”

“But I love you, quills and all!”

“TYRON VAN ASWEGEN!”

“Yes Dear?”

“Kiss me...”

“Yes Dear...”

Despite her initial apprehension, her love shone through, and she sealed our commitment to this new adventure with warmth and humour.

Doctor Gustav and Nurse Louise, the dynamic duo of medical care and banter, initiated me into the art of foot maintenance for Melanie. With a mix of professionalism and light-heartedness, they guided me through the process of replacing the balloon-like coverings on Melanie’s feet, reapplying her bandages, and slathering on the necessary antiseptic cream. Melanie, always the spirited one, added her own touch of amusement to the proceedings with a few giggles here and there.

“We also thought it’s good to give you this nifty thing called a Medical Full Shell Cam Walking Boot with an Air Pump. It’s like your foot’s best friend during recovery from injuries or surgeries. Here’s how it rolls: First off, it’s all about support and keeping things steady. This boot locks down your foot and ankle, making sure nothing wiggles around too much. That’s super important for healing up fractures, sprains, or after surgery, like in your case, Melanie.” Gustav instructed as he took out a funny looking type of moon-boot.

“Let me help you with it and show you how to use it,” Louise said and took the boots from her boss. “Now, what’s really cool is that it’s totally customizable. You’ve got straps or closures you can tweak to get the perfect fit. No one-size-fits-all here! That snug fit is key for giving your injury the support it needs without putting too much strain on it.”

“And here’s where it gets fancy: the air pump. Yes, you heard me right. You can actually pump it up or let some air out to adjust the pressure around your foot. It’s like having your own personal comfort setting,” Gustav added.

“Plus, that controlled pressure? It’s a champ at keeping swelling and puffiness in check, which means you’ll be on the road to recovery faster,” Louise clarified. “Last but not least, this boot’s got your back when it comes to protection. That tough shell? It’s like armour for your foot, shielding it from any unexpected bumps or knocks along the way. So yeah, it’s basically the superhero of foot recovery gear.”

“Oh, yes! I did knock my feet against some table legs and stuff! This looks like the real deal in not hurting myself,” Melanie stated.

I just stared. It’s astounding what medical science can come up with.

“Yes,” Gustav chuckled. “It may look like an overkill to you, but it will keep those sutures in place, and you’ll be able to walk. It will take a little getting used to, but it is worth it.”

“So, around five or six days from now we will drive out to your place, Ty, and take out the sutures. No problem,” Nurse Louise said with a reassuring smile.

“Ain’t you guys staying here?” Melanie asked, a hint of mischief in her tone. “Drinking in the sun and just enjoying it here.”

“We go where you go, and besides, we need to get back to Cape Town and our clinic,” Gustav replied, with a smile that hinted at a longing for a longer stay.

“You are more than welcome to come back any time,” she invited them, her eyes twinkling with warmth.

“Oh yes! We would like to come back sometime and just relax,” Louise replied, her gaze meeting Gustav’s, who simply smiled in agreement.

“Well, it looks like I got the hang of tending to Mel’s feet,” I quipped, trying to inject some levity into the conversation. “Maybe we should find out how and when the Otter departs.”

“Leah and Olivia were busy with the flight planning and with the weather this good, I think around ten or eleven o’clock, we might be flying out,” Melanie answered, her voice filled with anticipation.

“So, that leaves just Bibi to take care of...” I said, casting an eye at Melanie.

“Mai-Loan promised to do Bibi’s five-hundred-hour maintenance. I need not worry,” Melanie reminded me, her confidence evident.

“Then all is settled,” I replied, relief flooding through me. “Let’s go pack!”

“Yeah, I needed to ask you, Ty. What all do I need out at your place?” and she turned to me with a curious expression.

“A G-string and nipple caps...” I replied, unable to resist a bit of teasing.

“Ouch! What was that swat for?”

“That’s for being a doofus!”

“Well, you left yourself open for that comment,” I retorted, rubbing my head with a mock pout.

“MEN!” and she shot a playful smirk at Louise.

“Yeah,” Louise chimed in, with a knowing look. “You can’t live with them, nor live without them!”

“Earnestly,” I backtracked, trying to regain some dignity. “Jeans, t-shirts, and something warm for when the Southeaster starts to chill everything down. Comfy shoes as well.”

“Okay, sounds good,” Melanie replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“And a nice dress and high heels for when we go out to a restaurant...” I added, unable to resist one final playful jab.

“Done!” Melanie replied, her laughter filling the air as we prepared for our next adventure together. Then she leaned over to me and whispered: “Do you think that Twin Otter will be able to handle my six or seven suitcases?” Little devils danced in her eyes.

We all laughed.

Melanie had to get her iPad from her office, so together we went over to her office. Now with her new moon boots fitted to her feet she was walking well. It was a bit awkward at first, but she soon got the hang of it, and it was good to see her on her feet again.

On our way to her office, we ran into Leah and Olivia. They were sitting outside the suite that they shared and were engrossed into flight planning for the return trip to Cape Town.

“Hey!” Olivia called out as she saw us walking up. “What’s up with the new fashion? I must say it looks great, although I would have preferred blue or even brown ones. That grey looks a little bland.”

Melanie chuckled. “Beggars can’t be choosers! This is what the doc had available.”

“I don’t see a beer with you two. What’s up with you!” I asked, not giving away that I knew they were to fly the Otter shortly.

“Eight hours from the bottle to the throttle, as if you don’t know!” Leah answered in her sweet-sounding German accent.

“So, are you planning to go fly soon?”

“If you don’t know! We are your kind and ever sweet chauffeurs to take you to Villiersdorp on the Teewaterskloof dam!”

“Oh, and when will that be?” Melanie asked, trying to hide a smirk.

“Better start packing. We leave at eleven sharp. Its five hours in that water wagon.” Olivia cut in.

“That’s one hour and thirteen minutes from now,” Leah chuckled.

“Then the two of us better get a move on!” Melanie replied. “Ladies ... start your engines!”

“Not so fast, Doctor Nováková,” Leah replied, using Melanie’s official title. “I will fly as Pilot in Command from here to Bloemfontein. The second leg from Bloemfontein to Teewaterskloof Dam, the two of you will take over. Ty as PIC and YOU as first officer slash Pilot Monitoring!”

“What!” Melanie exclaimed. “But ... but don’t we get a chance to first get acquainted with the cockpit and stuff?”

“Yes, you do. On the flight to Bloem. You, Mister Van Aswegen will be first up, next to me on the take-off and climb to cruise. The same with the landing at Bloem. Then you will take over from me and Miss Nováková will assist you on the leg from Bloem to Teewaterskloof. Don’t worry, Olivia and I won’t go sit in the back and polish our nails. We will be there with you every step of the way.”

“You both have experience in turboprop aircraft. So this will be like riding a bicycle...” Olivia chuckled.

“Yeah,” I replied. “You get on, you pedal, you fall off. It’s the falling off part I am worried about.”

“Usually, one needs three to four hours with an instructor on type ratings...” Melanie chimed in.

“It will be five hours flight to Teewaterskloof. That will be two and a half hours’ instruction each. It will be like one plus one equals two, how hard could it be?” Olivia replied.

“Mel, go order your tomato wood coffin...” I sighed.

“Okay guys, let me let the cat out of the bag,” Leah replied. “When we swap the two Otters, Olive and I will give you two a more intensive instruction. We are both instructors and can certify you both on the type rating.” Leah using Olivia’s nickname,”Olive”.

“Phew!” I remarked. “I thought that I would be flying that waterfowl back here with zero hours on type.”

“You both will have at least twenty hours on type. So set aside four days in your busy schedule of leisure at High Noon.”

“Looks like I need to order a tanker of A1-jet fuel to be delivered to High Noon,” I chuckled.

“Okay,” Leah said and handed me a few folios of typed and printed pages. “Here’s your flight plan from FABL to Teewaterskloof with your authorisation to land on and operate from the dam. Your permit to carry ten thousand litres of A1-jet at your farm, and authority to house the Otter at your farm.”

“How did you manage the operating authority and fuel installation permit?”

“Just say, Ash has connections...”

“Oh brother! Ash has connections...”

Melanie packed in record time and only brought one suitcase. Then she called all her staff to her office and spent a half hour instructing them on what is going down and when she would be back. Mai-Loan, Roxy, Angie, and Lisa were also there. Alphonse and Sam were happy with Melanie taking a break — a forced break — but nonetheless, a break that was desperately needed.

At twenty to eleven, we were all on board the Otter. I was in the right-hand, co-pilot seat. The safety briefing was done by Olivia. Melanie watched all the goings-on in the cockpit with a hawk eye.

With the twin turboprop engines started and running, both Leah and I monitored the engine gauges.

Leah taxied the aircraft away from the jetty and onto a position for a south-easterly take-off into the wind. Well, winds at three knots were not that spectacular, but nevertheless, a take-off into the wind.

Leah checked that all parameters were in the green, then spoke into the intercom:

Leah (Pilot): “Alright, Ty, let’s go through the take-off checklist. We’re at normal take-off weight, the weather is calm, and the water surface is smooth. Wind south-easterly at three knots, smack on the nose at 135 degrees. This should be a straightforward take-off.”

Ty (Co-pilot): “Roger that, Leah. Radio frequencies set. Autopilot set for 10500 feet. PAX secured. All doors and hatches locked and secured. Let’s do this.”

Leah: “First, set the flaps to 10 degrees. This setting gives us the best combination of lift and drag for take-off from water. Confirm flaps set to 10 degrees.”

Ty: “Flaps set to 10 degrees, confirmed.”

Leah: “Now, we’ll start our take-off run. I’ll advance the throttles to maximum power gradually to avoid excessive spray and keep an eye on the engine gauges. Ready?”

Ty: “Ready. Go ahead.”

Leah: “Roger. Follow along on the yoke and rudder pedals. Advancing throttles to full power. Gauges are in the green, and we’re building speed. We’re looking for Vr, which is around 70 knots. The aircraft feels good. Slight back pressure on the yoke to keep the nose from digging into the water.” (Vr = Velocity (speed) to rotate (raise the nose) for smooth and safe lift-off.)

Ty: “We’re at 40 knots, speed increasing steadily. Hydrodynamic drag is reducing.”

Leah: “She wants to fly! Approaching 60 knots, the nose is starting to rise gently off the water. Stay focused, Ty.”

Ty: “Roger that, Leah. Speed is 65 knots, almost at Vr.”

Leah: “70 knots, here we go. Rotation. Slight back pressure ... and we’re airborne! Positive rate of climb established.”

Ty: “Positive rate confirmed. Speed is stable at 75 knots. Gear up?”

Leah: “On floats, no landing gear to worry about, but we’ll retract the water rudder. Water rudder is retracted. Now, let’s adjust our pitch for a climb speed of 85 knots.”

Ty: “Climb speed of 85 knots, roger. Holding 10 degrees of flaps for initial climb. What’s next?”

Leah: “Once we’re clear of obstacles and at a safe altitude, usually around 400 to 500 feet, we’ll gradually retract the flaps from ten degrees to five degrees and then to zero.”

Ty: “Climbing out at 85 knots. Altitude is 400 feet. Shall I retract the flaps?”

Leah: “Yes, retract flaps to zero. Adjusting pitch to maintain climb speed of 90 knots now.”

Ty: “Flaps are retracted, and we’re holding 90 knots. Climbing nicely.”

Leah: “Great job, Ty. Let’s continue our climb to 10,500 feet. Turning right, heading 274 degrees. Ty, set GPS course setting of 274 degrees magnetic, and engage autopilot heading hold. We need to contact King Shaka International ATC for our IFR clearance.”

Ty: “Roger that. I’ll handle the radio call.” (Ty depresses the air band transmission button) “King Shaka International, good morning. Charlie foxtrot delta hotel tango, with you.”

King Shaka International ATC: “Charlie foxtrot delta hotel tango, radar contact 6500 feet, five miles south-west of Catalina Bay. You are cleared to 10,500 feet, maintain heading 274 degrees. As per filed flight plan. Squawk 4572.”

Ty: “Cleared to 10,500 feet, maintain heading 274 degrees, squawk 4572, charlie foxtrot delta hotel tango.”

King Shaka International ATC: “Charlie foxtrot delta hotel tango, read back correct. Radar contact 7200 feet, climbing at 900 feet per minute, nine miles south-west of Catalina Bay. Maintain own navigation. Contact Johannesburg Centre on 128.3 for flight following and IFR vectors. Enjoy your flight.”

Ty: “Going Johannesburg Centre on 128.3. Good day to you, charlie foxtrot delta hotel tango.”

Leah: “Heading to 274 degrees and climbing to 10,500 feet. Squawk code set to 4572. All set, Ty?”

Ty: “All set. Climbing to 10,500 feet on heading 274 degrees. Aircraft identifier squawk code 4572 confirmed. We’re good to go. Passing 7950 feet.”