Chapter 9

The first thing he did was determine exactly, who owned the aircraft. It’s history was researched ... Contract let, date manufactured, disposition (surplus to needs) ... sent to Chile as part of a shipment of aircraft suitable for carrier operations, carrier not acquired, mothballed aircraft in dry storage. Guarded site, expense deplored, legislative action authorized disposal, aircraft disposed. Sold to one Abby Austin of Bathurst, Australia. Fleet exercise for disassembly, shipping and delivery. Success.

“Your aircraft ... all of them,” CASA Arnold said.

“You found all of that on the internet?” David asked.

“You have to know WHERE to look,” Mr. Arnold said. “Now ... where did you go to school for aerobatics?” That was directed at me.

I immediately said, “Google.”

Daddy had been looking for licensing requirements for flight in Australia on the internet.

Daddy said, “IAC does not endorse or recommend any of the Australian schools listed or the qualifications, experience or expertise of any Australian Aerobatic Instructors.” He grinned, “You do know who the IAC represents?”

“International Aerobatics Club,” Mr. Arnold said. “They supply or appoint the judges, inspectors and plan the schedule of maneuvers for contests. But they’re not a governing body. CASA is the Australian governing body.”

“Does CASA control Aerobatics?”

“Only so far as the safety of the public is concerned. We prefer the pilot learns under the auspices of a qualified aerobatics pilot.”

“Prefer ... not require?”

“Yes.”

“She owns a aerobatics qualified aircraft,” Daddy said. “Take her up, run her through what she knows and check her out.”

So ... that’s what we did.

“Read this to me,” I said as I handed him the checklist.

“You just landed the thing.”

“So ... read.” I said, “I do this every time I start to fly ... If I shut down ... I run the list on restart.”

“Every time?”

“Yup,” I said. “You’re procrastinating. Read.”

So ... he did and I did.

“Front or back?” I asked.

“I’ll take the front seat, the back is harder to see out of.”

“Yeah ... they needed more fuel on the Corsair so they put in a larger fuel tank and moved the cockpit back. Corsair pilots complained so they had ‘em fly the SNJ from the back seat ... the F4U was easy after that.”

The ‘Cub’ weave works on the SNJ ... and I knew that from my flight instructor. I’ve been back seat many times. Once I got the SNJ straight I locked the tailwheel and off we went.

The Bathurst airport is pretty much an airfield unless Mount Panorama is racing. Then it’s busy. I don’t fly race weekends ... I race ... mom’s car. I don’t win ... but it’s fun. I start at the back, stay at the back and stay out of the way. I can keep up.

“Show me,” he said.

I did ... to the +5.67 g -2.33 g limits of the aircraft ... and my limits without a pressure suit. I flew a roll, an Immelmann, a loop, a spin, and snap and vertical rolls. “Those are basic maneuvers and all I know,” I said.