Selene
Copyright© 2022 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 22
Seventeen ... and taking flying lessons ... from a real honest to god flight instructor.
40 hours later, my examiner shook my hand and said, “Fly me around.”
“Yessir. You want front or back?”
First he thought about the definition Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. Nobody has a tandem trainer ... they’re all side by side, Good lord ... she’s watching. He bethought the most famous tandem... “Umh ... what do you have?” He said, “Cub?”
I had fun watching his thought process. This guy is no poker player. “Bigger,” I said.
“Bigger?”
“I have no idea ... the military of the world has tandem trainers ... but not for basic.” he said. “T-6 ... SNJ ... Some Russian, Japanese, Indian.”
“Well ... come on.” I said. I got in my ‘34 Ford. “I’ll bring you back.”
He looked at my flight instructor.
Ben grinned and shrugged. The AD was Ben’s shock and he wasn’t going to spoil my fun. Mr. Examiner loaded up. I pulled out ... got on the radio and said,” Okay, Bud. Come on down.”
I pulled a U-turn and parked next to Ben again.
Bud greased the landing and taxied next to us. He shut down, and deplaned.
“Allow me the privilege of introducing you to my Sandy. AD1Q minus the Q meet my examiner. Mr. Examiner, please meet My warbird.”
Formalities observed, I said, “Front or back?”
“Dual controls?”
“Yup.”
“Back.”
“Got your ‘chute?”
“My parachute? Well, yes ... but...”
“She’s old, 84 and we might have to get out ... old folks get cantankerous.”
Bud grabbed his out of the front, stepped off the the wing and climbed down the fuselage side. I handed Mr. Examiner the check book and we commenced. He had paid attention when Bud dismounted and climbed up. He settled in.
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.