Chapter 6

CHUCK - DAY SIX - Saturday

I got home so late last night, that I just crept into bed trying not to disturb anyone. All my women wanted to make up for it this morning, but I did my best and I think managed to satisfy them all. I also managed to get some exercise in; followed by Tai Chi, before we all went down to he patio. The girls were all dressed appropriately for Saturday breakfast. Wow. What would our visitors to the patio make of this, I wondered?

After we had breakfast, Lisa went off to Lutz to check the fax machine. She told me what happened afterwards.

While she was reading through the latest applications, her cell rang and a female voice asked.

"Are you the Lisa Johnson who went through the USMC Quantico Officers School followed by Flight School?"

"Err, Yes," she guardedly replied.

The woman at the other end burst out laughing.

"It's your old roomie, Sookie James, here."

Lisa said they both squealed, and after inquiring about each other's health, Lisa asked.

"Why are you calling, Sookie?"

"Well," she explained. "A friend, Josh Reynolds, and I (he was a couple of years ahead of us at Pensacola) were let go yesterday by our airline employers here in Boston. Josh showed me the CS&S ad for pilots last night. I thought I recognized your name, so I decided I'd just call on the off chance. Do you need two more hot pilots who fly big jets?"

"Do you still have your own plane?" Lisa asked, laughing.

"Yes, but it's no longer a Mooney. I've got a late model Piper Cherokee now; Josh doesn't have anything at the moment, however."

"Hey, Sookie," Lisa told her. "Get hold of Josh, then both of you leave your apartments and car keys with neighbors, and get down here to Lutz as fast as you can in the Cherokee. Your apartments will be packed up and all the contents transported down to Florida together with your vehicles, all at CS&S' expense."

Sookie gasped. "Are you serious? Is this all it takes?"

"No, I'm not kidding you. Now git,." Lisa happily assured her old friend.

Meanwhile, Steve wouldn't rest until Tiny and I had talked through everything that had been happening, so we sat down beside his sickbed to review our really eventful week and to try and ensure that we hadn't missed anything or made any expensive mistakes.

First, I brought them up to date on everything that had happened at Spring Field. Tiny was fascinated by our tale of how we acquired the Lacy Estate. Both were excited at my idea of an ultra-exclusive hotel and spa there. They were both horrified at the story of the VA hostel. Steve was very happy to hear about the Lacy Field developments and our aircraft acquisitions.

"I can't wait to get over there and see it all," Tiny remarked.

I hadn't told them about my Denver trip, so I did so now. Steve just smiled rather painfully, but Tiny couldn't believe that I'd picked up ten helicopters for so little, especially three of the big Chinooks and some of the super long-range Black Hawks. He asked if the latter would have their external long range fuel tanks mounted. I had to admit that I didn't know.

"We urgently need a new General Manager at Halcyon," Steve remarked.

I was happy to report that I'd already hired a man for the job. I gave a quick description of Carlos Rodriguez's qualifications and said that I'd invited him and his wife for supper at the patio that evening to meet everyone.

"With the pace at which CS&S is developing, I think we need to strengthen and possibly formalize our management," I told them. "DeDe and Star did an awful lot here at Lutz, and moving them both has exposed a problem - actually, I've already started doing something about it. John is doing the General Manager's job – he has been for years - and I suggest that we confirm Betty as Air Charter Manager here at Lutz. Jimmy should be the overall Maintenance Manager – he wants to appoint a number two, and I'm discussing this with him later today. Our flight training here has grown so much that I think we need to appoint a Chief Instructor. Tank is effectively running the rotary training at the moment, and I suggest we don't change anything there, but we need someone to control the fixed wing side. Any suggestions?"

"I'm not happy about how the Golf Tours are going," I then went on. "Some of the things that are happening don't make sense to me, and I want Bart Moleson or one of Tiny's more experienced accountants to be more closely involved."

"I totally agree about the Hawaii position," Tiny commented. "However as I'm now delegating most of my other work to my assistants, I intend to personally get more closely involved with what my people are calling "the overall Lutz activities." These are easily the most exciting happenings around here at the moment. And I find planes fascinating – maybe I should have been an airplane buyer."

"I've already started to take action on this Golf Tours business myself," I continued." I hired a man yesterday who will initially concentrate on the Hawaiian Golf Tours. His name is Kurt Eccleston and he will initially run the crucial aircraft side. He's got the relevant experience and you'll like him. When he's got that sorted, we might use him as a trouble-shooter – he's got the qualifications.

"Today, I want to offer Doug Schaeffer the job of Chief Pilot of the 737 fleet – this needs much better organization, and he can help Kurt too."

Both Steve and Tiny thought this was good.

I went on to brief them about the military pilot applications and resumes that Lisa was handling. I said that she seemed to be really developing the same ability Mercy has to read people's minds, which was really useful when interviewing job seekers.

Ben arrived at that moment, wanting to talk about the Mojave business.

He explained that Sue had insisted he do everything, and told us about how he had acquired all the Mojave loans for 4 mil (which was in fact 40 cents on the dollar). After Tiny had digested this and we had all congratulated Ben on his success, Tiny asked about the snags?

"The notes are secured in a rather unusual way – by the shares of the company that owns all the assets and business of the Mojave operation," Ben explained. "To permit the holder of the notes to enforce his security and be able to manage the Mojave business, the company passed a special resolution which was also signed by all the directors and shareholders, agreeing to the appointment of a new President, whose name was left blank on the document. The signatories also undertook not to oppose any such appointment. The bank gave me these documents.

"I visited a leading firm of lawyers in Vegas on Friday morning. They thought the security was good, but are working to discover any possible problems that may arise, both before and after the foreclosure, which can occur any time after noon on Monday."

"I'M GOING TO BE THERE." Steve declared, grinning painfully.

We agreed that John was the obvious man to appoint as the initial company President.

"Jimmy made inquiries about the flying school while Ben here was at the bank," I told them. "They have forty fixed wing aircraft that are all said to be in really good condition, and an ample number of instructors, both full and part-time."

"We might transfer five aircraft and instructors up to Spring Field to start a school up there," Steve suggested.

We all thought this was a good idea, and agreed that we'd also need to offer helicopter training at both locations. We shouldn't have any problem getting the trained instructors necessary in view of Lisa's initial results.

Steve remarked that he thought that there were a number of Schweizer 300s advertised on the Federal Disposals website – I promised to get Bill to bid on these and look for more. In view of all this, and because we would want to start an air charter operation at Mojave if all went as planned, Bill and I should review our list of potential acquisitions from that website again. Steve said bids had already been entered on 13 aircraft.

We discussed the price of aircraft fuel, which we all recognized as one of the key factors in our success at Lutz.

"I think we should ask Ben to get together with Dewey, and start trying to negotiate a special fuel deal covering all of our sites and operations," Tiny suggested. "We should be able to exploit our successful record down in the Mexican oilfields, as well as dangling a carrot regarding the Costa Rican oil."

Ben thought this was a great idea and very promising – he'd get on to it.

Steve expounded on his idea of exploiting the luxury charter business out of both Vegas and Reno. He pointed out that we would be ideally placed to do this. We agreed to get the planned G5s, Lears, and some B200s at both locations, with the same interiors as the very successful Lutz Learjets and B200s.

"There's one last thing, although it's not really any of my business," I said. "Terrell is the head of S&S Construction, and at the moment, we have him running around sorting stuff out at Spring Field which is a job anyone else could do, and we need input and plans for the Estate mansion and stables. It occurred to me yesterday that it would be ideal if we could find him an assistant who is an architect and can do both the drawings, as well as organize and supervise the work. I haven't had a chance to discuss this with him yet, but do you think Fran Fisher could be a candidate?"

"You know, that just might work," Tiny mused. "I understand that the house she built in Tampa has become the talk among the trade here, and she does seem to have a lot of surplus energy. Are you planning on coming out to the pharmaceutical shop this afternoon? You could quietly take Jim aside and sound him out."

As Steve was obviously getting tired, Tiny proposed that we adjourn until next Friday, but that we should invite all our most senior staff to be present, or be available on a conference phone.

I then drove over to Lutz, since I'd arranged to meet Jimmy there.

When we were seated in my office with two iced teas, I told him first that he was now officially the Maintenance Manager of CS&S, with an appropriate rise in pay.

"I'm really too young for the job, you know," he replied, "but I'll do my best to justify Steve's and your confidence in me.

"I told you last night that I needed a number two, and this new job, coupled with last week's expansion, mean that this is now vital if things aren't to start going wrong. With Tank away too, Joy did an outstanding job of keeping an eye on everything, but that's not what she wants. I'd hoped Tank would take the job, but he's having too much fun with his birds, and wants to do more instructing."

"Good," I quickly interrupted, "I want to offer him a second hat as Chief Rotary Instructor, so that fits nicely."

"Fine." Jimmy beamed, "he'll be very good at that. What about the fixed wing side?"

"There's no obvious candidate for that here. Could you please think about it and let me know? You've probably heard that Lisa is advertising nationally for ex-military pilots and mechanics – maybe we'll find someone there?"

"Have you talked much to Jake Brewster, the man who is running all the Boeing work for me? Probably not, as he's usually up at the other end of the apron. He's a twenty year USAF man, who has been working as a supervisor for one of the big airlines over at TIA. Well, he took this job because he wasn't happy about the sloppy safety practices in the shop where he worked. He'd be a really good choice for my number two. Can you talk to him, please?"

"OK. I'll speak with him next week, but you can tell him the job's his. Now, what's the other thing?"

"You know we've been talking about starting an aircraft mechanic's school here at Lutz," Jimmy continued, after a pause to collect his thoughts. "Well, I was thinking about it during my flight back yesterday. I think there are two aspects that need to be covered.

"First, there are the ex-military pilots who are answering your ad – they will need training on all the different civil aircraft types – shouldn't we be doing that as well? What about type conversion courses for commercial pilots who want a change or who lose their present jobs...

"As for the mechanics, do you ever see an apprentice in a shop these days? There are no young guys being trained to replace retirees. We can do that. And what about type certification and upgrade courses? If we can get instructors from the big manufacturers, we could save people in the southeast money by offering specific training here. It would be nice advertising too."

.

"I'm good with that." I told him. I'd been thinking along the same lines myself. "When you can catch Terrell, please talk to him about some new school buildings – we can put them down the other end, it'd be quieter there - and start making plans as to how you would like it staffed and organized. It's your idea, so it'll be your headache too."

Jimmy briskly shook my hand, then went off shaking his head – I think the enormity of his proposal was just beginning to sink in.

Lisa and Doug Schaeffer then simultaneously arrived in my doorway.

"What can I do for you both?" I grinned.

Doug, ever the gentlemen, stood back for Lisa to go first.

"I just wanted to tell you I've found two experienced big jet airline pilots for you. They are both Marines – thought you like that. They're flying down and should be in here tonight."

"Fine." I replied, "Do they have command experience?"

"Yes," and Lisa disappeared back to her den, wherever that was – I'd have to find out.

"Come in, Doug, I want to talk to you," I said. "I'm trying to get things a little more organized around here. With DeDe and Star gone, we're rather stretched as you may have noticed.