Chapter 18

Everybody was pleased that the Commander wasn't drinking coffee.

"Two days?"

"Yes, sir. Two days. Ed and Seph," she pointed, "That's them over there. They borrowed me to help program a piece of electronics ... momma said I could stay for the weekend and daddy and Ed had a man to man ... or that's what daddy said he was going to do ... and Ed said they did."

She explained about breakfast and that they ended up in Auburn after Seph taught her to fly the Beech ... yesterday.

"So you started on a twin?"

"Yes, sir. That's one cool aircraft. It's got uprated turbines and Queen wings. 300 more horsepower ... fast, really fast."

"Show me."

"Now?"

"Right now."

"Seph!" Missy hollered, "Can I use the Beech?"

"Missy, You don't have a license."

The Commander spoke up, "She's flying with me." He sort of remembered who he was talking to, "If that's ok with you."

"If Ed or Harold can ride along? I'm responsible."

"Harold?" the Commander asked.

"Let Ed go, I'm busy." Harold replied.

"Ed?"

"Sure."

They walked over to the Beech, Missy opened the hatch and handed the officer the checklist, "Read that."

They did the whole preflight, shaking, pulling pins, adding fuel and oil, checking for water and switching Oxygen bottles ... they hadn't refilled the other one. They checked the windows ... seals and lexan ... the air in the tires ... hydraulic fluid in the gear ... the whole show ... with Missy explaining why and what.

"If it breaks you can't fix it at thirty thousand feet. It's impossible to make it perfect but," she kicked the hardstand, "This is the last stop."

'Two days, ' he was thinking, 'Two days and she's better than cadets after four years.'

When she was satisfied, she said, "Load up ... We've done all we can out here. Ed? The fire extinguisher? Please."

"This will be my second time in left seat," she explained. "I've a lot more time in the right. If you'd prefer... ?"

"How much time in left?"

"Twenty-seven minutes."

Ed commented, "From University to here was about five minutes air time."

"Well, it felt like a year."

The Commander looked at her ... seeing Her for the first time ... this was NOT a normal girl ... He wrapped his left arm around his waist, stuck his right elbow in his left palm and rubbed his chin with his right hand. There was this look of contemplation as he gazed at her. Finally he said, "You're, what? 20? 21?"

"Sixteen ... last week."

He sat in the right seat ... she handed him the list ... Ed took the headset and fire bottle and walked out to the nose of the plane. He plugged the headset in the little compartment in the nose. The officer took the list and started reading. She touched each switch and gauge and told him what they did and why.

A Beech turbo prop is a complicated beast. A Lear or a Citation doesn't have many more complications ... Piston engine powered planes are a LOT less complicated. That doesn't mean they're simple ... just easier.

She was spot on with every switch and gauge. The more he read the more impressed he was ... when she confessed that she had to look at each switch before she used it he was even more impressed.

"Some day ... if I fly a lot ... I'll know where everything is, but I'll still look ... mistakes up here are fatal."

"Ok ... I'm convinced. Let's go upstairs."

She handed him the START ENGINES list. She spoke to Ed over the TBP/GC channel. "Starting Right ... Starting Left ... Thanks, Ed."

Ed pulled the plug, wound up the cord and walked around the left wing ... he wiggled things on the way. Missy could see the movement in the yoke and pedals. Ed opened up the little compartment in the hatch steps, put his set away and clamped the fire bottle in its rack. He shut the hatch.

"I have a red light," said the Commander.

Missy yelled, "Lock the hatch, Ed."

"Green."

"Howard?" This was over the radio. "I have no idea what the Commander has in mind, so ... training flight in and around Sharpe Field. Assign me an altitude." "Commander, would you be so kind as to keep an eye on the radar?"

The Commander amended that, "Howard? We're going on a little trip ... flight us to Pensacola." He sat back ... folded his arms and said, "Go."