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Superb post, Jerry. Thanks. Puts my current potential layoff from work
into perspective. Shawn JERRY ADAIR wrote in message <3a8c5527$1_3@news.iglou.com>... Hey- Just wanted to share...I flew a pretty special Angelflight mission yesterday morning. An older couple needed transportation from Bakersfield to Santa Monica. The husband has suffered through blood cancer and a bone marrow transplant. Very, very painful I hear. Anyway, they now have standing appointments at UCLA to treat him but cant afford the repetitive travel expenses. I had volunteered for the mission last week, thinking it would be a nice way to spend part of Valentines Day, especially since I didnt have anyone to share it with this year! So off I go in the Seminole; as long as Im flying and paying for it, I might as well build multi time. I feel quite certain that 2185A appreciates the cross-country break from training flights all the same. When I arrive at BFL (Bakersfield Meadows) I meet a somewhat quiet, battle-with-life hardened couple who seem to have emerged all the better for it. Probably because they endured it together, but I digress. The husband, and patient, wore an old farmers hat that covered what I was sure was a bald head (from his previous treatment) and he simply just SMACKED of a good ol down-to-earth, country kind of individual. This reminded me *so* much of home (TEXAS!), family, and how I would like to live life someday. So I load them into the semi ("sem-eee") and give em the standard passenger brief. I reassure them that theyre in the capable hands of a flight instructor, start the engines, get the clearance (IFR) and we leave the ramp. I taxi us to 30, do the runup and get the takeoff clearance. As I rotate and we became airborne, I hear a soft "yelp" (for lack of a better term) from the backseat. I look aft and the wife appears to be captivated with the view, the speed and the exhilaration of flight in a small airplane. "Are you two alright?", I ask. "This is the first time weve been on one of these," she said, "but Im loving it already. "Ah, I see. Well just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Well be in Santa Monica before you know it and itll seem as though it was over all too soon." They smiled. So I turn us South and we head for the Gorman pass. Due to the recent precipitation here in Southern California, the mountains in this area are covered with snow and are a beautiful sight to behold. The sky is clearer and theres a bright sun, so we can see them in all of their splendor. No, Im not trying to write a mushy novel! However there is a layer of clouds below us. We kinda skim the tops of them at our assigned cruising altitude of 9000 feet. So we buzz one, then theres a hole where we can see the mountains again, then theres another cloud and we glide right across the top of that one too. This repeats until we are past the San Bernardino mountains and are in the LA basin. The atmosphere has kinda stabilized after the bad weather so the ride is surprisingly smooth, even right atop the clouds! As I periodically glance aft to check on my passengers I see the two of them absorbing this great big green golf ball we call Earth from a new perspective and with a feverous intent shown so vivedly through wide-open eyes and faces that are practically pressed right up against the windows. I am careful to point out some landmarks, much as you do during a demo flight with a prospective student, and I am keeping all maneuvers small, gentle and smooth. I cant help but feel that they have left "life" behind and are escaping from their problems, even if only for a short time. So Cal chimes in and clears us for the VOR approach into Santa Monica, so I get the plane configured and remind them that we may penetrate some clouds, upon which the visibility will be reduced to zero, but that its alright cause "...I just do what these little gauges up here tell me to do. Its called flying by reference to instruments. Nothing to worry about." "Sounds like fun" the husband says, to which I cant help but chuckle. We shoot the approach, go through a few clouds (fair weather cumulus) and pop out below the layer to find the airport right in front of us, just where it should be. I get the clearance and do circle-to-land on 3. I make the touch down very smooth, taxi over to the transient area and shutdown. The flight was indeed over all too soon, as they both mentioned. "You two take care of each other," I say as I shake their life-worn hands. "We will," the wife says appreciatively. "Were just here to get him better and then get on with it." I make sure they are set with ground transportation and then wish them a Happy Valentines Day. "You too young man!" they say in a verbal, staggered silhouette as they make their way off of the ramp and out of sight. I was low on oil, so found a lineman and filled back up. After a quick walkaround, I climb onboard, unfurl myself in the seat and depart Santa Monica for Van Nuys (my home base). The weather has continued to improve so I just follow the 405 over the hill for a quick hop back home. The sun is bright and warm. The sky is clearing. I touch down, taxi back to the flight school and shutdown. Just sit a minute... Yesterday was a good day. Take care and I hope you are well!! Jerry Adair Commercial ASMEL CFI-AIM adair@iglou.com |
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