T-Tail-Tall-Tail:
Learning to Fly
Tim Louden
I retired in 1994 after 20 years as a C141 "Crew
Dog." I'd seen her go from
gray and white to lizard, short to long. Man I loved
that bird and never had a
bad word for her......until......
Shortly after my retirement, and working full time
again, I decided to fulfill
a life long dream. Using my government pension (
Which incidentally wasn't
quite what my recruiter had painted it to be. But
that's another story. ) I
enrolled in the Northwest Aviation College in
Auburn, Washington.
I was gonna be a pilot! This small airport is
located slightly north east of
McChord Airplane Patch where I had finished out my
career. On the day before my
final check ride, my instructor and I went up for a
dress rehearsal. Stalls,
slow flight, engine out etc. All went well until I
entered my downwind heading
south. There at our altitude, in our airspace, was
this HUGE ( I was in a
Cessna 152 ) green four engined JP burning monster.
My instructor yelled, "I've
got it!" and proceeded to yank and bank us clear of
the offending behemoth.
Once safely on the ground and in the FBO it was
obvious that he was more than a
little pissed and shook.
I knew just how to help him vent. I got on the phone
and called McChord Base
Ops and asked for the Duty Officer. Then I handed
the phone to my instructor. I
could only hear his side of the conversation,
something about NOTAMS, airspace
incursion, and unholy relations with animals.
I never found out who that poor SOB in the barrel
was, but he earned his pay
that day. By the way, the following day I passed my
check ride.
I too now have put out my hand and touched the face
of God.
Thimsen ( Tim ) R. Louden
TSgt USAF ( Ret )