Dreams Take Flight (22 page)

Lucas handed the letters to Gil.

“I see. Lucas, we at Global pride ourselves in hiring the best of the best, and everyone who has interviewed you wants you to be a member of our team. This letter from your partner stating that he was the pilot in command will clear this issue up with us. As a matter of routine, we will do another background check to show that the letter has been removed from your file. We are all looking forward to your arrival in September.” Gil gave Lucas a welcoming thumbs-up.

“And I am looking forward to being here,” responded Lucas.

“Welcome to Global, Lucas.” Gil extended a hand. “Let’s go back out into the lobby; we have some additional paperwork for you to complete, because when you return you will be one of us.” Gil rose and headed for the door with Lucas in tow.

Approaching the receptionist’s desk, Gil said, “Martha, will you begin processing the paperwork for Lucas to start at the academy on September first?” Gil turned to Lucas and extends a hand again. “Welcome aboard. We’ll be in touch with details on transportation, housing, and the like. If in the meantime you have any questions, be sure to give me a call. And Martha, will you check the flights to St. Louis and get Lucas out on the first available—and if possible, will you make it first class? Lucas, it has been a pleasure. Have a nice flight home and call me if you need me. Otherwise, we’ll see you on September first.”

“Thank you so much, Gil. You won’t regret this decision.”

“I know we won’t. Have a nice trip home.”

Lucas smiled to himself all the way home. His future was developing as planned.
This is actually happening,
he thought to himself, almost in disbelief.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Engine Shutdown

B
y Thursday evening, Lucas hadn’t spoken with Heather since his return from Dallas due to other commitments, and was anxious to fill her in on all the details as he knew them. Arriving at the airport as usual, just prior to leaving on a trip to Omaha, Lucas told Heather that when he got back he would have to make a quick trip to his apartment, get cleaned up, and go to school.

Knowing Lucas wouldn’t be by that night, Heather set an alarm to go off thirty minutes before Lucas’s ETA. Her plan was to listen for Mike and Lucas to call the tower once they got near St. Louis. She wouldn’t see Lucas or talk with him, but hearing him would be comforting. Her portable radio was already set to the approach control and tower frequencies. When her alarm went off, she wouldn’t even need to get out of bed. Instead, she would be able to roll over and turn her radio on, and wait to hear that comforting voice.

In the meantime, Mike and Lucas headed back to St. Louis. During their down time, they found opportunities to reminisce about their memorable experiences, recognizing that their time together was now limited. As they flew, each shared favorite memories, at times erupting in uncontrollable laughter.

“Mike, look at the glow to the east. It won’t be long before we’ll need our sunglasses.”

“Sure enough. I hate these late-night flights. Even if the flight itself is short, when you return with the sun coming up, it feels like you’ve been flying all night. You got school today?”

“Sure do. Got an important final in one of my psychology classes.”

“How are you going to take a test after flying all night?”

“Good question. My plan is to go home, shower, and drink lots of coffee. Actually, I hope the shower tricks my body into thinking I just got out of bed.”

“Some trick! If it works, let me know. Feel that vibration?”

“A little. Let me turn the auto sync off and see what that does.”

“Still there,” Mike confirmed. “I think it’s coming from the left engine.”

“I don’t know, Mike; you can see the engines are in sync. You think it’s the left side?”

“I can’t tell for sure, but I think so.”

“Mike, I’m going to slowly adjust the RPM on the left engine—let’s see if the vibration changes.”

“Stop! That’s making it worse!”

“Yeah, now I can feel it in the controls. This isn’t good,” said Lucas.

“Lucas, you focus on flying the plane and I’m going to go through the engine shutdown procedure on the left side. The plane is yours.”

“Got it.”

“OK. Here I go; ignore all the red lights for a second.”

Over the next twenty or thirty seconds, Mike went through the engine shutdown checklist, which included shutting down and isolating various systems.

“The left side is feathered and now it’s isolated. Lucas, you doing OK with one engine?”

“I am. It sure got quieter, but at least that vibration went away.”

“Yeah, I think we were about to throw a blade from the prop. That wouldn’t have had a happy ending. When you go to school this morning, I want you to be thankful that you aren’t the subject of someone’s news report.”

“I hear ya. It sure is smoother, isn’t it, and slower? This is going to change our ETA.” Lucas began the process of amending their arrival time. “I’ll let Center know what’s going on.

Lucas: “Kansas City Center, this is Convair thirty-seven-thirteen-papa.”

Controller: “Convair three-seven-one-three-papa, Kansas City Center.”

Lucas: “One-three-papa. Just want you to be aware that we have an engine shutdown and will be slowing down, but otherwise everything is OK. Will you tack on about twenty minutes to our ETA? Once we get things stabilized, I’ll give you a new speed.”

Controller: “Understood, one-three-papa. Do you need priority handling?”

Lucas: “Just let St. Louis Approach know that we prefer a straight in, and we don’t want any go-arounds?”

Controller: “Roger, one-three-papa. Will notify St. Louis Approach, and don’t worry about reporting your speed; I can see it coming down on the radar.”

Lucas: “Kansas City, one-three-papa, it looks like you need to clear the airspace below. I don’t think I can maintain this altitude.”

Controller: “Roger, one-three-papa. I’ll clear the airspace for you, and in just a few miles I’m going to turn you over to St. Louis approach.”

Lucas: “One-three-papa.”

“Lucas,” Mike asked, “you doing OK or do you need some help?”

“I’m fine for now.”

Controller: “Convair three-seven-one-three-papa, contact St. Louis Approach on one-two-six-point-seven—have a safe arrival.”

Lucas: “Roger, one-three-papa, we’ll be fine. Mike, why don’t you take over the radio so I can focus on flying the plane?”

“You got it.”

Mike: “St. Louis Approach, this is Convair three-seven-one-three-papa checking in with information delta, and we have our left engine shut down.”

Not completely awake, Heather heard Mike’s voice calling approach control, but wasn’t sure what he’d said about an engine.

Controller: “This is St. Louis Approach Control, one-three-papa, understand you have an engine shut down. Are you declaring an emergency?”

Mike: “Negative, but we can’t do any go-arounds and we would like a straight in on one-two-right.”

Controller: “One-three-papa, maintain your present heading and expect to intercept the final approach course in about twelve miles. How many souls on board?”

Mike: “One-three-papa, there are two of us on board. Lucas, ya ever wonder when we became souls and not people?”

“Rather impersonal, isn’t it?”

“Still OK at the controls? You want to complete the landing?” asked Mike.

“Sure, I’m doing fine; I’ll take it all the way in, but once we get it slowed down, you’ll have to take the steering.”

“Right,” responded Mike.

Controller: “One-three-papa, the tower has been advised of your situation and other traffic is being held. You should also expect equipment on the north taxi strip, awaiting your arrival.”

Mike: “One-three-papa.”

Heather was now fully aware of what was going on. “Equipment” was another word for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. Panic took a grip on Heather. She’d flown enough to know that, based on his last position, Lucas would touch down in about fifteen minutes. If she left the apartment now, she would probably get there just in time for touchdown. Grabbing whatever she could find to put on, she dashed out the door with car keys in one hand and the radio in the other.

“I’ll tell you this, Mike,” Lucas said, “at least it’s daylight. That should make this process a little easier.”

“I agree. Still doing OK?”

“I’m fine.”

Controller: “Convair three-seven-one-three-papa, contact the tower on one-one-eight-point-five.”

Mike: “Roger, one-three-papa.”

Mike: “Tower, this is Convair three-seven-one-three-papa with you.”

Controller: “Convair one-three-papa, you’re number one cleared to land on one-two right.”

Mike: “Roger, one-three-papa. And one-three-papa won’t have the reversers—we’re going to need to let roll out, so clearing the runway may take a little time.”

Controller: “Not a problem, one-three-papa. Take your time.”

As Heather rushed to get to the airport, Lucas lined up the Convair with the runway.
Ok, I can’t fuck this landing up. I have too much to do today to deal with a bent airplane,
Lucas thought to himself.

Mike and Lucas landed without incident and limped to Gold Coast Aviation, where the Convair would spend the day getting a thorough checkup.

As Lucas exited the plane, Heather rushed to him and leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms in a bear hug around his neck.

“Hey, Heather! What’s up? Why are you here?” He gently lowered her to the ground.

“I was listening to my monitor. I heard what was going on and couldn’t just sit there wondering how you were doing. I couldn’t stand the suspense, so I threw on whatever was lying around, and here I am.”

“Well, everything is fine; we just had a little issue with one of the engines.”

“I was so worried.”

“You shouldn’t worry about this stuff. It worked out fine. Besides, coming here wouldn’t help the situation.”

“I know, but I couldn’t just sit at home! Are you going home or to school?”

“I need to make a quick stop at home and then go to school, otherwise I’d love to have breakfast with you. Why don’t you go home and go back to bed, and I’ll swing by after school?”

“If I have to. I just don’t want to let go.”

“I’m OK and you will be too.”

“If you insist.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Visibility Near Zero

A
s usual, Lucas arrived at the airport around nine o’clock in the evening for an estimated ten thirty departure. Departure times were always an estimate, because no one ever knew exactly when the cargo would arrive at the airport, much less be loaded. On the way to the airport, it was obvious that things would be a little different, at least during departure. The fog was so thick, he could hardly see to drive and had to creep along at a blazing speed of twenty miles per hour.

Once at the airport, everything was pretty much normal except that the cargo was late because of the fog. The same fog slowed down other flights and kept the lobby quiet. Mike had not yet arrived, but that wasn’t a big deal since the departure time had been pushed back. With nothing else to do, Lucas went ahead and performed the preflight, and completed all of the paperwork that could be completed without having the cargo weight and other documentation.

Still without Mike or cargo, Lucas felt that the best way to pass the time would be to grab a cup of coffee and check in with Heather.

“Hey, Heather,” he said, “where did all your customers go? Scare them away?”

“This place has been dead all night. Mr. Lucas, I wouldn’t guess you’d want to try the closet again?”

“I’m not so sure that was a good idea. How did things go with Autumn after I left? In fact, I’d almost forgotten about that.”

“How could you forget about the closet?”

“It wasn’t the closet I almost forgot about; it was our encounter with Autumn.”

“Oh, so want to step into my closet? Autumn won’t be in until late; she already called.”

“I’m still not so sure that is a good idea.”

“Come here, big boy.” Heather used her index finger to bring him closer, and walked to the end of the counter.