Tail of the Storm

by Alan Cockrell

  No sooner have we hit the NDB and turned outbound than the fine gentleman at the radar console clears us direct to the Frankfurt VOR. We breathe sighs of relief. Fuel, apparently, will not be a problem for us now. We descend lower. It gets darker. We cross overhead the huge airport, but the swing of our VOR needles is the only evidence that we have done so. Then we are radar-vectored to an intercept heading to the final approach course. We make final preparations. I dial in the localizer course while Steve tunes and identifies the frequency.

  I would rather do the CAT II the airline way, letting the copilot fly the approach while I look for the runway. This procedure allows me to make the final decision and then take over the controls for the actual landing. But we will do it the Air Force way. I will take it all the way down, while Steve watches for the ground.

  Rolling out on final, we lower the flaps to the approach setting, but here at Frankfurt we must not lower the landing gear until we have passed over the outer marker. Doing so would require more engine power, which would trip the noise sensors planted down there among the suburbs. The Air Force pays the city of Frankfurt a big fine if we trip one, and I get to go to the kick-butt room. Like most noise abatement procedures, this one preempts good safety practice. It complicates our approach by forcing abrupt pitch and airspeed changes later on and lower than we would prefer in such weather.

  Soon we hear the tone in our headsets that signifies the passage of the marker, and I order the gear down. It falls into the slipstream with a roar and clunks heavily into place. We set the flaps to the landing position and stabilize our airspeed. As the needle on the radar altimeter steadily unwinds toward zero, I fight to suppress the urge to glance out the windscreen. My eyes zip like a busy hummingbird from one instrument to another. Altitude, descent rate, airspeed, fuel flow, heading, course deflection, glide slope deflection, AWLS fault panelall are brief stops along the hurried course of my concentration. My eyes move so quickly that if one instrument reads amiss, I may not realize it until I'm one or two more stops along the scan.

  "Approaching decision height."

  Steve's call alerts me that we are at 200 feet, almost the length of the airplane, above the earth. I steal a glance, but see only murk. Back to the panel.

  "LAND!"

  This is one of only two things he is permitted to say at this point. The other is "go around."

  I look up. We are already well over the runway. I can't even see the edges, only the centerline stripes and the twin rows of lights embedded in the runway, unscrolling toward me from the gloom. Hundreds of black tire marks directly in front of me seem to explode in the windscreen. Where has my depth perception gone? No time to judge height. No time to check and roll. No time, no time. God, I'm tired.

  With a jolt we hit. We roll. Steve pulls up the spoiler lever. I pull the throttles into reverse. The little lights embedded in the runway thump underneath our tires as we slow. A crackling voice in our headsets tells us to turn left at the next available turnoff and contact Mil Ramp.

  We taxi past the rows of airlifters sitting on the wet ramp under dreary veils of fog and turn into our assigned parking spot. The marshaler crosses his wands, and I break to a stop, flip the fuel shutoff switches, and collapse back into the seat. The crew door down below is shoved open and the spooling down of the engines again floods the flight deck, tranquilizing us. Another Atlantic crossing ends.

  Desert Storm is ending as well, to the cheers of thousands, like Lindbergh's arrival in Paris. And rightly so. But I suspect the Persian Gulf airlift will conclude with lethargic sighs and muffled moans, like those coming from my crewmates.

  As fliers, we are conditioned to think ahead, but we have learned lately not to reckon beyond the engine shutdown checklist. God only knows where we'll be headed tomorrow, if anywhere, and He ain't saying just now. So we've stopped guessing about the future. That takes too much energy. But just maybe, as Steve predicts, we are on our last mission.

  He could be right. Lately, optimism has started to flourish. Desert Storm was a resounding victory. Celebrations and parades are being planned back home, and the mother of all parties will soon commence.

  It has taken the courage and sacrifice of one generation of warriors to exonerate another. Those who fought in Viet Nam deserve a share of the Desert Storm victory. Their legacy, perverted by an inept government and an uncaring populace, has been redeemed and at last laid to rest. This one was for them.

  The past year has taught us much about ourselves. We have developed the patience, endurance, and perseverance of blue-water sailors, and the Starlifter has become our square-rigger. We stow the stores, batten the hatches, set the throttles, and run before the wind. We consign our spirits to the song of the slipstream and dwell in the contentment of the moment, waiting, waiting, for that blessed roar of the landing gear to signal our final deliveryour delivery home.

  But even now, I sense the pull, the call, the longing. Even while home is yet a distant gleam in the windscreen, I feel itas I knew I would. I'll be back this way. Back to this skyscape. Back to this sanctuary. Back to gaze at them again, to behold the billowing topgallants. Back to leave trails of glory among them.

  Epilogue

  The 727 slips along with a whisper under the long expanse of burning blue stretching ahead toward the Rockies. There's a knock at the flight deck door, and a pretty lass named Michelle comes up, passes us coffee and soft drinks, and sits down in the forward observer's seat. She crosses her legs and, with a strong sigh, pushes a fallen strand of golden hair back to its place.

  "Are the natives restless?" the captain asks with a chuckle.

  "Very," she responds. "There's this one guy back there who, like" she pauses, in the peculiar way of her generation, to relate with mimicry instead of language "you know, stares at me."

  "I can't imagine why," I retort, winking at the captain.

  "Oh, he gives me the creeps." She shudders.

  She promises to bring up our meals as soon as she takes care of first class, then departs with a cheery smile, making our day complete before it even ends.

  This, my first airline trip after the Storm, is replete with contrasts. Michelle is one. She compels me to reflect on guys with names like Wormy, Mad Dog, Killer, and Bucky. Not because they look like herdear God, nobut because, like her, they're indispensable to the other end of the jet.

  The notion keeps hitting me time and again. Was the last year a dream? And if so, was it a good one or a nightmare? It passed so slowly, yet now it seems fleeting. The tribulations we suffered don't seem all that distressing now. I don't regret it. My military flying career began as one war ended, and spanned twenty years to the close of another one. I'll be content to let it end there.

  I know I'll miss the camaraderie; there's not much of that in this job. To fly with someone is to share, but to fly and serve with someone is to bond with them.

  I'm glad to be back to these "friendly skies." Yet I'll always be glancing backward, always checking six. But for memories, not bandits. And when I do, I'll see not places, nor planes, but faces. More important than flight itself are the faces of flight. And they reside in me in abundance.

  Glossary

  A

  AC Aircraft commander.

  AFB Air Force base.

  AHARS An emergency backup system for attitude and heading.

  AIM-9 Heat-seeking air-to-air missile.

  Aircraft commander The pilot responsible for the plane, its crew, and its mission. Same as "captain" in the airlines.

  Airlift control element A unit that controls and coordinates airlift operations in a deployed area.

  ALCE Airlift control element.

  Alert time The time at which a crew is alerted for a mission, after it has received a legal rest period.

  Altimeter The instrument that indicates aircraft altitude, pronounced "altim-eter."

  AOR Area of responsibility.

  APU Auxiliary power unit.

  Area of responsibility The operational ar
ea for which a major commander is responsible. In the Persian Gulf War, Central Command's AOR spread from east Africa to the Indian subcontinent.

  AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System.

  AWLS All Weather Landing System.

  C

  Call sign A name, number, or combination of the two, assigned by higher headquarters, by which aircraft identify themselves via radio. During routine home base training, call signs may be permanent. They vary for operational missions.

  CDS Container delivery system.

  CINCMAC Commander-in-chief, Military Airlift Command.

  Command post A continuously manned facility that controls and coordinates air operations.

  Conn The verb form of contrail, i.e., to leave a contrail.

  Copilot Pilot qualified for right seat operations only.

  CP Command post or Copilot.

  CRAF Civil Reserve Air Fleet.

  Cursor A marker that can be set to a desired range on the radar scope.

  D

  DZ Drop zone.

  E

  ETIC Estimated time in commission.

  F

  FAA Federal Aviation Administration.

  FAR Federal air regulations.

  Federal air regulations The rules established by the FAA to which all pilots must adhere.

  Federal Aviation Administration The branch of government that regulates and controls flight in the United States.

  First pilot Pilot qualified to fly in either the left or right seat but not as aircraft commander.

  Flameout The complete loss of thrust in a jet engine.

  FP First pilot.

  G

  G Symbol for gravitational force. A pilot is "pulling Gs" when he is pushed down into his seat by centrifugal force as a result of a flight path that is circular, either horizontally or vertically, as water is forced to the bottom of a bucket when the bucket is swung overhead.

  Glideslope The angle at which an aircraft descends toward a landing on an ILS approach. Usually about 3 degrees.

  GMT Greenwich mean time.

  G-suit A garment worn on the legs and abdomen by fighter pilots that inflates with air pressure to keep blood from pooling in the lower extremities during high "G" flight.

  Guard bum Air Guard crew member who has no regular civilian job and who derives most of his income flying more missions than are required.

  H

  Head-up display A transparent screen over the instrument panel in some planes that displays vital information to the pilot as he looks out ahead of the aircraft.

  HF High-frequency radio.

  High-frequency radio A long range transmitter/receiver used in oceanic operations.

  HUD Head-up display

  I

  IFR Instrument flight rules.

  ILS Instrument landing system.

  Instrument flight rules Rules for flying in low visibility weather. This type of flying is closely monitored by radar or other controlling facilities.

  Instrument landing system A system that sends electronic signals up from the runway, allowing pilots to align with the runway and to descend toward it in inclement weather.

  Intell Intelligence, the people responsible for gathering and distributing classified information.

  Interphone A closed-circuit communication system for crew members aboard an aircraft through the use of headsets equipped with boom microphones.

  IP Instructor pilot.

  J

  JP-4 Type of jet fuel used by most Air Force aircraft.

  K

  KTO Kuwait theater of operations.

  L

  LC Lieutenant colonel.

  Loadmaster Crew member responsible for passenger safety, supervision of loading and offloading cargo, and computing weight and balance.

  Localizer The course that aligns an aircraft with the runway on an ILS approach.

  M

  MAC Military Airlift Command.

  Mark-82 Commonly used 500-pound general-purpose bomb.

  Mic Slang for microphone. (Pronounced "mike.")

  Mike mike Slang for millimeter.

  Military Airlift Command Formerly the organization responsible for all airlift operations, now called Air Mobility Command.

  N

  NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

  NATS North Atlantic Track System.

  NDB Nondirectional beacon, a simple navigation station that an aircraft can home in on or can fly away from on a desired straight line course.

  Nomex An olive green fire resistant material from which flight suits and gloves are made.

  P

  Pitot-static System that supplies atmospheric pressure information to altimeters, airspeed indicators, and other instruments. (Pronounced "peeto-static.")

  Prop wash Wind blast generated by an aircraft's propeller.

  R

  Radar vectors Instructions issued by a radar facility directing an aircraft to fly a certain compass heading.

  Radome The nose of an aircraft, which houses a radar antenna.

  RAF Royal Air Force, the air force of Her Majesty, the Queen of England.

  Reporting points Points identified by latitude and longitude over which aircraft not in radar contact must report their time and altitude of passage to the controlling agency.

  ROTC Reserve Officer Training Corps, the curriculum through which college students earn commissions as officers in the various U.S. military services.

  RSU Runway supervisory unit.

  S

  SAC Strategic Air Command.

  SAR Search-and-rescue operations.

  SKE Station Keeping Equipment.

  Slipstream The rush of air around an aircraft in flight.

  Special instructions Guidance, issued to aircrews, with regard to a specific combat operation.

  SPINS Special instructions.

  Stall A condition in which the airflow over a wing becomes turbulent rather than smooth, causing a sudden loss of lifting power.

  Stan/Eval Standardization/Evaluation, the office responsible for monitoring proficiency and job knowledge through periodic written tests and check flights, which is historically loathed by crew members.

  Static discharge Explosivelike blast experienced when an electrical charge builds up on an aircraft and suddenly discharges into the surrounding air mass. Usually occurs in or near thunderstorms.

  T

  Tango Uniform International Phonetic Code for "tits up," i.e., broken, or out of commission.

  TDY Temporary duty.

  TJ Torrejon Air Base, Spain.

  TRT Takeoff-rated thrust.

  Turboprop A jet engine that spins a propeller.

  U

  UHF Ultra-high frequency, a frequency band used in most military aircraft communications.

  UPT Undergraduate pilot training.

  USAF United States Air Force.

  UTA Unit training assembly, the weekend period of duty required once per month of guardsmen and reservists. Commonly referred to as "drill."

  V

  VFR Visual flight rules, rules applied to aircraft flying in relatively good weather and not under positive control by a radar or a tracking facility.

  VHF Very high frequency, a frequency band used in most civil aircraft communications.

  VOR Very high frequency omnidirectional range, a reference to both onboard receivers and ground navigation facilities that allow aircraft to fly specific courses between stations.

  W

  Wake turbulence Disturbed flow of air left behind after an aircraft wing passes through. Can be violent and long lasting behind large aircraft.

  Walk-around inspection External inspection performed by crew members before flight and between flights.

  Z

  Zero fuel weight (ZFW) The weight of the aircraft plus its passengers and cargo, exclusive of fuel. The maximum fuel load is calculated by subtracting the ZFW from the maximum allowable takeoff weight.

  About the Author

  Alan Cockrell is a co
mmercial airline pilot. He spent twenty years in the Air Force, the Reserve, and the Air Guard. During the Persian Gulf War he logged almost 1,000 hours as a C-141 aircraft commander. He resides in Huntsville, Alabama.

  FB2 document info

  Document ID: 932de553-005b-4b18-96b6-9162cc341178

  Document version: 1

  Document creation date: 22.6.2012

  Created using: calibre 0.8.57, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 software

  Document authors :

  Source URLs :

  http://scilib.narod.ru/index.html

  Document history:

  1.0 — создание документа

  About

  This file was generated by Lord KiRon's FB2EPUB converter version 1.1.5.0.

  (This book might contain copyrighted material, author of the converter bears no responsibility for it's usage)

  Этот файл создан при помощи конвертера FB2EPUB версии 1.1.5.0 написанного Lord KiRon.

  (Эта книга может содержать материал который защищен авторским правом, автор конвертера не несет ответственности за его использование)

  http://www.fb2epub.net

  https://code.google.com/p/fb2epub/