New2view's Blog   Life on The Blue Marble

Clipping the edges of thick cloud over the mighty Columbia River gorge, I headed for a former USAF airstrip in Eastern Washington State near the Canadian border. Sadly it would be my last flight in Mooney N1060B.

The adventure began a few years earlier as I searched for a bargain-priced airplane, straining my eyes on those tiny Aviation Plane ads. With a little extra cash sale of a fixer-upper real estate project burning a hole in my pocket, I was hoping to pursue much loved flying hobby after several years of absence.

Eureka! There it was. A vintage Mooney, the very same wood-wing 20A model I had previously owned, and at a bargain price! Of course the reason was obvious; it ‘needed work’.

Far from discouraging me however, this was an added incentive! Having owned two previous early-model M20A’s, one with a wood wing and tail, and one with a converted metal wing and tail, this fixer-upper held no undue concerns for me.

Soon I was on an American Airlines DC-10 streaking for Louisville Kentucky and a date with a car dealer, owner of several airplanes.

Although he looked a little skeptical when he met me at the airport, possibly because I was younger that his own age of approximately 40. Still, he immediately loaned me one of his used car lot vehicles, saying he would need a day or two to get the plane ready for my intended cross-country return flight to California – only after verifying my bank draft check mind you.

The next day, after returning to the airport to recover my Canadian re-routed baggage, I tried in vain to be interested in touring the Louisville area. However my mind remained focused on the purpose at hand.

Joining up with the seller on the second day, we drove over the bridge to an airplane parts supply store in Indiana. Back at the local airport garage I watched and handed tools as he confidently rolled up his sleeves and proceeded to install new piston rings in the venerable 180 h.p. Lycoming I0-360 engine.

It was quite evident Mooney N1060B had not been flown for quite some time. “Don’t worry” the seller assured me, “I’ll test fly it before you take off for home.” Always the optimist, I was only slightly less sure of his mechanical abilities when he broke one of the new oil rings he was installing!

However, true to his word, the next day he took off and briefly circled the Louisville airport without incident. I was ready to go the next morning, but bad weather brought a solid layer of clouds and drizzling rain, preventing a normal VFR (visual flight rules) takeoff.

After waiting another full day, regularly checking aviation weather reports by telephone, I felt I could not be away from wife and children any longer – never a safe reason for making a go or no-go flight decision.

Taxiing out to the runway for the obligatory runup, I proceeded to read back an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) clearance dictated by the control tower before rolling down the runway full throttle and lifting off.  In a flash I pulled the familiar Johnson bar landing gear handle retracting the landing gear, and proceeded to punch through the persistent overcast cloud.

Soon I was ‘on top’ above the clouds in glorious sunshine! A fresh boost of pilot confidence bolstered my spirits. (While not recommended, in the USA it is legal for VFR pilots like me to fly above the cloud deck in US airspace.)

Now at 8,000 feet, visibility was CAVU (ceiling and visibility unlimited). I was ecstatically heading South in my ‘new’ 1950’s vintage airplane.

Before leaving home I had carefully plotted and mapped a return course, leaving a copy with my wife. Now I was en route to my first refueling stop at Little Rock Arkansas, about 500 miles South of Louisville. Running at a modest cruise rpm, I diligently checked my compass heading, radio aids, oil pressure, exhaust gas temperature, and fuel consumption, moment by moment. Happily the engine sounded good and appeared stable, so I truly exulted in the always gratification of human flight!

Unreservedly I sang out loudly, praising God for my good fortune and blessings. There is definitely something about flying, especially solo flying, that heightens your spiritual awareness. It’s clearly a ‘nearer to God’ experience.

The solid blanket of cloud below gradually broke open as I headed South by SW. By the time I reached Little Rock, visibility allowed for a normal VFR landing and I didn’t waste any time getting airborne again after refueling. After take-off I reported a good-sized funnel cloud in the area, what we pilots call a ‘pirep’ (pilot report).

My next refueling stop was Abilene Texas. By that time I was tired, but decided to continue on and make the most of good flying conditions. Finally, just after sunset, I landed at Deming, New Mexico, a non-control tower airport. The local service provider immediately handed me the keys to his pickup truck so I could travel the short distance into town and find a restaurant. That trusted pilot fraternity exists everywhere you fly, and it’s truly heart warming.

Returning later I slept under a wing on the ground in my sleeping bag, it was a warm summer night. Gazing up at the star-filled sky, with great humility, I was truly grateful to God that things had gone so well.

The next morning I took off with three full fuel tanks and an overly optimistic plan to make it to the Los Angeles basin in one hop, not a good decision as it turned out! In spite of scrupulously leaning the fuel mixture and running at an economical cruise speed of about 135 mph, by the time I reached California fuel was running very low. To make matters worse, horizontal visibility was reduced to perhaps a mile or less in smog. Descending to less than 1500 feet I strained to locate an airport, any airport!

After long minutes, with fuel critically low, my heart rate was beginning to rival engine rpm. It was definitely time to swallow pride and call for help. The L.A. traffic controller responded swiftly and efficiently, ordering me to go to the emergency frequency of 121.5.

Once in contact there he ordered me to “turn right for radar identification”, i.e. to get a sharper radar reflection and direct me to the nearest safe landing site. But the problem was that at my low altitude it was difficult for them to target me. While they were attempting to do so, mercifully, the Palm Springs airport suddenly came into view nearby!

The controller immediately cleared me with the tower for a straight in landing approach. With a huge sigh of relief I landed and taxied directly to fuel pumps, it was like an oasis in a hot dessert. My good fortune and gratitude re-doubled when refueling added up to the maximum fuel capacity of the Mooney!

After a much needed bathroom break, and a required phone call to L.A. traffic control to explain my reason for declaring an emergency, namely; ‘smog reduced visibility’, I continued on with a short hop over to Oxnard airport. It was my plan to obtain a full examination of my newly acquired gem, including air frame and engine, by a recommended shop there.

But now my solid string of good fortune was interrupted! As I landed at Oxnard airport the Mooney brakes were virtually non-existent. They had been unneeded for prior landings, but now I was directed by the control tower to turn off the runway to a taxiway. Since I couldn’t slow down enough to do so, I made a hasty decision to turn off the main runway on the grass in between taxiways, attempting to climb back onto the main taxiway which was somewhat elevated. Since the Mooney only has an 8.5″ prop clearance from tip to ground, it struck the raised asphalt taxiway!

The damage resulting in a slightly twisted prop tip. However after receiving some remedial straightening by the local shop, I was once again able to depart without incident. Finally returning to my temporary home base near Sacramento California with a friend flying escort in his Cessna 172.

Advising the Louisville Seller that I had reached home safely was a satisfying end to this highly memorable flight. It was truly a ‘flight to remember’ for me.

But now, many months later, it was time to return my beloved Mooney back to the USA after being frustrated by Canadian Transport regulations, ah but that’s another story.