It was a strange dream Captain Imelda Guiterrez had deadheaded from Corpus Christi the previous day. She had been a Navy Pilot she has learned to fly instruments. She had always been a Tomboy. Her husband and spent the day previous at Bob Hall pier they had been high school lovers. Corpus Christi had been her home, where she learned to fly Corpus Christi International and NAS Corpus. Her husband was man enough for the Tomboy. She did not totally love flying the big triple seven for Delta but the pay was nice. The Pitts (new) and Mooney (share) were the fruits of feistiness. She wrestled with the paradox as she watched spotters at in and Out Burger clicking away with their DSLRs. She laughed she might see some of the photos on airliners.net The wings still symbolized romance of travel but the monotony of the flight technology had reduced it to a chain of position reports to computerized lat/long. It was only when things went wrong would things get interesting. She was well paid to make sure the flight was routine and when things went wrong they were taken care of. She was glad people still found it romantic. The layovers were not long enough to enjoy them too much. For her she was wrestling again with the two points the safety of the journey had increased the challenge had decreased. In tourist class, she almost felt sorry for those victims. She knew any first class passenger from the fifties would have thought they had died and gone to heaven with Delta’s first class.

The dream was strange. She interviewed men she recognized them from old photos Pan Am Captains…Pacific division from 1949. They were to see what flying was like in the era of. She made the comment the era of the computer with wings. The triple 7 was a flying computer network with good aerodynamics and some neat engines. She finally told one of the men who seemed a bit geeky he could fly in the jump seat LAX to Sydney.

Captain Longfellow found it odd he awoke from a slumber dressed in his uniform and was interviewed by a fortish Hispanic woman in a Delta Uniform. There were other Pan Am men. Why Delta interviewing for a Trans pacific flight why a Hispanic woman for Delta what did she do? Was she an office staffer what were those wings on her breast? Next thing he knew he heard the words “You are going to be riding jump seat LAX to Sydney report 1300 Crew lounge.”

Captain Longfellow knew as he looked around he was in a crew briefing room he saw an ID with a strange black strip on the back around his neck he was in uniform. He was in a lounge area with one-woman three men. Captain Guiterrez strangely recognized him after an awkward pause she said “We will have a guest Captain Longfellow will be our guest he flew Connies this route in 1949.” Captain Guiterrez was visibly in charge. She introduced Captain Longfellow to the three other crew members one relief Captain, two first officers. Longfellow was confused he was baffled “Navigator, flight engineer?” Guiterrez with a sly smile “You will find out on pre-flight“ “She continued her briefing mentioning the 14 check points and the anticipated weather they would encounter.” Her crew automatically almost ignored her comment “it will be updated in-flight via data link we know it is subject to change since we are going summer to winter.“ She left told Captain Longfellow to watch the two first officers mark the back up Pacific chart for the flight. Captain Longfellow asked, “We got a Dame for a Captain?” Captain First officer Rider said “She has flown FA-18s got a kill enforcing the no fly zone.” Rider continued, “She also got Orion flight time she became a Captain of one of those Orions for the Navy. The joke is her taste in airplane can only be provided for by her being a Captain on a long haul flight.” Delta puts up with her she will take takeoff two hours in and head to crew rest she will sleep and wind up handling let down and landing. She almost feels stuck on this run she likes going to Europe with their traffic and over the North Atlantic more of challenge she has a strange taste in fun.” Let us head out to the airplane the relief Captain said.

Captain Longfellow had died in 707 crash with Dutch Roll off Idewild in 1959. As they walked out the triple 7 -200 with the long range he had a whole lot of history to catch up on. Pan Am he was told Pan AM died early January 1991. He was told Pan Am sold its Pacific division in 1985 to United. United pulled out of LAX SYD. Delta purchased the innards of Pan Am and wound up taking the route.

The next surprise was the size of the airplane and the engines. First officer Rider calmly equipped “33,300 horse power per engine” We will have about 350 people on board the airplane. Twin engine for over the water? Longfellow’s question was answered by the engine reliability figure failure rate per thousand of hours. Only once has one of the crew members had to shut down an engine inflight and that was a bird strike. Longfellow was surprised. His host sensing the shock “Wasn’t the Connie the best three engined ship flying the Pacific” Longfellow laughed. Longfellow was staggered by the size as they started the walk around. The number of airplanes around was surprising for Captain Longfellow. The walk around was pretty basic. Longfellow was bewildered by the numbers. He looked at the size of the airplane wow. The combination was overwhelming.

Captain Longfellow was surprised it was a twin engine the size of engines was mind blowing. He was told each of them produce near 100,000lbs of thrust. FO rider explained the bypass ratio. Captain Longfellow asked, “So we are really flying non stop? “ First officer Rider replied “Yep Pan Am hammered a nail into its coffin doing it first operating the route the -400 747 made it possible to do making some money now the triple seven can make real money with the right load. He then quipped this about the flight time in a Stratocruiser LAX to HNL we got two crews for it. Guiterrez will take off get us to altitude fly two check points get a nap she insists on flying landings. She Rider replied “She is an aviatrix Pancho would have loved to drink a beer with her she only flies this bird so she can play with her toys and go fishing with her husband who is more of a man then she is!“ Captain Longfellow commented, “Sounds like Pancho Barnes.” Rider laughed, “I would have loved to meet her. “ Longfellow asked “What have you flown only C-5s and transport types?” Rider replied, “That’s affirmative. “ Longfellow replied, “She would have called you an ass sitter not an aviator. “ Rider replied, “Sounds like you know.” Longfellow remarked “I’ve been insulted by her a few times. “ Rider was intrigued: “Why? “ Longfellow said, “Real aviators do not like flying straight and level.” The walk around was illustrative the airplane was massive he knew the swept wing he was surprised at the supercritical sections and the reworks of it. The first FO was a Reserve C-5 pilot he gave a technical description. It was then the FO noticed the cigarettes….we do not smoke anymore you stupid pollute your lungs putting fresh carbon monoxide reduce your night vision and dump a carcinogen in your system then leave an ugly stain on the airplane notice how we do not have the tan stain on the tail any more. Longfellow was surprised by the terseness. Finally Longfellow asked “Where’s the navigator?” Rider replied, “We do not have one or a flight engineer the computers handle that now. The airplane has a couple inertial guidance systems linked to GPS.” Longfellow asked “What’s GPS?” “There is a flock of satellites with atomic clocks beaming time in orbit artificial celestial navigation you see those antennas they pick it up the computer computes the differences artificial celestial nav. At the VHF antenna and HF he explained how things worked. Longfellow was surprised at it all.

They made it up to the cockpit. Captain Longfellow asked, “Where are the gauges?” Guiterrez “those screens are Multi function displays they show engine status, checklists artificial horizon altimeter, airspeed indicator and look at our auto pilot. We have to have a sterile cockpit once the checklists start. Watch and learn.

Two crew members went to the crew rest area. The route was verified the flight plan had been data linked to the airplane. He saw boxes the route of the plan was being verified as the woman and man looked they were verifying what looked like and people were double checking. The amount of fuel was verified he understood two person. Then the number of people were verified that was inputted to the airplane and the airplane spat out Vspeeds. They were computed. The Captain briefed what would happen engine failure and takeoff thrust was going to be 96% available thrust. It was as if the people themselves were computers. The numbers were impressive they could abort the takeoff before 159 knots, the nose would be rotated skyward 163, and safe climb speed would be 168. She was direct:” Do not call abort before v1 tell what the problem is!” The Captain had authority it was her cockpit. It all seemed like a military operation. Captain Longfellow seemed at ease when heard the altitude he had an octant. She was in charge but implied was also seeking feedback and making sure her first officer understood completely. The big airplane was pushed back. Captain Longfellow’s eyes were darting out the big windows of the cockpit. ”Sure is busy,” he thought. The checklists appeared on a screen and he was surprised at how succinct they were. Longfellow figured out its location and saw it shaking his head. The pressurization system Captain Longfellow was amazed at how the computer system. The ease of engine start after pushback was another surprise. Quickly both massive engines were started it seemed with no fanfare at all. He could see the steam gauges on the computer screen with digital display they were paid attention. He figured they were watching exhaust gas temps.  That part made sense he had been on a 707.  It was almost as if the human beings were to some extent a computer.  Everything was task related as if a switch had been hit.  

Once talking to the tower he was impressed VHF sounded the box with a code was a mystery. The line of traffic heading east was impressive. The Captain with the tiller seemed calm ground control was busy with the line if airplanes heading to the runway. Between each line with ATC was haste and control.  Ground was busy precise.  The tightness of arrival and departure runways was also amazing one landing one departing parallel to each other then likewise on the other side. The checklists continued everything seemed standardized. This was amazing him. Not a word was wasted he was just there to sit and watch. Finally, after taxi pre take off then take off checklist as they made their way they were finally given clearance. Between the lines was a statement no non-task conversation. The intensity was clear. This dame was no nonsense.  Things were so serious during taxi.  Tower was called "Delta heavy expedite departure."  She carried some speed used the tiller to center the nose on the runway.  The nose gear was behind them.  The size was all boggling along with the speed.  The throttles were pushed to a certain point it was clear that as they advanced on their own someone called out stable engines one action the engine performance was being watched the gauges first part someone called out stable engines! Then the airplanes throttles visibly moved only being guarded by human hands. It looked a bit like team gauges as the massive engines spooled up to 97% thrust. Someone on the flight deck called out “takeoff thrust set.” Captain Longfellow felt shoved against his seat. Wow! This was like a fighter. The airplane was a massive twin and was accelerating like a race car.  The radio chatter had been surprising cut and fast. He could feel the brute power he did a mental calculation of the thrust to weight wow. A voice computer called out v1 halfway down the runway. A few more feet vanished underneath the wheels rotate was called out. As the massive nose came up he almost felt the word stall! The nose seemed aimed so much higher compared to the Connie.  No the airplane continued plowing ahead on what felt like brute power unleashed! The airplane broke ground at what seemed like a high deck angle the next line positive rage he could locate a Vertical Speed Indicator and he could see they were climbing in one of the Multi Function Display they were climbing he check both it looked like a huge artificial horizon. They were told to contact departure from tower. The throttles were pulled back he figured out the gear was up and locked.

He could look at the console he quickly figured out what the knob turning was about as they were told airspeed to maintain, and climb to. The flaps 10, a little more acceleration, flaps 5 and finally flaps were retracted. The airplane turned towards a south southwest heading. The console was explained they would set target altitude the airplane was cleared to its cruise altitude 36,000. From near, Sea Level to 10,000 all occurred so fast. The auto throttles /FADEC were explained to him as well as the various aspects of the pressurization system.  The console auto pilot was simple to understand.  At a certain altitude it went to Mach for the speed.  There was a selector.  The plane actually had better takeoff performance then a four engine because of the ETOPS certification it needed a bigger reserve then an airplane with three or four engines.  The climb to 10,000 had been surprising.  The deck angle on the climb was mind blowing.  It was automatic pressurization. The system was basic it worked off bleed air. The Mach number was set. The airplane we was told was fly by wire. Essentially computers told what control surfaces to move based on various sensors the pilot could override the final say so rest with the Captain but in autopilot, the computers were told what to do with the airplane. They got the plane to its programmed goal. The fuel going to the engines first was from the tail. The idea of the flight management he could see. He also saw how the throttles. The screen had rolled through a whole host of menus. Captain Guiterrez explained the engines were being run by a computer a bank of computers was in actuality flying the airplane as they made the first position report. He looked surprised….what now we are now back up system she commented. We look for other traffic around but that is indicated she explained the screen and we control the technology as the airplane crosses the Pacific. They were not quite haulin but 82 percent the speed of sound was not bad. Instead of an awkward position report a basic computer input revealed and was sent to a center many miles away from the airplane. Data link from dispatch little less headwind to the equator then expected. The sunset was spectacular. The absence of vibration was stunning. The Rate of climb to the altitude was indeed attention getting. The speed of it to altitude he found surprising. Things were calm. There were no comments about stews….the crew he noticed seemed business like calm they were watching. He could see the digital display each position report the cadence of flight marked about by the reports almost an hour apart.

He ate a meal and then he was amazed. The feeling of the flight deck was similar to that of that of a captain, he emulated no nonsense but it was also cold and clinical. A navigator would have gotten a star shot and the flight engineer would have had to struggle through climb. The airplane was flying itself and was being watched. The navigation screen with TCAS was explained. The main flight display was explained to him along with the backups. The gauges and their relationship to engine health were explained. They seemed familiar from his jet training.  Three men would have worked before the airplane was put into auto pilot. He found himself dozing this flight seemed easy.  Around airports things seemed to get intense far more then he rememebred.

He thought of the flights in the Connie. A Navigator would have worked various radio fixes shot some celestial to make an idea of their position. since they were above the cloud deck clocks would be watched. A flight engineer would have had to adjust the engines. No the climb began after wheels up and a slight turn. The auto pilot, auto throttles. In two little black boxes the airplanes ground speed was being updated and the course of the flight was being shown on another screen the details in green and black on others. The various screens had fuel being burned when needed wow! This was nice!

Captain Longfellow went to the head. The lavatory had lots of plastic and aluminum he was amazed at its efficiency the relief Captain took the stick. The lav was nice. There was no smell of avgas or hydraulic fluid in this airplane. Mile by mile the vast expanse of the Pacific seemed to be taking a clocking. Captain Longfellow liked it. He could find himself like this as a living he had gotten a miraculous chance to see this. He took a nap for a few hours they had passed a couple islands. A weather updated had been received. The big bird would have a little more fuel on landing then anticipated they had put in a reserve. He suggested accelerate some. The Captain laughed no that is fuel we do not buy in Sydney. We will still land at a speed below maximum landing speed. The airplane will be turned around no major work done so the fuel was not an issue. In a Connie engines had to be worked and watched. The two engines were reliable. Therefore, it was cruising as quipped slightly lower then a 747 it had a bigger window between too much Mach and two little mach. The wing had improved things the wing was also more efficient then the 747. The weight of the control system was lighter on the airplane. That was another advantage of the new airplane. Longfellow finally said, “So the airplane is flying itself?” The relief Captain smiled “more or less we are baby sitting it telling where it want it to fly and making sure it gets there.” Captain long fellow watched checkpoint after checkpoint go by.

Captain Guiterrez got up took some breakfast Longfellow drank some Aussie Tea and had a scone. Guiterrez took the yoke they entered Australian airspace. The data link had kept the airplane in contact now it was back in the land of voice. A Qantas 747-400 was behind. The let down was started the goal was to save even more fuel. The autopilot on the console was flying it each descent then speed call was set down. What followed was a switch on the console from Mach to airspeed for the settings. Below 18,000 feet the altimeters were reset. From Center Guiterrez to Sydney approach they were given a new controller. explained they were under full radar coverage now. The transponder gave the altitude and TCAS was on the display she pointed out the various targets. Wow! Below 10,000 sterile cockpit. Longfellow could see the ILS raw data on the display the bird made it through the overcast and came to decision height the lights visible. Final approach was flown by hand. Guiterrez successfully landed the airplane. He felt the reverse thrust and the smooth breaking. Wow he had tasted the future. As they taxied he disappeared from the cockpit into the netherworld of aviation history. He invited her for flight on a Connie LAX to HNL she replied sure!