Turjains Chronicles Preview Mission.....Failed by Esteban Erik Stipnieks all rights reserved

Take he said to his son. The airplane was at 7,500 feet msl he had leaned peak Exhaust Gas Temp and pulled power and prop back to high-speed cruise. Maurice Turjains used to giving instrument check rides, working and mentor other pilots was now mentoring his son. The Comanche was not quite the best teacher. It was too nice in some respects. Where it was a good teacher was where it demanded more from Maurice: the higher cruise speed, which would make map reading navigation more of a challenge. It was a basic task steer a straight course with a little wind correction angle dialed in his father had explained the wind years before. The other side was the way the Comanche was designed its controls were a bit heavy yet incredibly precise and responsive. The net result was the learning disability his son had feedback the combo had made the bird sweet flying. Longview would be a point Taylor they would cross over. The airplane was eating more then two miles a minute. After 10 minutes, he took it. Two checkpoints had been marked. Maurice told his son “Grab the E6B we are going to do a ground speed check.” Maurice and Ivars marked two hatch marks a 10 nautical mile section marked. The kneeboard that frequencies marked also had a stopwatch the Houston Sectional was being used for this segment of the flight. The flight bag with the sections was like the Gatorade within reach the sectionals for the segment were within reach. As the airplane hit the checkpoint, the start stop button was hit on the stopwatch. The hack ended at another checkpoint time over distance and the ground speed was found by looking where the black arrow was pointed. It was faster then a calculator. The E6B was a classic of aviation from bombers of WWII to Korea Vietnam countless flights over the oceans in both civilian and military cockpits. The aluminum version was lighter then the original stamped brass yet the summer of 1992, it was a classic used. Ground speed 125 knots. They were getting a little tailwind. “Put in Longview ATIS” he looked at the map and gave the freq. Soon automated terminal information came through the headphones. The voice recorded had altimeter winds and active runway for Longview. The altimeter was set. Then came from his father the command, “Put in Longview approach.” They sound was broken a controller would track them on radar making life easier for IFR traffic in the area. For the controller while the airplane was VFR he could at least talk to it and with it being clear instrument condition having a transponder code a voice meant he could if he had to allow airplanes closer together. The frequency was put into number one and number two radio in the standby radio. The Longview VOR had been tuned in the VORS were turned in my the Warrant officer he used the nav aid like Schwarzkopf used force remove all doubt. The more tools employed at the same time the better chance of success. The fuel selector valve was moved to change wing tanks that the airplane was burning fuel from. They were now over the woods of East Texas Arkansas would bring more woods as they went from Southwest to northeast. The attitude was business in the airplane navigation, traffic location. Ivars drank some of the Gatorade. Traffic was called out a Brasilia was inbound to long view. Ivars got it and pointed it out. The bird was watched the call came got it in sight no factor. The next point was Texarkana. They likewise had a radar service area. As Texarkana neared another sectional was pulled out. An interstate would closely follow the route of flight the rest of the way to Searcy.

There were a couple planes around Texarkana IFR going opposite directions. Between the straight distance and faster speed of travel the airplane was covering, the distance in 1/3 the time the leg would have been via car. The airplane had finally crossed out of Texas. Interstate 30 was out the side of Maurice Ivars marked the check points. He was given the airplane as his father drank some Gatorade. It was a showing of trust. After the eight ounces of Gatorade were drank in two minutes 6 miles of flight. It was time for the airplane to start its descent into Searcy. I-30 was full checkpoints the speed of the airplane as the two were zipping by cities they remembered from eight trips by car it was noticeable. Little Rock ATIS, Littlerock approach. The first thank that had been selected for the flight was now the tank selected for the last 20 minutes of flight. On number 2 radio Little Rock Radio Flight service was set up to cancel the flight plan. Maurice felt pride but he was not showing it. His son was doing all he could to please his father while enjoying the wonder of flight though his butt had started to hurt. The illustration of towns along I-30 had been powerful Searcey was so close. Soon with the call on 122.7 getting an airport advisory one last altimeter adjustment and an approach, entering downwind on a 45 to runway 19 left hand traffic was set up. The flight plan was canceled and both sets of eyes were attached heads on swivels as radio calls were translated to directions where to look.

“I got the Centurion insight” the drawl of the Texan showed he was different. On CTAF Cues to the nature of the airport could be discerned. The Comanche was in the south the old south. The airport advisory and accents came through. Maurice was watching the Cessna 210 turn left base. Another airplane that was doing touch and goes announced it would be following the blue and white Comanche. Piece of cake the two airplanes had very similar performance and the flow worked out where the speed variation was very little. It worked. Pre landing check the gear came down. The Comanche turned left base as the Centurion was coming just shy of the numbers. Ivars was told to look around for other traffic he had been scanning. The descending turn made it. Prop set high rpm the arm went to add a notch of flaps to buy some time for the Centurion to get down and clear as he turned final he saw the Centurion down and clear followed by a call. There was a slight cross wind top runner a little aileron an extra couple mph on final. His hand pulled the throttle back landing made the rest of the distance came down to less then 10 feet round out flare the stall warning horn blared as the landing gear was inches of the ground and there was as a slight float in ground effect the wheels touched break off break off break off the FBO was approached. The door was opened. A line boy marshaled the airplane.

Throttle Idle, Mixture Idle Cutoff the shut down checklist was followed. The engine stopped and the bird took a slightly more tail down park gate. Ivars walked of the airplane. The first steps he had taken he since he left a state and an airport. His combat boot staying clear of the flaps once again a small leap was taken off the wing. It was a fuel and bathroom stop. The FBO was southern proper and polite. They Texans were travelers not the usual flight training traffic or ag oriented. An effort was made to make them feel welcome. Technically the flight had occurred within the boundaries of the south. Robert Mueller’s western fence abutted the very border of southern influence in Texas. There was some curiosity where are you from? We left Austin where are you bound to Bloomington and Boston. The accents were Texan they were obviously westerners but the two realized they were in the south and quickly we wearing their manners. The FBO had been nice comfortable functional yet enough for people heading into the Ozarks for vacation.

Maurice and Ivars were instantly aware they were in the south. The Airport advisory had told them as much. Thank you and sir along with a different way carrying themselves. It was hard not to like the friendliness of the airport. Bathroom water and bag peanut M&MS were gotten by Ivars. It was then to the briefing room for another weather briefing. The front had pushed through and Bloomington was clear VFR light chop below 3,000 then smooth. Another flight plan 7,500 125 knots true airspeed. The flight plan was filed. They had 30 minutes to get in the air.

The preflight was cursory the fuel had been verified. The sectionals for the next trip had been organized in the FBO. The pocket checklist was once again followed. A Couple crop sprayers were running tight in and doing intersection takeoffs. The taxiway to 19 was open. With the door open the plane taxied in the 95 degree heat. A rhythm was settled into now. Ivars had picked up on his fathers tempo and despite being fussed at twice he was learning to anticipate what needed to go on next. Then run up checks were done then two sets of eyes a check of downwind base and final to verify there was no traffic. No other traffic beyond a crop sprayer that had just departed. The Comanche was rolling. The tall pines whizzed by on the west side of the airplane soon they were climbing. The landing gear was retracted the airplane would be departing the area from down wind. The airplane accelerated and climbed a couple hundred feet above the ground as the runway disappeared behind. The landing gear was retracted and the power was adjusted to cruise climb. The airplane’s course joined the pencil line that would have it cross the Mississippi at Cape Girardeau.

Ivars had yet to find Limbaugh on the AM dial and Maurice was at work. The rains of spring and early summer had made the Mississippi valley green as the land slowly dropped off as they split between north and east. The scenery reminded Ivars of the song Graceland. It was a good 14 degrees cooler then it had been at Searcy. Maurice poured his father a glass from the Gatorade jug 20 minutes into the two had half hour flight. The Comanche crossed into Illinois. The farmland of the American Midwest were green and lush. A paradox was developing. Maurice and Ivars had a keen eye a brain. Maurice noticed the similarities yet he noticed his son had sectioned off a part of him Maurice was cleared to enter. Beyond the flight, Ivars had built a wall. Conversation about issues had been locked away. The three weeks at camp was not mentioned. The mutual focus was on a successful attempt at a perfect flight. The flight had the energy of both men both men had reserve capability beyond it but kept out. A depot for the Army appeared, a superstack of a power plant came through view.  The land was gently rolling green flush with the rains.  The sound of the Lycoming at 1700 rpm leaned out to peak was the sound aside from checkpoints a ground speech check and a look at how things were going as the sun was now the west. They saw some tacks and farms. Ivars thought this is the land that saw Larry Bird grow up, this was the land of a fishing show host this land meat much. America while beautiful from a car was awesome by air. A power plant coal fired with its super stack was visible for miles. The fields were green and growing from planting. Check point after checkpoint over the 2 and three quarter. Then it was a descent to Bloomington. 10 miles out after ATIS was listened to Bloomington Tower was called. Once it was called flight service was called and the flight plan was cancelled they were at Bloomington. Bloomington seemed happy to have some work. The controller saw the airplane and directed him to down wind to 17 in bound for a full stop. Maurice’s voice had just a bit of weariness. The third landing of the day was smooth. With the arrival beyond the numbers, the breaking had been gentle. Cleared taxi A3 remain on this freq to the ramp.

Once on the ramp the line boy directed the airplane for a tiedown. Another one got a golf cart. They were friendly eager to provide service the tone though was less proper then Searcy had been. Top it off and tie down for the night. “Where are you from where y‘all heading?” Flew in from Austin we are heading to Boston.” A Hampton INN was 10 minutes away had reasonable rates and they would provide a van for the father and son. Soon a call was made and the van was on the way. The FBO was not high dollar yet it was not low rent it was functional comfortable much smaller then Austin Aero was the obligatory couch and flying magazines. The sheetrock walls had a subdued earth tone light brown paint. The van arrived a head of schedule.

The single bag IFR pack made for a quick loading of the courtesy van. They were a single room. The courtesy van was a small investment for filling the room. It was a quick check in. The two had a bottom room. They quickly walked to a Golden Corral it was less then a block away. It was 8:30 and darkness had arrived. Bloomington was little more then a place of transit so looking for a local eatery was not high on the list of things to do it was time for food predictable food. They were enroute not to sight see. Bloomington was a diversion from a direct route that wound up being great circle they would cross the front a soft spot below Pittsburg. The taste buds hardly pondered the flavor of the ranch covered salads the baked potatoes sour cream and butter or 8 oz sirloin steaks. The vibration and concentration had built up a hunger it was satisfied then it was quick to bed it would be across the to the Eastern Seaboard over the Appalachians tomorrow sleep came fast. Even for the helicopter pilot had had been a long day of flying. The nine hours of sleep quickly were over after two brief showers.

Morning came with the TV on the weather channel. The front was making its way it was near where they said it would be the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania was where they would cross the front. Continental breakfast as a big meal the day would be long. They were soon packed back up 10 minutes later by a van they were back at the airport. There was shallow broken layer of cloud cover already breaking up. It was more broken in the east the airport was already reporting VFR conditions. Within an hour, it would be clear. The destination was Pottstown Pennsylvania for the first leg then Hansom field for the second leg where the wife would pick them up with their daughter at Tufts.

Bloomington had made an impression not update like Searcy was casual yet warm. The city was truly mid west. The checklist came out the start up was methodical then the taxi of the airplane he told his son to take it with the one hand on the door, one hand on the throttle and both legs working the steer able nose gear. Maurice would use the breaks since the right side did not have them the emphasis as the old CFI power controls speed on taxi anticipate the need for break. The airplane made it to the run up area around 17 not quite smooth but the student was indeed learning. He had just gotten his drivers license and the idea of kicking the nose with rudder pedals Maurice had seen far worse. It was time for the run up check. The 180 horsepower engine would have to carry them across the Appalachians. The high altitude leaning to peak and steady use had kept carbon from fouling the plugs. The engine was being worked, worked in such a way to keep water out of the oil carbon off the plugs. It 0900 and the heat was yet to build. The VSI was pegged at 1000 feet per minute as the airplane left the ground at 75. It climbed at 80.

The path took the over the plains right over a state forest. Indiana had earned its reputation. Taylorsburg was a good checkpoint. They crossed. From the forest to more of the farmland that was feeding a nation. There was a slight tail wind. Soon ATIS then a call up to the ARSA. Another Transponder Code was given the airplane transited through the top of the ARSA traffic advisories were given. Over the metro area it was two sets of eyes a couple MD-80s and 727s were in bound. The airplane crossed over Wright Patterson a mile above midfield. The XB-70 Valkyrie was visible on the ground. The museum at Wright Patterson would be another place to see at another time. A ground speed check with the E6B showed 130 knots. Fuel selector valve was turned and things grew rocky the backside of a front was entered for some reason Maurice did not want to talk to Pittsburg approach he wanted to show his son the hazards of scud running and he was not in the mood for so the Comanche descended.

What followed was 30 minutes of 1 to 2 miles visibility 500 feet AGL southwest to northeast of Pittsburg that was both scary and exhilarating for Ivars. A white upside icecream cone was seen south of Pittsburg. It was on the top of surrounding mountains. The VOR was seen off the nose. They were seeing a nav aid before the electrical world indicated. Above VORs transmitters could not decide to from it was small area but that was called a zone of confusion. The sky was gray above and not too far in front of the airplane gray. Below dark green and ridges, the mountains that once had coal that fired the steel industry. Fuel was going from the tanks. The weather was not nice and soon reserved would be eaten into and they were just beyond half through the front. Maurice smiled he could have gone IFR but this Comanche was a tool and he had given his son a lesson that would hopefully prevent a fatal final scud run. He closed the flight plan when he confirmed two ways he was in Johnstown he was not to sure himself. He called using a cell phone on the ramp as he taxied. As he landed, he landed with regret. He also struggled due the fact the Comanche had only a generator the airplane was circa 1963 rpms had to be kept up to speak to the non federal tower. They taxied to an FBO where a Cessna was being worked on. The pilot area was comfortable. It was one side of the hangar a Skylane was being worked. It was also clear they were not in the south or the Midwest anymore. The airplane was fueled. The windshield was wiped. The Texans were just some fuel sold nothing more.

There was another weather briefing they had made it through the worst of the front and they were on their way to clearer skies all the way to the Airforce base turned civilian airport by the pond made famous by a pencil maker. It was another pre-flight one last for this half of the journey.

Johnstown was left in the background 20 miles out the airplane could once again climb out to 5,500 then later 7,500 feet. Wilkes-Barre and Scranton Approach were the controlling agencies the Comanche drifted through. Maurice let the flight drift south to terrorize his son and teach a lesson about navigation. They were 10 miles further down a river Ivars had deceived himself and got fat dumb and happy lesson taught harshly….the Army way. The lesson would save Ivar’s some grief. Near Wilkes-Barre, the error was discovered. Maurice was still the flight instructor at heart and smiled. He caught them before they started drifting to Tri City area. The skies were now clear. The approach control was called and the rest of the flight took on busy feel. Maurice while his son was not getting closer was getting an incredibly memorable trip and an exposure to some of the busiest airspace in the nation that would make him a better airman. It was Albany approach what was in charge of the section of the Hudson Valley. It was a spectacular sight to see the wide Hudson and airplanes coming below the Comanche into New York. Airliners were being directed and fed into the New York Area down the Hudson corridor. The VFR airplane on radar in radio contact was crossing a busy street. It was above some of the traffic visual separation meant ease of flow. They were serious business like tone on the radio but not overbearing. Two MD-80s and SF-340 along with 727 were all seen. Visual separation was maintained by the eyeballs in the Comanche. Safety and beauty went hand in hand. The Hudson valley was spectacular the traffic going down it was also spectacular for the two crossing the skyway with the airliners below the Comanche. They were handed off to Springfield Worchester and Finally Boston approach. The flight had been busy and intense it had also had some of the beauty of New England come beneath the wings of the little of the airplane. It was a one in a lifetime experience. It was not the peaceful calm Texas skies it the Northeast. Finally, the Comanche was on final over Walden Pond. Three hours of the final leg ended. At the FBO a cell phone call was made the flight plan was closed. They had made it to Boston.

The air was not nearly as hot as it had been even in Penn. The sectionals were left a bag was pulled out of the backseat. Maurice’s wife arrived to take them to a hotel. The next week the son and the daughter appeared to be civil to each other. Beneath the surface tensions were growing. Maurice was unaware of the depth of the fault that was opening up between his eldest and youngest. His son and him had developed an easy flow in the cockpit.

One afternoon the Comanche doubled as a tour bird over Boston then back. After the week was up it was time to head south. The flight began with a medium cloud deck burning off. The flight looked like two lets of a triangle stretching to Wilmington Delaware. Boston quickly faded for a brief calm during the flight. Long Island sound beckoned through the Hartford ARSA Long Island sound shown like near Silver band between New England and New York. Hartford Approach Control had a very focused intense tone. Worchester was off to the north this time. The course had a corner through New York airspace. Two sets of eyes were kept busy in bound to La Guardia, Kennedy and Newark. Finally off to Philly approach a small break then NewCastle tower. The V-22 was in its hangar. As the Comanche landed, the prototype could be seen from the window of Maurice’s son. Maurice’s childhood friend was called as Maurice taxied in 20 minutes the next part of the trip continued. Philly was seen from the nice apartment.

The Comanche ounce again provided tours in one day a couple days casual conversation Maurice was maintaining ties with other aspects of Latvian ex patriot community a childhood friend enjoyed the ride seeing the pilot his friend had become wondering what happened in Vietnam. The pride of the US Precision Helicopter Team glowed. On one of those trips the V-22 was seen in another test flight Ivars loved it. The hills of Tennessee waited.

Maurice wife was enjoying the view she could see the rather spectacular view as the Coastal plains were left for the Appalachians. She was hoping the plane trip would reduce tension, which had exploded. The reality was the three weeks previous had set the ground for a ceasefire in the war between her husband and her son. Ivars loved flight he did not like his father. For Ivars all the flying was fun and a great journey. He was not about to deepen ties beyond that. Ivars was not going to be disappointed left high and dry by his father again! The Comanche went through a gap between two mountains. A dope grower wondered about a friend of his who was an Army pilot last, he heard. In a couple more years he would get back in contact with his daughter who was orphaned years previous he had faked his own death. In the interior of the Comanche now making its way to a downwind none of this was known the sound of voices with hill billy accent were marked on Middlesboro traffic a flight school had a couple airplanes out. Those pilots were learning. Maurice had scanned through the pass they were there early enough no lenticular clouds. The only condition that was going to be tough was the fact the airport was both hot and high. They were landing that day they were not going to depart!

As the airplane mad its way to through the pass Maurice could feel. Intellectually he noticed they were going faster the ground. The way the airplane handled was telling him hot and high. On final he grabbed the Johnson bar 1 then 2 notches of flap. That allowed the airplane to sink faster just past the number. The lower speed meant less float in ground effect the breaks were applied firmly after touch down. They had to back taxi on the runway. They were greeted by a guy who was getting ready to take Skylane out.  He appeared to be the stereotypical hillbilly overalls big overweight bushy beard.  Maurice and his son later found out he was a mining engineer who did the hillbilly shtick to play with tourists.  He was a skilled instrument pilot.   

Maurice was surprised to see the brother in law of his old friend and uncle of his two God daughters waiting. His wife was with him a Cadillac would take them to Harrogate. The path would lead across the Mason Dixon line. The talk was two groups of people who cared about each other catching up with each other. Dinner was typical southern with good coffee then night came. Biscuits and gravy were the subject of breakfast and the Comanche was prepped to see the God daughter near Lexington. A Four hour round trip was made in 40 minutes of flight time.

Madison County though no fuel was bought extended a warm hand of hospitality to the Comanche with Three Texans in it. The Comanche was chained up next to Republic Sea Bee. The traffic advisory came in. Two people at the FBO were quite polite though they were not going to gain anything from it. Another day of a visit then it was back to sky one long last leg to Austin.

No parallel taxiway the run-up was done on the numbers other end. The humidity meant that the engine was leaned in additional to the run-up mag check. The hours of the flight high leaned had kept the plugs from being fouled. The departure was early in the morning and the airplane was at max take off weight the field elevation Density altitude over 2,300 feet. Short field takeoff meant 1 notch of flaps the bowl of Middlesboro Kentucky could be circled over for climb the first hundred feet though from ground to sky were crucial the runway was 3,000 feet in length. The breaks were held till the engine was at the max manifold pressure, which was closer to 23, 25 the airplane accelerated sluggishly in the warm humid mountain air it broke at the FBO and climbed. The Vertical speed indicator was showing a climb the gear came up a little acieration a shallow turn to one side then over one mountains and off the southwest the Comanche slowly climbed in the air. 8,500 meant it could clear Mountains Nashville approach came. The airplane hung close to Interstate 40. After Nashville, the plains gave way headwinds were stronger Near Memphis it became clear that Little Rock was not going to work. A look on sectional and a talk to Memphis approach which was in a slow period. At 1,500 the higher wing loading kicked in the gentle rolls were ignored the rougher bumps were a little less but more sporadic. A descent was started West Helena Arkansas airport advisory the voice was southern a couple ag cats were at work.. 

Visitors were rare you had to be almost looking for it to find it. The Ag flying was the rule of the area. The fuel was a sale. The Interior of the FBO showed little change other then decoration from the time when pilots for WWII were trained. Photos displayed marked the airports heritage it had fought in the great war. Manners were observed. Fuel for the airplane, a restroom stop, and water from the water fountain there was Austin which had to landed at that evening. It was a great trip but it had to end on schedule headwinds were not helping. The bill was paid and the Comanche was started one last leg to Austin.

Ivars got in the back and napped. The 1300 field elevation showed in take off the airplane was climbing through the mass of the interior costal plain up out of the heat. Soon The Sabine River was crossed and in due time Austin Appeared. As the Comanche approached its home base the gaps in the relationship Maurice had with his son the two had the adventure of a lifetime his son had made him proud yet the dynamite blast of four years previous had sent his son a direction. It was at the Christian camp that the seeds of a cease-fire in the conflict were sown. The core issues that drove the conflict remained untouched history was not repeating itself verbatim but it was sure rhyming.