Page 47 - Volume 16 Number 10

the runway in a cloud of smoke and thunder, shaking the ground and rattling the student in his little two-seater. The rest is inspirational history for this young man that became a fighter pilot.USAF pilot training instructors have an acronym when making entries into students’ official grade books to describe this phenomenon. It’s called MOA, Manifestation Of Apprehension, and it has nothing to do with Ghost Busters. It’s the polite way to say that the student became so nervous he puked. Since I’m an ex-fighter pilot, I must admit there are a plethora of things other than nerves that can make a fighter pilot sick in the morning – and none are related to pregnancy. They have to do with the Officer’s Club, raw or strange food challenges from the guys, and the “I can fly under any conditions” mentality. But, to the point of this story, we all sometimes get anxious about a flight.PassionLike partially covering your eyes when watching a suspenseful movie, what makes flying so pleasurable that we tolerate that span of nervousness before we fly? Wings of Mercy recently held the annual CareAffair fundraiser, a pancake fly-in / drive- in held in Holland, Michigan. One of the fund-raising events is a silent auction for various donated aviation items. A 10-year-old aspiring pilot named Tyler was attending the event, admiring airplanes and listening to pilots. He fell in love with an AOPA wallet, pen, and flashlight set that was up for auction. He returned over and over to the items, examining each methodically as if they were rare treasures. He finally convinced his mom to consent to a bid of $20. Happily, his was not only the highest bid, but the only bid. You could see the passion in his eyes; he’s going to be a pilot. Sounds like the guy in the Cessna 150 doesn’t it?We all had that moment when we knew we were hooked on flying. Doyou remember when you felt that way? It’s still there in all of us, my friends, buried perhaps by the realities of day- to-day life that makes us too busy to smell the roses or the airplane exhaust. That feeling is just under the surface of our consciousness, though, and once we start throwing switches, hear the sounds, and smell the smells, we are reminded. Like the dichotomy of Halloween, so is the fear and thrill of flying.Fall is a wonderful season in which to fly for pleasure – a fine excuse to fly just for fun, at least this once, if for no other reason than to brush the dust off the passion we used to feel for the sights, sounds, and smells of airplanes. Here in the Northeast, adolescent cumulus are powerless to mature into an adult nimbus; their threatening summer costume is unable to supplant the completed transformation to an autumn composure. The entire atmosphere is cool, dry, and smooth as a baby’s bottom.September through early November provides near-perfect flying conditions, not to mention the picturesque changes in color. Exploring this phenomenon, nowadays called a colour tour, from the vantage point of your aircraft, could not be more majestic. What better place for a panoramic view of the change of seasons than several thousand feet aloft? And there are plenty of autumn pancake breakfasts to be found. One of my favorites occurs in Cadillac, Michigan, where there’s an occasional echo of geese on a 180-degree course, interrupted only by the cawing of irritated crows. The smell of northern white pines wafts through the air, accompanied by freshly burned 100LL – and burned pancakes, too!Sensory SouvenirClimb into that cockpit and start throwing switches. This time, though, slow down a bit and listen to the sounds they make. Look around the cockpit and take a couple of longbreaths – remember what aviation smells like. Make the engines sing and your heart soar. The sound of a modern turbo winding up, the rumble of an old radial, the view from aloft, or the smell of pancakes and pines, these are all part of the sensory souvenir awaiting us at a nearby aerodrome.The boogeyman has lived inaviation all along. He’s not newand he’s not found only aroundHalloween. We are old companions,us pilots and him. Don’t fret; you’vemet most of his monsters at leastonce before and conquered them,and you will again. Your training willhelp with the ones yet to come. Don’tpartially cover your eyes though.Keep checking over your shoulder,especially on Halloween night. Oh,devilish deeds in the airplane. T&T •Authors note: An index finger salute to LTC “Waldo” Peppers for the F-84 story, and an encouraging pilot-to-pilot nod to young Tyler Gutknecht, who fell in love with airplanes at the Wings of Mercy CareAffair in Holland, Michigan – we know how you feel!and never try any of those tricks andKevin Dingman has been flying for 39 years. He’s an ATP typed in the B737 and DC9 with 18,000 hours. A retired Air Force Major; he flew the F-16 then performed as a USAF Civil Air Patrol Liai- son Officer. He flies volunteer missions for the Christian or- ganization Wings Of Mercy, is employed by a major airline, and owns and operates a Beech- craft Duke. Contact Kevin at Dinger10d@gmail.com.OCTOBER 2012 TWIN & TURBINE • 45