Page 17 - Volume 18 Number 10

airspeed was falling as the air grew thin – 300 KIAS, though the TAS still read well over 400. Chocks was just a few lengths back by then so I pushed the power up a notch.“Dallas Four One, Los Angeles Center. I have you passing Flight Level two six zero now. What’s your rate of climb?”“Well,” I couldn’t help smiling, “VVI only goes to six thousand, but I’m looking back at the earth disappearing like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.”“Got that,” he laughed. “You’re cleared all flight levels above four one oh. Call me on 307.3 when you get level.”Passing 30,000 feet, indicated airspeed was falling through 250. Chocks was closing on my left wing so I began a slow roll away from him and gradually fed in back stick. That allowed Chocks to maintain a comfortable positive g in fingertip. I slowed the roll rate in the inverted position to help track our noses down to the horizon.We completed the roll at about 180 KIAS at FL450. Nosing down to FL430 and deselecting afterburner, I pushed Chocks out to loose route. Down between our jets was El Toro – eight miles below, still directly underneath us. Then I checked the clock – one minute and fifty second•s since brake release. That, friends, was leaving LA in style! T&TGary Peppers is a 15,000-hour ATP who holds CFI, CFII, heli- copter, and B-737 type ratings. He served 29 years on active duty from 1971, flying Army UH-1 and OH-58 helicopters and Air Force F-15s and OV- 10s. Recalled to active duty in 2009, he flew MQ-1B Predators in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Retired in 2013 to Cape Coral, Florida, he owns a Piper PA-31 Navajo and a PA-24 Comanche.Covington Aircraft EnginesFull Page4/C AdOCTOBER 2014TWIN & TURBINE • 15