# Three Ladies



## gwaynew (Sep 20, 2010)

Over my flying life there have been many memorable flights: first solo, Privet Check ride, Instrument check ride, first legal trip, first instrument approach, getting vectored into a thunderstorm – IFR, racing an antelope, landing with a 40 kt direct cross wind and many more. 

One of the most pleasant flying memories involves a commercial airliner running late on the way home from California.  

On one of the few trips that I made to the Golden State on a commercial air line I booked an early afternoon departure out of LAX so that I would not arrive home at 2:00 AM.  We were late getting out of Phoenix due to thunderstorms, which put us into El Paso just in time to see our connection pushing back from the gate.  Upon checking with the gate agent we learned that the thirty or so folks headed for Midland would have to spend the night due to equipment shortage.  

I had been away from home and office for the better part of a week and I was ready to be home.  At that time I had my 210 on Part 135 lease with my friend and mentor Fred Michna.  I called Fred and told him my sad story and asked if he had a pilot available to come out to El Paso and pick me up.  Fred did have a pilot but he had left for the evening and he would have to come back out to the airport to pick up the plane, 30 to 45 minutes.  With the 1.5 hour trip from Midland to El Paso I would be on my way home in around two hours or so, plenty of time for a light supper.

On my commercial flight I had noticed three well matured ladies that seemed to be traveling together.  While waiting for my wife to answer the phone I overheard one of them say that her son was driving from Hobbs, NM to Midland to pick her up, about a 100 mile one way trip.  Another of the ladies said that her daughter was driving from Crain to meet her, about a 60 mile one way trip.  

When I had advised my wife of my predicament and my plans I introduced myself to the ladies and told them that I had a plane on the way and invited them to join me on the trip to Midland.  They asked a number of questions; How big is the plane?  How many engines does it have?  How long would the trip take? And so on.  After answering their questions the lady going to Hobbs cinched it for all of them when she said, “I am 82 years old and have never flown in a small plane.  This may be my last chance, I am going.”

Just about when I guessed they should arrive my plane, 02S,  taxied up to Southwest Air Rangers ramp.  I was surprised to find that the pilot had brought his wife along.  With the three ladies we would have a full boat.  I checked with the pilot on the fuel situation and he told me that he had left Midland with full tanks.  Since the trip home would only require about 25 gallons I opted to forgo toping off the tanks to save a little weight.  Another weight savings can in the form of the airline refusing to retrieve our luggage at this intermediate stop.

With six SOB (souls on board) we lifted off from El Paso International Airport as the sun was dipping behind the Franklin Mountains.  I made a concerted effort to explain everything that was going on during run up, takeoff roll and climb out.  Due to the maturity of my three lady passengers I opted for 9500’ MSL for a cruising altitude.  This altitude would give us terrain clearance through Guadalupe Pass and hopefully would cause my mature passengers no discomfort.

By the time that we reached Guadalupe Pass, about 80 miles east of El Paso darkness had fallen across the desert and very few lights were visible.  Just as the entered the pass the huge orange orb of a full moon rose behind El Captain.   No Hollywood producer could have designed a more beautiful setting, with a few high cirrus clouds across the face of the moon the mountainous landscape was bathed in its’ warn orange glow.   The visibility was well in excess of 100 miles and upon crossing the pass the lights White City, Carlsbad, Pecos and other small communities appeared.

For the next several minutes I gave a running commentary of the cities, towns and oil fields that we were flying over and near.  The bright moonlight illuminated the land to the extent that roads and well locations were clearly visible.   As an extra added bonus we had a tail wind and the air was a smooth as velvet.   Each time I inquired as to the state of my passengers I would find their faces pasted to the windows and each assured me that they were all very well indeed. 

Up on arriving at MAF we taxied to the GA ramp and found the families and friends of the three ladies anxiously awaiting their arrival.  Although no one said so I got the distinct feeling that some of the waiting family members felt a good deal of trepidation regarding their elderly family members’ mode of transportation.  As we said good night the mood of the three ladies can only be described as ecstatic. 

Late the following morning I went to the airport to collect my baggage.  When I presented my claim check the attendant asked if I was the one who had flown the passengers in from El Paso.  I tentatively admitted that I was.  The attendant asked me to wait while he got the station manager.  I felt sure that the airline would not be happy about having to refund the portion of the fair for the leg from El Paso to Midland.   When the station manager appeared he was all smiles and full of gratitude; he said that out little airplane trip was the best PR that they had experienced in years.   Each of the ladies or their families that retrieved luggage raved about the wonderful trip and the singular experience of flying in a “little” airplane.  It turned out that the airline had refunded the entire price of the ticket for both the ladies and me.  In addition the station manager gave me a stack of cards for free drinks on future flights.  Since I drink very little alcohol (medicinal purposes only) a number of my friends benefited from those free drinks.

I benefited the most from the experience.  It was a perfect flight, everything went right and I got to introduce three senior citizens to the joy of general aviation.  

Truly an experience and a flight to remember.


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