MY LIFE IN THE SKY
THE JOURNEY OF AN ALL-WEATHER PILOT
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We generally alternate flying duties. I was the captain, non-flying pilot in the right seat on a trip to Dallas Texas. The weather was good with a crosswind and long runways but nothing that should be difficult for a type rated second in command. Landing an airplane is a complex task made up of many phases. The flare is the final phase of the approach before the touch down during landing. The goal is to slow slightly above stall speed and round the decent and touch down on the runway. Sounds simple but it is not easy, and the flare can be one of the hardest parts of the landing to learn because it requires careful timing. It’s like explaining to someone how to ride a bike. The explanation sounds easy, but the execution is not. The approach was normal and stabilized until the flare. I was monitoring and watched normal develop into a potential accident very quickly. The flare started at the standard 10 feet, but the flying pilot did not reduce the engine power to idle. Instead of continuing the descend to the runway the jet floated in ground effect about 5 feet above the runway. Ground effect is a cushion of air close to the ground that gives the wings lift that makes the airplane feel different. The jet was losing energy, and the crosswind was pushing us sideways. The airplane was going to stop flying 5 feet above the runway and arrive sideways on the runway. “My Airplane”, I commanded and simultaneously reduced throttles to idle, full rudder to straighten the nose, full ailerons to stop the crosswind and full elevator to flare for touch down now the power was at idle. Somehow the airplane touched down with a kiss on the runway. I was amazed at how quickly the whole event developed and how fortunate it tuned out ok. Unfortunately, our passenger, our boss witnessed and felt the event. The flying pilot, second in command commented how difficult the last 10 feet were. “Yes, but the last 10 feet are the most important” was the boss’s response. As captain I didn’t hesitate to intervene when safety was concerned. Experienced pilots might question why we didn’t go-around which is a practiced maneuver when the airplane is not stable. My answer is, I did all this without thinking. It was a reaction after years of flying experience and skills practiced. It was certainly never rehearsed in training.
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About the Book
“Jim, I think they said tornado”. Jim and I were flying into Dallas Texas orbiting in a holding pattern waiting for the weather to improve. Thunderstorms encircled the area, and we couldn’t land until the weather moved out. Dallas Air Traffic Control announced, “Exit the hold, we want to get you in before the tornado”, - yep Jim, they said tornado. I flew professionally for 5 years with reginal airlines and 34 years corporate with Raytheon Company. I accumulated 19,400 hours of accident-free flying over the 39 years. Accident-free flying is a combination of training, experience and fate. Accident-free flying is also the result of a team of professionals. I flew with outstanding pilots supported by exceptional maintenance and dispatchers all of which kept me safe. Flying for a living you didn’t pick which day you flew. Flying only when the weather was good was not an option. We had an all-weather airplane and an all-weather flight crew. I flew during Hurricane Sandy that produced windshear, rain and turbulence. I flew in blizzards, nor’easters, fog, snow, thunderstorms, blowing sand in the desert of Saudi Arabia and an occasional tornado. “Some days are more fun than others”, I would often say. Many days I just enjoyed the joy of flight and experienced sights that only a pilot’s view could appreciate. I have watched the northern lights – brilliant lights that appear as rays that dance and flicker across the sky while crossing the lonely Atlantic. I have seen the sun rise and set over the horizon from flight altitudes that you could notice the curvature of the earth. I have looked down below me from those flight levels to see a bright full moon rise from the horizon. Some of these stories may sound like I am a risk taker. I am not. The love of flying comes with inherent risks, and you must accept them. My goal was uncompromising safety but there were certainly challenges along the way. The expression: “Ships are safe in the harbor, but that’s not what they’re built for” reminds me of jets sitting safely in a hangar. During one snowstorm at Dulles airport, the snow collapsed from the hangar roof and crushed millions of dollars’ worth of jets. Jets aren’t even safe in a hangar. Fate is the hunter; you can mitigate your risks but sometimes events beyond your control can be fatal. I know a few skilled pilots that have been killed because events beyond their control. Most stories are from early flying days so that today’s readers might appreciate the challengers of flying before the leap of technology to help pilots stay safe that exists today Fate had in store for me a blessed career that I genuinely enjoyed the journey. My journey was filled with stories of a lifetime of flight that I thought people would find interesting and I wanted to share.
About the Author
Todd began his professional aviation journey flying skiers from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Stowe, Vermont. His career concluded with piloting a Global 6000 to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, with a stopover in Warsaw, Poland on the way back. Across 39 years of flying, Todd spent five years at regional airlines and thirty-four years with Raytheon’s corporate flight department, retiring when the department moved to Connecticut. Throughout his career, Todd flew a wide range of aircraft and earned type ratings for models including the Global Vision 6000, Challenger 604/605/650, Challenger 300, Hawker 1000/800/700, Beechjet 400A, Super King Air 350/300, and Dornier 228. He took pride in contributing to projects that helped Raytheon’s flight department reach world-class standards. After his flying career, Todd continues teaching personal security and has been a guest lecturer on security topics with USC’s Aviation and Security Program, as well as at FAA Safety Seminars. He is certified as an Advanced Pistol Instructor by Sig Sauer Academy and also teaches NRA Firearm Safety courses. Todd volunteers as Beverly Airport Commissioner, dedicated to inspiring a passion for aviation at the very airport where he began his own career.