Aztec Driver
Line Up and Wait
Was called out on Thursday night for a multiple leg surgical team flight. As is usually the case, the times and locations kept changing. I had worked my "real" job all day and was relaxing at home in the early evening when the call came in. They couldn't tell us exactly when, and the plane needed fueled and readied, so I just headed for the airport and got things ready and waited...and waited...
At 2330, they said probably about two hours and the departure was now SBY, since GED was too low to get in. So, at around 0130, I leave for SBY. Upon landing I learned that it will not be until 0245. Oh well, I can just rest here until they get here.
Apparently, a person passed away and they were "harvesting" multiple organs and transporting them all to several different places. A
Lear jet was sitting there, waiting for the heart and accompanying surgical team to take them to PHL. I was waiting for the lungs and the accompanying person, also to transport to PHL. Then I was to return to SBY to pick up another organ and transport it to IPT. At least, that was the plan.
Just before the Lear pilot left, he said, "oh, you have the lady who can't stand prop planes, good luck with that." Great, another scared doctor on the plane. The last one wanted to get out immediately after takeoff.
Along about 0345, the ambulance arrives, and out pops a woman looking around. When she sees the plane she has to get in, she screams and curses that "she cannot fly in one of those little prop planes, they can't even see in this weather." She gets on her cell phone and starts screaming at whoever would listen, not making a move to enter the plane. The ambulance techs just sit there wondering what to do with the cooler chest and the other stuff. After a while I just get everything loaded up and she finally gets aboard.
I attempt to give her the preflight briefing, but she is too busy yelling at her phone. She says "these planes can't fly in this weather, it's not a safe airplane, it's too small, it can't fit the cooler chest, I hope it crashes so my family can sue everybody...yada yada yada..." I simply told her that if it weren't a safe plane, I would not be flying in it, and I will do everything in my power to make certain it doesn't crash. She reiterated the "I hope we crash" phrase again. Wow, the Lear pilots weren't kidding.
I give her a smooth and uneventful flight to PHL. On approach, The Lear pilots came up on frequency saying, "Wow, you managed to get her on the plane." That was truly comical. She disembarks and pretty much disappears. A call came in while I was in the FBO for me from the coordinator of the flight apologizing for the lady. Apparently he had already heard from her supervisor, who, I am told, told her she certainly had a choice. She could get on the plane or she was fired. Vindication, yes.
Back to SBY to pick up the last container. I land, taxi back and meet the same ambulance drivers, who were really wondering how the flight went. After picking up the package I taxiied to the hold short line. Just s I stopped the airplane shuddered. I thought, "that did not feel right." I prepared for takeoff, and then taxiied forward a little and immediately knew what was wrong. Dang it, flat tire. Great, what a pleasant day this has been.
Got my boss to fly down with a tire and mechanic and take the container to its destination and we proceed to repair the tire and head home in the now spotty moderate to heavy rain, as we had taken just enough time for the front to come upon us.
Managed to get home around 1000 and do a little more work in the real job until finally getting to bed again around 1400. The few catnaps here and there kept me going. That, and the fact that I am always awake and alert when flying.
At 2330, they said probably about two hours and the departure was now SBY, since GED was too low to get in. So, at around 0130, I leave for SBY. Upon landing I learned that it will not be until 0245. Oh well, I can just rest here until they get here.
Apparently, a person passed away and they were "harvesting" multiple organs and transporting them all to several different places. A
Lear jet was sitting there, waiting for the heart and accompanying surgical team to take them to PHL. I was waiting for the lungs and the accompanying person, also to transport to PHL. Then I was to return to SBY to pick up another organ and transport it to IPT. At least, that was the plan.
Just before the Lear pilot left, he said, "oh, you have the lady who can't stand prop planes, good luck with that." Great, another scared doctor on the plane. The last one wanted to get out immediately after takeoff.
Along about 0345, the ambulance arrives, and out pops a woman looking around. When she sees the plane she has to get in, she screams and curses that "she cannot fly in one of those little prop planes, they can't even see in this weather." She gets on her cell phone and starts screaming at whoever would listen, not making a move to enter the plane. The ambulance techs just sit there wondering what to do with the cooler chest and the other stuff. After a while I just get everything loaded up and she finally gets aboard.
I attempt to give her the preflight briefing, but she is too busy yelling at her phone. She says "these planes can't fly in this weather, it's not a safe airplane, it's too small, it can't fit the cooler chest, I hope it crashes so my family can sue everybody...yada yada yada..." I simply told her that if it weren't a safe plane, I would not be flying in it, and I will do everything in my power to make certain it doesn't crash. She reiterated the "I hope we crash" phrase again. Wow, the Lear pilots weren't kidding.
I give her a smooth and uneventful flight to PHL. On approach, The Lear pilots came up on frequency saying, "Wow, you managed to get her on the plane." That was truly comical. She disembarks and pretty much disappears. A call came in while I was in the FBO for me from the coordinator of the flight apologizing for the lady. Apparently he had already heard from her supervisor, who, I am told, told her she certainly had a choice. She could get on the plane or she was fired. Vindication, yes.
Back to SBY to pick up the last container. I land, taxi back and meet the same ambulance drivers, who were really wondering how the flight went. After picking up the package I taxiied to the hold short line. Just s I stopped the airplane shuddered. I thought, "that did not feel right." I prepared for takeoff, and then taxiied forward a little and immediately knew what was wrong. Dang it, flat tire. Great, what a pleasant day this has been.
Got my boss to fly down with a tire and mechanic and take the container to its destination and we proceed to repair the tire and head home in the now spotty moderate to heavy rain, as we had taken just enough time for the front to come upon us.
Managed to get home around 1000 and do a little more work in the real job until finally getting to bed again around 1400. The few catnaps here and there kept me going. That, and the fact that I am always awake and alert when flying.
You don't see that in the movies anymore.
