John J
Line Up and Wait
I have been working on my notes from my scrap book in the last few weeks. Today I found a log entry about my first Solo X-C. As I read my entry in the log I realized that I live only 6 miles from one of the old grass airports where I landed on my solo jouney. There is nothing there now but stakes for a future development.
It was on a warm July day in 1960. I was a young skinny 16 year old airport kid, full of energy ready to spread my wings. Working at the airport for flight time was so much fun to me.
My instructor went over the route, charts and weather with me. The flight was from Annapolis to Easton, MD to Gill field in Kent County, MD then back to Annapolis. He told me to be resourceful in finding help to start the plane if no one was around. I was flying a 65hp Champ for my flight. The week before he had tested me on this procedure which was to tie the plane down, round up a willing stranger to sit in the plane with feet on the brakes as I hand propped the plane. He watched and listened to every move I made as I went through the "Test". I passed thank goodness.
I was so excited when the wheels left the ground for I knew this was my first solo X-C , a big event on the way to earning my license. The Champ climbed slowly toward the Cheseapeake. The air was smooth and warm. I knew I would have to circle once to get to 3,000 feet for the crossing. We used this altitude for we knew we could glide to one of the shores if things got quiet up front. Soon Easton was on the nose and time to come down and land. It was great to land on my first paved runway and hear the tires chirp.
After getting a drink of water and some of those crumbly crackers with peanut butter it was time to head to Gill Field 30 miles to the north. I top the tank for I knew there was no fuel service there. I was even more excited for I was flying to my childhood home area. I took off into the warm air again and set my compass to 360. I flew up route 50 to MD route 213 which I knew would take me right to the airport. It took just 20 minutes.
Soon I was circling over Gill Field looking a wind sock on the one hanger. The strip was 2500 feet long, plenty of room for the Champ. I checked the runway for ground hog holes with a low pass. None seen and it looked well kept. I decided to land. After landing I taxied up to the lone hanger and saw a tie down next to it so I parked there and shut down. It sure was quiet. I got out of the plane and saw no one. I began to realize that I may have to do what I was taught to do to help me get started again.
I found the door to the hanger unlocked and walked in. In the dim light I saw a very large truck with someone deep into it's guts working on it. I walked over to the truck and said hi to the gentleman who was covered with lots of oil and had very skinned knuckles. He asked me where I came from and I told him I just flew in. He looked at me with wide eyes that shinned from his very dark oil smeared face.. He told me I was just a kid and could not be old enough to fly a plane. I told him I was 16 and on my first X-C flight. I also told him that I needed help to get started again.
He just looked at me and said he did not know anything about airplanes and had never been in one. I told him that it would not be hard to help me and I would show him how to hold the brakes and stick. He final climbed out of the engine bay of the truck He was a Giant of a man. He was about 30 and a good foot over my 5' 10" height. He wiped his hands with a well worn rag as he looked at me some more.
I guess he had never seen a young pilot. I felt I destroyed his image of what a pilot was to look like, such as Errol Flynn or Jimmy Stewart. He followed me outside and saw the Champ. He did not say much as I walked around the airplane with him. He looked and looked. Then he looked at me and just said "You in that" I said that is the plane I came in.
I talked him slowly into the back seat and showed him where the brakes were to put his size 12 boots on. He looked very nervous and I reassured him that he was not going to fly today. I showed him how to hold the stick to the rear. I explained the starting procedures to him. I closed the throttle and check the switches so I could pull the prop through. After three swings I cracked the throttle and check his feet on the brakes. I knew the plane was still tied down but I made double sure his feet were on the brakes. With one swing, the engined fired up. I set the throttle to a nice loping idle. I told the gentleman to stay put with his feet on the brakes. I quickly untied everything and jumped in the frontseat. He climbed out to the rear and walked back to the hanger door. He stayed there for until I took off. As I took off he gave me a big wave with his oily hat.
The trip home was less than 40 minutes via flying over the Bay Bridge. After I landed I was "Debriefed" by my instructor and told him how I had to get help, starting at Gill Field. I told him I had the gentleman sign my log book and he looked at it. He said I should send him a card of thanks which I did right away. I do not know if he ever got it but I was glad I did. As I look at my first log book I can see his name so well. I just want to thank "Horace" for making my first X-C so much fun and educational.
Thank you all for reading
John
It was on a warm July day in 1960. I was a young skinny 16 year old airport kid, full of energy ready to spread my wings. Working at the airport for flight time was so much fun to me.
My instructor went over the route, charts and weather with me. The flight was from Annapolis to Easton, MD to Gill field in Kent County, MD then back to Annapolis. He told me to be resourceful in finding help to start the plane if no one was around. I was flying a 65hp Champ for my flight. The week before he had tested me on this procedure which was to tie the plane down, round up a willing stranger to sit in the plane with feet on the brakes as I hand propped the plane. He watched and listened to every move I made as I went through the "Test". I passed thank goodness.
I was so excited when the wheels left the ground for I knew this was my first solo X-C , a big event on the way to earning my license. The Champ climbed slowly toward the Cheseapeake. The air was smooth and warm. I knew I would have to circle once to get to 3,000 feet for the crossing. We used this altitude for we knew we could glide to one of the shores if things got quiet up front. Soon Easton was on the nose and time to come down and land. It was great to land on my first paved runway and hear the tires chirp.
After getting a drink of water and some of those crumbly crackers with peanut butter it was time to head to Gill Field 30 miles to the north. I top the tank for I knew there was no fuel service there. I was even more excited for I was flying to my childhood home area. I took off into the warm air again and set my compass to 360. I flew up route 50 to MD route 213 which I knew would take me right to the airport. It took just 20 minutes.
Soon I was circling over Gill Field looking a wind sock on the one hanger. The strip was 2500 feet long, plenty of room for the Champ. I checked the runway for ground hog holes with a low pass. None seen and it looked well kept. I decided to land. After landing I taxied up to the lone hanger and saw a tie down next to it so I parked there and shut down. It sure was quiet. I got out of the plane and saw no one. I began to realize that I may have to do what I was taught to do to help me get started again.
I found the door to the hanger unlocked and walked in. In the dim light I saw a very large truck with someone deep into it's guts working on it. I walked over to the truck and said hi to the gentleman who was covered with lots of oil and had very skinned knuckles. He asked me where I came from and I told him I just flew in. He looked at me with wide eyes that shinned from his very dark oil smeared face.. He told me I was just a kid and could not be old enough to fly a plane. I told him I was 16 and on my first X-C flight. I also told him that I needed help to get started again.
He just looked at me and said he did not know anything about airplanes and had never been in one. I told him that it would not be hard to help me and I would show him how to hold the brakes and stick. He final climbed out of the engine bay of the truck He was a Giant of a man. He was about 30 and a good foot over my 5' 10" height. He wiped his hands with a well worn rag as he looked at me some more.
I guess he had never seen a young pilot. I felt I destroyed his image of what a pilot was to look like, such as Errol Flynn or Jimmy Stewart. He followed me outside and saw the Champ. He did not say much as I walked around the airplane with him. He looked and looked. Then he looked at me and just said "You in that" I said that is the plane I came in.
I talked him slowly into the back seat and showed him where the brakes were to put his size 12 boots on. He looked very nervous and I reassured him that he was not going to fly today. I showed him how to hold the stick to the rear. I explained the starting procedures to him. I closed the throttle and check the switches so I could pull the prop through. After three swings I cracked the throttle and check his feet on the brakes. I knew the plane was still tied down but I made double sure his feet were on the brakes. With one swing, the engined fired up. I set the throttle to a nice loping idle. I told the gentleman to stay put with his feet on the brakes. I quickly untied everything and jumped in the frontseat. He climbed out to the rear and walked back to the hanger door. He stayed there for until I took off. As I took off he gave me a big wave with his oily hat.
The trip home was less than 40 minutes via flying over the Bay Bridge. After I landed I was "Debriefed" by my instructor and told him how I had to get help, starting at Gill Field. I told him I had the gentleman sign my log book and he looked at it. He said I should send him a card of thanks which I did right away. I do not know if he ever got it but I was glad I did. As I look at my first log book I can see his name so well. I just want to thank "Horace" for making my first X-C so much fun and educational.
Thank you all for reading
John
