Stranger to the ground by Bach Richard

Author:Bach, Richard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bach, Richard, Fighter planes, Air pilots
Publisher: New York, NY : Dell
Published: 1990-12-08T05:00:00+00:00

fly a close trail formation on Lead, touching the control stick back every once in a while to keep the buffet on the rudder pedals.

"Falcon formation, go channel nine."

Blue Lead yaws his airplane slightly back and forth, and with the other five diamonds in the sky, the four-ship diamond that is Baker Blue flight spreads itself for a moment while its pilots click their radio channel selectors to 9 and make the required cockpit check after takeoff.

I push the switches aft of the throttle quadrant, and the drop tanks under my wings begin feeding their fuel to the main fuselage tank and to the engine. Oxygen pressure is 70 psi, the blinker blinks as I breathe, engine instruments are in the green. I leave the engine screens extended, the parachute lanyard hooked to the ripcord handle. My airplane is ready for its airshow.

In this formation there are probably some airplanes that are not operating just as they should, but unless the difficulties are serious ones, the pilots keep their troubles to themselves and call the cockpit check OK. Today it would be too embarrassing to return to the field and shoot a forced landing pattern on the high stage before an audience so large.

"Baker Blue Lead is good."

'Two."

"Three."

I press the button. "Four."

Normally the check would have been a longer one, with each pilot calling his oxygen condition and quantity and whether or not his drop tanks were feeding properly, but with so many airplanes aloft the check alone would take minutes. It was agreed in the briefing room to make the check as usual, but to reply only with flight call sign.

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