Negotiations

This reminds me of an old Ed Kilbourne classic!!!

"Ridge runners, ridge runners, way up in the wave
Even Jesus must be wondering just how you boys got saved
You were almost 6 feet under now you're dancing on your grave
There ain't nothing like some altitude to make a man feel brave."

When I was in high school, it was a beautiful soaring day. I couldn't
help myself...after looking out the windows during 4th period at all
the cumulus clouds starting to pop and the flagpole showing a
northwest wind.....Well it's obvious, you would have done the same if
you grew up outside of New Castle, VA.....On a hall pass to use the
bathroom, I skipped school. I hopped in my car when the vice
principal Mr. Stevenson wasn't looking and raced to the gliderclub.
On wednesday's we had a regular towpilot and only a few die-hard
glider pilots to go soaring with. I hopped in the L-33 and was off in
the air before noon. Since the conditions were "Labratory Conditions"
as Karl Striedieck might say, I thought "what would my great
instructor 55 do?"....he would no doubt go cross country! Yeah baby!
After flying the ridge to almost near my high school 25 miles away and
thermalling up to around 6,000 feet I scooted north up to Covington,
WV. On the way back late in the day, I got really low over Oriskany,
VA...about 1,300 feet. There was a great big flat field below me. I
had picked up another club member from that field just recently when
he landed out. I remember thinking, if I don't make this
work......I'm in trouble with school, parents and others. I didn't
pray then, but I sure do thank God for that last thermal to get me
home now that I look back!!!

On a serious note. A well respected friend and pilot examiner for my
airline had an interesting story. In the winter once, he flew through
some unforecasted severe icing which led to large vibrations coming
from an engine which led to a shutdown. With his airplane loaded to
the gils with ice, on one engine, he coldn't maintain altitude so he
entered a shallow dive to maintain his minimum driftdown airspeed. In
his own words he said "it was the most narly and terrible situation I
had ever seen." He, a christian, claimed to have never prayed before
in the cockpit while flying. Scared, nervous and out of ideas to get
out of trouble, he nodded his head for a few second prayer. When he
opened his eyes, off to his right was an opening in the clouds. He
turned right and the ice began to melt off as he flew VMC all the way
to a VMC airport and landed single engine.

Since I know this man personally, I can testify to this story. I
believe his prayer worked. I believe if he hadn't prayed it would
have been much worse.