Les og le!

[Kenneth Warren Berg]

I WAS ON A NIGHT FLIGHT from a small western city. The takeoff path was over a rural valley, darkened except for the lights that twinkled from occasional farmhouses. Shortly after takeoff, the plane's lights began flashing on and off. Then the pilot announced over the public-address system: "In case you're wondering why I'm blinking the landing lights, look off to the left and you'll see a flashing light on the hillside. My youngsters are saying `Good-night, Dad' in Morse code. I'm just acknowledging the message." After a brief pause, the plane's lights began flashing again. "It's past their bedtime," the pilot announced. "I just signaled them to go to bed." Sure enough, the lights on the hillside went out. --Contributed to "Life In These United States" by David Paul

 

EVERY YEAR at the airport in Marysville, Mich., the March of Dimes conducts a fund-raiser for which we pilots donate our planes and time, and give rides over the city. My first passengers one day were a mother and her daughter. I made all my pre-flight checks and, after we were strapped in, got out my cockpit checklist. About three-quarters of the way through the checklist, I heard the mother ask her daughter in a loud whisper, "Do you think it's all right? He has to read the instructions." --Contributed to "Life In These United States" by Ross W Neal

 

I WAS ON A PLANE at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, waiting to take off for the Tri-City Airport, which serves Saginaw, Bay City and Midland. Over the intercom, the flight attendant welcomed us and stated that our destination would be Midland. Concerned remarks from passengers alerted her to an omission. She tried a second announcement, this time landing us in Tri-City and Bay City. Chuckles rippled along the aisle as she gamely tried again. Her third attempt mentioned only Saginaw. Laughter broke out. At that point, an authoritative voice came over the intercom. "I'm your pilot, folks," he said. "And don't worry I know where we're going." --Contributed to "Life In These United States" by Hamilton D McNichol

 

OUR 88-YEAR-OLD MOTHER who had never flown before was invited by my brother to go with him in his single-engine aircraft to visit me for the day. "I'd love it!" she exclaimed. Later that afternoon I drove them back to the airport and watched as they took off on their return trip. The next week Mother told my sister's friend about her trip. "My goodness, aren't you brave!" the friend said. "I'm only half your age, and I wouldn't dare fly in a small plane." "Neither would I, if I were your age," Mother replied with a twinkle in her eye. --Contributed to "Life In These United States" by Donald E MacDonald

 

 

WE WERE APPROACHING Kennedy Airport on a flight from California to New York. A few feet short of the runway, however, the plane suddenly rose and shot back into the sky. The pilot's voice came over the intercom: "Relax, everyone. There's nothing wrong with the plane. The problem was debris on the runway. I'll try and find a landing strip without garbage on it." The woman seated next to me chuckled and quipped, "I would hope so. We certainly don't want to make a trash landing." --Contributed to "Life In These United States" by Bruce Nicholson

 

God helg!!

Kenneth

 

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[Daniel Gjerstad]

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