John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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Unchartered Tempest BARBARA CAMPBELL Illustration by Alexander Pruno IT WAS a cool crisp morning as I watched the planes coming into New York's biggest airport, Idlewild. The time was about six-thirty. when I don- ned my leather jacket and prepared myself for what was to be one of the strangest adventures I was ever to en- counter. Burt Wilder. my co-pilot. shouted to me over the roar of the plane's motor from the runway. Hey, Red. stop dreaming of that cozy bed back at the apartment and come a-running be- fore Iezy gets a bad case of enginnitus waiting for you to climb into that seat and start her rolling. I yelled back to Burt to stop worry- ing before he turned gray and quick- ened my pace. As I neared my co- pilot. the worry on his face became apparent to me. Trying to kid Burt into a better mood I began to tease him again. Hi, Handsome! What's causing the worried look in those baby blue eyes. may I ask? Lay off my eyes and take a good look at that mat of carrot-topped grass on your head, which you should ex- cuse the expression call hair? taunt- ed Burt. as he quickly became serious again and told me of our passenger. who turned out to be a number one candidate for the most nervous man on the Eastern Seaboard. When I climbed into the plane after Burt. I immediately became aware of 6 Ronald R. Cathemey. He instantly be- gan shouting at me. Knowing the temper that I had in- herited along with my red hair, Burt shoved me toward the cockpit and answered the nervous Ronald. Sorry for the delay. Mr. Cathemey, but Red had some business at the office. As Burt closed the cockpit door I could still hear Catherney grumbling. The runway was clear and we took off immediately. We had just about fin- ished the first half of our flight to Cali- fornia and the weather was perfect for flying. About twelve noon we stopped at Kansas City to gas up. While there. I stopped in to find out how the weath- er was ahead of us. Kane, the mete- orologist. informed me that there were clear skies all the way to Los Angeles: not a storm in view. It would be an easy trip. After staying around the field for about an hour. we again took off. We had been flying a few hours. when Iezy's engine started sputtering. I yelled to Burt, who was resting in the back to come up front. When he reached me he said, Don't look now Red, but is seems as if we have some ice on the wings. Man. I've never seen the weather change so fast. When was the last time you checked in for a weather report? , he asked me while he clasped on his headphones. About twenty minutes ago, I said as I turned on the speaker system which connected me with the passen- gers seats. Cathemey hook on your chute and lock your safety belt. Also . . . Listen here I.anders. came Cath- erney's voice interrupting me, what's the matter with this plane? If anything happens to me my company will sue you for every penny you have and furthermore . . .

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STICK BACK? Stick back. On and Off? On and off. Switch on? Switch on. Contact! The propellers whirl madly, as the roar of the engine brings the plane to life. Fading down the runway I rubberneck which is air talk for tak- ing a good look around, to make sure there's nothing in your way. As I start my take-off I push the throttle forward till my R.P.M.'s reach 2100. The plane speeds down the runway, while the earth seems to be pushed aside, as the small plane advances. My instructor then opens his eyes, unfolds his hands, lifts his head fit's been bowed prayer! and says Well done. After my first three hours, I was quite a pro, That was, until I pulled out of a dive, to discover I had only five hundred feet to go, before I earned my wings the hard way. That cured me and now I'm known as Cautious Kitty. The first time I went up I thought I'd be scared or sick, but as usual I was wrong. My pilot, Chuck Heissen- buttle, gave me the controls, and a reassuring calmness overtook me. I was in my own private heaven, when I awoke to orders such as Watch that left wing it's too low. Keep the nose level' with the horizon, and Where do you think you're going! On the last query I found myself pressing on the right rudder pedal and making a right turn. All this started when I joined the U.S.A.F. auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol, which meets at Iarnaica High on Tues- day nights at 7:30 p.m. Here is the largest bunch of air happy boys and girls on Long Island. -5.1 --v 1:1 Y 2?leFi2':2'5'?'f -' Es Q fY'j5??5iEg32i5i- if s- N 5 552 E22 in 2 1, . , ii 2 Ffa. 155 li-is 'iQ'Ei ,gil iff 5 2 5? 5s,Jg: 5123-'Ef.,-2.55.55 5 7 Tu-v ? aw Illustration by Alma Kelly All want to fly and most of the boys end up in the air force, either as pilots or ground crew. Although some of them are disappointed about not being pilots, I always say that the best pilot is no better than his mechanic. Here in Squadron Y we ha the best instructors and o on the Atlantic Coast. My old ideas of flying are all gone and anyone, who has the idea that aviation is pilot, equal white silk scarf and glory should come to me. I'll tell them how it when after cleaning one plane Ed yons, owner and opera- tor of the field, gives you another to -clean, for a little more time in the air. This, lby the way, is the same Col. Lyons who helped organize the Pales- tinian Air Force. I hope to continue my flying and perhaps someday I will be fortunate enough to be among those, who will help to prepare young pilots, for the important part they will have to play, in this nation's future. I CONTACT CAROL SNEDEKER 5

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I couldn't take Catherney's chatter any longer so I shut off the speaker. The ice on the wings had gotten so heavy that Burt and I decided to try and shake it off the wings. Some of it slid off, but chunks began to stick. I dropped down a couple of hundred feet to try and get out of the bad weather we had struck. Burt was trying to call into flight control to get our bearings but the radio only an- swered us with static. Then. unex- pectedly the instrument panel went crazy and the plcme went into a dive. I could see the earth spinning and weaving up. up to meet us. The plane plunged nearer and nearer to the side of a mountain. which suddenly loomed up before us. I pulled back the stick with every ounce of strength in me and prayed as I never did before. The plane seemed to rear back and re- main stationary in the clouds for an age. Then it pulled up suddenly and barely scraped the peak of the moun- tain. It seemed almost miraculous but the moment we passed that peak the sky became clear again and Iezy's engine started to purr like a new born kitten. For a moment I almost believed that nothing at all had happened but the weak feeling that was rising from the bottom of my stomach and the beads of sweat on Burt's face told me that this was the closest he or I had ever come to shaking hands with Saint Peter. I pulled the switch to the speaker and heard Cathemey mocming. Why didn't I find out if they knew how to fly before I hired them? I'll pay them double if they get me to Los Angeles alive, he ended this last word with another groan. Burt smiled at me and said. ln an- other three hours I'm going to make that guy eat every word he said. The landing at Los Angeles was fairly smooth except for one prop that had frozen. When I climbed out of the plane. leaving Burt to deal with Cath- emey. I went to report the trouble we had developed. After reporting the nerve-racking tale to the fellow at weather conditions, he looked up at me and said. Who are you trying to kid. fellow. We haven't had any bad storms recorded here in the last three weeks. I grirmed at him and walked to the door, Well it might have been a gremlin but maybe you can explain. how three people saw the ice on they wings and how I came in with a frozen. prop. I shut the door and walked away reminding myself that I must thank God the next time I meet him for the little favor he did for me. , ' ,, .-- Illustration by Alexander Pruno 7