Some one sent me this in my email. I loved it, and of course, being a railfan began to equate this performance as
it would pertain to many a trainhandler. So even though it is about flying, I hoped it would be right to post it here.
Subject: Professionalism
The Payoff
Dedicated to Frank Crismon (1903-1990)
by Capt. G. C. Kehmeier (United Airlines, Ret.)
I ought to make you buy a ticket to ride this airline!" The chief
pilot's words were scalding. I had just transferred from San Francisco
to Denver. Frank Crismon, my new boss, was giving me a route check
between Denver and Salt Lake City.
"Any man who flies for me will know this route," he continued.
"'Fourteen thousand feet will clear Kings Peak' is not adequate. You
had better know that Kings Peak is exactly 13,498 feet high. Bitter
Creek is not 'about 7,000 feet.' It is exactly 7,185 feet, and the
identifying code for the beacon is dash dot dash.
"I'm putting you on probation for one month, and then I'll ride with
you again. If you want to work for me, you had better start studying!"
Wow! He wasn't kidding! For a month, I pored over sectional charts,
auto road maps, Jeppesen approach charts, and topographic quadrangle
maps. I learned the elevation and code for every airway beacon between
the West Coast and Chicago. I learned the frequencies, runway lengths,
and approach procedures for every airport. From city road maps, I
plotted the streets that would funnel me to the various runways at
each city.
A month later he was on my trip.
"What is the length of the north-south runway at Milford?" "Fifty-one fifty."
"How high is Antelope Island?" "Sixty-seven hundred feet."
"If your radio fails on an Ogden-Salt Lake approach, what should you
do?" "Make a right turn to 290 degrees and climb to 13,000 feet."
"What is the elevation of the Upper Red Butte beacon?" "Seventy-three hundred."
"How high is the Laramie Field?" "Seventy-two fifty."
This lasted for the three hours from Denver to Salt Lake City.
"I'm going to turn you loose on your own. Remember what you have
learned. I don't want to ever have to scrape you off some hillside
with a book on your lap!"
Twenty years later, I was the Captain on a Boeing 720 from San
Francisco to Chicago. We were cruising in the cold, clear air at
37,000 feet.
South of Grand Junction a deep low-pressure area fed moist air upslope
into Denver, causing snow, low ceilings, and restricted visibility.
The forecast for Chicago's O'Hare Field was 200 feet and one-half
mile, barely minimums.
Over the Utah-Colorado border, the backbone of the continent showed
white in the noonday sun. I switched on the intercom and gave the
passengers the word.
"We are over Grand Junction at the confluence of the Gunnison and
Colorado Rivers. On our right and a little ahead is the Switzerland of
America--the rugged San Juan Mountains. In 14 minutes we will cross
the Continental Divide west of Denver. We will arrive O'Hare at 3:30
Chicago time."
Over Glenwood Springs, the generator overheat light came on.
"Number 2 won't stay on the bus," the engineer advised.
He placed the essential power selector to number 3. The power failure
light went out for a couple of seconds and then came on again, glowing
ominously.
"Smoke is coming out of the main power shield," the engineer yelled.
"Hand me the goggles."
The engineer reached behind the observer's seat, unzipped a small
container, and handed the copilot and me each a pair of ski goggles.
The smoke was getting thick.
I slipped the oxygen mask that is stored above the left side of the
pilot's seat over my nose and mouth. By pressing a button on the
control wheel, I could talk to the copilot and the engineer through
the battery-powered intercom. By flipping a switch, either of us could
talk to the passengers.
"Emergency descent!" I closed the thrust levers. The engines that had
been purring quietly like a giant vacuum cleaner since San Francisco
spooled down to a quiet rumble. I established a turn to the left and
pulled the speed brake lever to extend the flight spoilers.
"Gear down. Advise passengers to fasten seat belts and no smoking."
I held the nose forward, and the mountains along the Continental
Divide came up rapidly. The smoke was thinning.
"Bring cabin altitude to 14,000 feet," I ordered.
At 14,000 feet over Fraser, we leveled and retracted the gear and
speed brakes. The engineer opened the ram air switch and the smoke
disappeared. We removed our goggles and masks.
Fuel is vital to the life of a big jet, and electricity is almost as
vital. The artificial horizon and other electronic instruments, with
which I navigated and made approaches through the clouds, were now so
much tin and brass. All I had left was the altimeter, the airspeed,
and the magnetic compass--simple instruments that guided airplanes 35
years earlier.
"Advise passengers we are making a Denver stop."
"The last Denver weather was 300 feet with visibility one-half mile in
heavy snow. Wind was northeast at 15 knots with gusts to 20," the
copilot volunteered.
"I know. I heard it."
The clouds merged against the mountains above Golden. Boulder was in
the clear. To the northeast, the stratus clouds were thick like the
wool on the back of a Rambouillet buck before shearing.
I dropped the nose and we moved over the red sandstone buildings of
the University of Colorado. We headed southeast and picked up the
Denver-Boulder turnpike.
"We will fly the turnpike to the Broomfield turnoff, then east on
Broomfield Road to Colorado Boulevard, then south to 26th Avenue, then
east to Runway 8."
The copilot, a San Francisco reserve, gave me a doubtful look. One
doesn't scud-run to the end of the runway under a 300-foot ceiling in
a big jet.
Coming south on Colorado Boulevard, we were down to 100 feet above the
highway. Lose it and I would have to pull up into the clouds and fly
the gauges when I had no gauges. Hang onto it and I would get into
Stapleton Field. I picked up the golf course and started a turn to the
left.
"Gear down and 30 degrees."
The copilot moved a lever with a little wheel on it. He placed the
flap lever in the 30-degree slot. I shoved the thrust levers forward.
"Don't let me get less than 150 knots. I'm outside."
I counted the avenues as they slid underneath...30th, 29th, and 28th.
I remembered that there was neither a 31st nor a 27th. I picked up
26th. The snow was slanting out of the northeast. The poplar trees and
power lines showed starkly through the storm. With electrical power
gone, we had no windshield heat. Fortunately, the snow was not
sticking.
"Let me know when you see a school on your side and hack my time at
five-second intervals from the east side of the school yard."
Ten seconds.
"There it is. The yard is full of kids. Starting time now!"
Good boy. Smiley faced Holly. From the east side of the school yard, I
counted Kearney, then Krameria, Leydon,
Locust. Remember the double lane for Monaco Parkway. Then Magnolia,
Niagara, Newport. Time the speed at 130 knots. Only eight blocks to
the end of the runway. Oneida, Olive, Pontiac, Poplar. From Quebec to
Syracuse, the cross streets disappear; figure eight seconds. Keep 26th
Avenue under the right side of the nose.
"Full flaps."
Dead ahead, glowing dimly in the swirling snow, were the three green
lights marking the east end of Runway 8.
We crossed 20 feet above the center green light and touched down in a
crab to the left. I aligned the nose to the runway with the right
rudder, dropped the nose wheel, popped the speed brakes, and brought
in reverse thrust.
It took us 10 minutes to find the terminal in the swirling whiteout.
We saw the dim, flashing red light atop the building indicating the
field was closed to all traffic.
A mechanic materialized out of the snow carrying two wands. He waved
me into the gate. I set the parking brake.
"We have ground power," the engineer advised.
"Cut the engines."
The bagpipe skirl of sound spiraled down to silence.
"My hat is off to you, skipper. I don't know how you ever found this airport."
"I used to fly for an ornery old chief pilot who made me learn the
route," I replied as I hung up my headset and scratched the top of my
head where it itched.
Frank Crismon passed away at his home in Denver on 25 Jan 1990.
Editor's note: Professionalism, readiness, and knowledge can never be
replaced by all the electronic gadgets in the world. Whether you drive
a truck or a C-17, nothing beats knowing your capabilities and those
of your machine, and knowing where you are at all times. It's hard to
come up with options if you don't know what's going on.
I hope it fits in this forum, in a way, and also those who read it enjoyed it as much as I did!
Ed
