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Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:33 pm
Posts: 37
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I wake up at 0700, with the plan at being the airport for 0830, departure at 0930. Do the morning routine, shit, shower, shave, and just about the time Im plunging the coffee press, dispatch calls. "Weve got an earlier departure, and a different location." My 1.5hr headstart has now been reduced to 10min, new planned departure for the north is 0815 empty.
At least the coffee is ready, quick 30sec shower, no shave, and the deuce will have to wait for the road. I text the crew to give them a heads up, in the event they havent been proactive in waking up early. This is now the fourth min rest day.
Show up, coffee in tow, Im there first. Dispatcher greets me with an ugh. Boot up the computer, check the flight sheet, and do a quick mental calculation for fuel required. Were leaving empty, its 250nm north, were picking up a partient and an escort, coming back, dropping off, then picking up, heading down to the south, where we'll wait to return the same patient. Ive already checked the weather from the night before, for a general idea of what *should* happen. Clear up north; shitty, low ceilings, rain, fog the farther south we go.
By the time the computer has booted, Ive loaded the plan in to the ASEP, the FO has showed up... "where we goin, which plane, hows the mileage?" "all over, same one we were in yesterday, and 1000+ if we do it all today."
I call for Pax weights, call for fuel, and drink my coffee. By this time the medic shows up, they get their gear, and within 40mins were off.
We fire up the pig, and all I hope for is that people are already awake, cause if not, they are now. The medic is already asleep in the back, and we havent left the ramp. The FO gets the clearance, and we request the northbound rwy, as it'll save 30sec; cause if this day is going to be completed were gonna need all the time possible.
Were climbin through 10k, tips off, the sun is popping up above the horizon, but, the sunnies can stay in there case until were on the return. We level off at 240, not much has been said, the crew has been together for the past 4 days, and theres still 6 more to go, pace yourself with the conversation topics. The W and B is completed for the return leg, as well as the engine trends. We call dispatche(s) with our ETAs.
The GPS says theres 12:02 left, time for the descents, 26.7 call, and to figure out which side of the lake the runway is on. Even with a headwind at altitude, with the ASI pegged at the barber pull, were doin 310kts GS in the descent. Theres nothing up here. In winter, its grey, and white, the summer, green and blue. Not much variation. Depending on where the sun is, youll get a reflection from the metal and glass of the community.
Dirt landings are always fun. Not so much as when you get unexpected cloud layers, BLSN, and bad vis... but on clear, calm VFR days, cross midfield, lower the flaps and gear, and time it just right that you never have to stop your mid field, base to final turn. At 3500', Im not too concerned about field ength. Thank god weve burnt half our fuel, and were light, If I can hit it just right, I wont need reverse and Ill be able to taxi off into the apron at then end without brakes.
We come to a stop (not on the concrete pad; the sked wont like it) wait for cool down, and try to see if our "guests" are here. The pilots get out, the medic woke up on touchdown and is getting their stuff together. In anticipation we take out the #9 (stretcher), spin the props, and I go make some calls.
The Suburban shows up. Were anticpating an older lady, and her daughter to come along back down south. Luckily shes walking! No strecher for this leg. But alas, we have two escorts. I do a quick mental calculation and confer with the FO... were good, but just.
I make more calls (got to keep dispatche(s) up to date you know.) We blast off, and its my turn to be the PNF. This FO is pretty smooth. Its just luck im in the left seat, and their not. The only paper work I have to do on the return is to complete the log entry. I keep a mental calculation of how the fuel is going, and think about the next leg as well. The FO and I are already talking about delays... ambulance delays; how itll affect our day, if we'll get bounced somewhere else, how long we'll be on the ground, whats our flight duty day minimas etc. by the time we level off, were doin 340GS, we might even be early. I look back, holler out "is the temperature ok back there?" medic throws up a "turn it up," even though all of the "guests" are asleep.
Call dispatche(s) within 100nm, get the ATIS... the winds are still calm, we'll go in on the opposite rwy we took off on. The vis is good, ceiling is low-ish, we'll plan on the RNAV to break cloud, and then proceed in visually.
On the taxi in off the active, I give dispatch another call, "whats the eta for an ambulance?" they respond with, "there will be a delay, shouldnt be more than 30min" Rog. We park the plane, get the buddy heater turned on, and exit the aircraft. Now the medic is really getting paid their worth, they sit in the plane with the patient. I offer to get coffee or water. Guests are still asleep. I tell the medic Ill be back with an ETA for an ambulance.
Now we (pilots) have time to eat breakfast, chill, have a coffee, check email, fbook, etc. I call dispatch in 30min, "whats the new ambulance ETA?" they cant give us one. If we want to do the rest of the trip today, I tell them, we have to be offloaded by this time, otherwise we wont have enough duty to complete it. They respond with a, "call us back in 30min" and we'll try and ruffle their feathers.
With this news, I tell the medic, make sure everything is ok. The guests are fine, antsy of course, I apologize, say, someone will be here as soon as possible.
A couple of hours later, the guests are offloaded. Call Dispatch, "well since you dont have enough time to finish the original trip, I guess youre done for the day... thanks for your help."
We put the plane to bed (even though its mid afternoon.) To refuel, tent, plug in, and clean out the airplane, takes about an hour. As Im handing in the paperwork, my dispatcher tells me "got a trip for you tomorrow, down south, departure 0500." |
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There is a bit of a crosswind but nothing that I can't handle. I rotate and climb out at blue line to 400 feet and initiate a shallow left hand turn to head back home as the captain does the post take off checks. We're flying low level this time, to take advantage of the winds. It's a nice view...white...white...a few trees....ice...white..snow mobile tracks in the white...and more white. I have yet to se any wildlife while flying, but apparently they are out there. I do my best to keep the plane on track and at altitude, I don't want to use the autopilot as I like hand flying. Once we get close we listen to ATIS and tell our company the ETA. I do mental calculations to figure out when I should start bleeding off power and energy. A few minutes back I call for the descent checklists and start a shallow descent. Tower clears us for the straight in approach, which I find harder than usual since I don't have the downwind leg to help me set up. I have trouble judging when I should start powering back and slowing down for now, but I ma getting better. I set myself up and call for gear down, flaps and pre landing checklists. Everything seems in order and i'm staring down a large concrete runway. I'm a bit high (again) so I need to lose some speed. I call for full flaps just a bit earlier than usual to help me slow down. I cross the treshhold at vRef +5 and do my best to make it a greaser. I float down the runway about 1000' before I finally set it down (good thing the runway is long). The captain cracks makes fun of my everlasting flare and says I should have cut more power right as I flared to help me reduce wasted runway. I make a mental note of that and turn off the runway. We taxi back to our ramp and park in our usual spot. 
