AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 1958 - (Page 44) foot! I watched the airspmd build up, A hundred fifty; 160; still increasing. The altimeter began to unwind. My in(Continued from page 40) stinct was to pall back on the wheel, but I checked it because somewhere I had read that a spiral dive tightens for a routine VFR landing when I when the v i c t i m attempts to maintain altitude. And I knew now that I was in smelled Schlitss. The haze thickened, however, as I the clutches of that deadly killer, the reached 5,000 feet. I had been out of "graveyard spiral." contact with the ground for about What does a man think of during five minutes. But I was apparently such a moment? I can recall only three above the cloud wall. A l I had to do distinct thoughts. The first 1 framed l was wait it out and then coast back with my lips, as though I sil Sistl down beyond the white mist. The diffi- believed what was happening. "So this s culty was that it became increasingly i how it feels!" Spiral diva ware not nerve-wracking to separate the cloud unheard-of to m . I bad read about e mass from the "clear" The visibil- them; I had read about pilots killed in ity was down to about a m l and a them; I had read about teats made when ie half, I estimated. I crossed my fingers the AOPA 180" Eating was first taught and hoped that the jets from Glenview -tests that proved that a plane, -would Naval Air Station played their tag be to a spiral dive within minutea after the VFE pilot loat outside contact. "So elsewhere. And there, at last, was a dark spot this in how it feels 1" The second thought was the one that ahead, which could he nothing dae except the hole in the clouds for which I hurt. I wondered how Carol would react a had been waiting. Impatiently, I turned to the news. She m the right kind of I ' the Angel's head 6" and raced toward a girl for a pilot. She had told me, "m glad you fly, because I 'know you the hole. Then, before I realized what had hap- wouldn't be happy otherwise." She had pened, I plunged headlong into the a deep midemtanding, but underneath l, thickest black doud I ever hope to see. it a l I knew she was somewhat uneasy. 1 had fooled myself into the worst spot And her worst fears were coming true, She'd probably want to marry a mole, à pilot can fittd: I -was flying blind, without even a turn and bank indicator1 after this. Last of all, my thoughts centered on The instant I hit the cloud mass, I ig. banked steeply to the right, in an effort the AnyeVs w n s Prdonsly, I had to make a belated 180' turn and recover hesitated to make a power glide above myself. All I did, however, was render 120 m.p.h. Now a quick glance at the the wmpaB6 useless for direction, be- indicator showed an airspeed which cause from. that moment onward, the shuddered between 190 and 200; Apprehensively, I studied the wings. compass gyrated madly. Suddenly the outline of a black But that i scarcely a marvel, bes cause so did the plane! 1 attempted to cloud dived down before m , spun crftzie straighten out when 1 guessed that I ly in the center of the windshield, and was headed south. But regardless of my jumped, upward out of sight again. A control, the Angel just didn't feel split second later, a white thread of straight an4 lwel. In my imagination, light seemed to glow for an instant, I was still i a steep right bank, al- vertical to the horizon of m y dashboard. n thoogh I realized that I had the kft My eager hands seized upon that memrudder pedal jammed into the floor- ory as being the t r u e horizon, and plate. The impression of a r g t bank leveled, the Angel accordingly. Miramih was so vivid that I couldn't lift m y left loasly, the airspeed fall to 60! I glanced Graveyard Spiral a. down-and what a wonderful f d h g to be sure of which direction 'down' was! There, rolling smoothly and calmly along, as though nothing had happened, was Lake Michigan, about 60 feet below. I impected the w n s still doubtig, ing whether they were still with me. They were solid and sure, except for several gaping holes where the cover plates had lorn loose and gone sailing down to the lake below. I directed the Angel to Meigs Field, determined to wait for better weather. You m a y assure yourself that the Angel was immediately fitted f o r basic instrument flying, and a wiser and more solemn pilot made fast tracks t o visit an instructor, and stayed under the orange cockpit ahieid until he "was sure he could at least f y straight and level, l and make a gentle turn, under instrumeat conditions. Nonetheless. I a m tahing added precautions to make sure that I never have to use my newly a q u h d skill! I didn't relate this story to prove to you that I once knew a flying fool. But I want to pound home this lesson: Either get your& a 1 0 rating or an 8' instrument license~evenif you never use i Your only alternative ifl to stay t on the groundÑo i it For you may n not be flying with an Angel when your number turns up 1 END mentian The AOPA PILOT when you write an. advertiser 'BEST DEAL I'VE SEEN!' THE AUTHOR Don It. Taylor,who is shown standing beside hia a i r p h e , "Carol's Angel," at the Wuukeahs, Connty (WW.)Airport, is the a u t h o r of "I Uved Through a Graveyawl Spftfti." Taplor wrote AOPA: "For several years I have listened politely but uwreSVfftWl,rely to your advice eonosfa.W,g the AOPA ISO* Sating. I thmwht to myself: With wonderful atWwie m, safest i t will t w Aftpptw to me! It did. w Hawing had what I cansider a mi¥racul<m escape from a aeemiwiy inevitable crash. I am of the opinion, that wu testtmonffmight weU be wed t o kelp save the lives of other pilots. Therefore, I haw written an. account of my fliffht,and I d a t e it to you to use as you È fit. , I h w that my esxpertencv, may be of benefit to o others." M e n ' s Radio Air-Route Glide is today's biggest b g h Inair novfgation. wa Chuck-full of aitway information, area cam 1çt U. 5. radio fael& chad covaragftr tcrmlnal 1200 airport diagram. ..and many other filatures. charts, over delivery, and one ear'a bi&v per year. Sà your JepBesen daoiw, or write for iG0" -. fofdtr DJeppesen & co PIETOH IIIFIELD, DEHVfU 7, COLORADO THE AOPA PILOT
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.