AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2014 - 96

P&E

96 |

NEVER AGAIN

we decided to head back home before it got
any hotter. As no one was departing downhill (conflicting traffic) I just went all the
way to the end of the uphill runway, spun
around, and shoved the throttle forward.
The first part of the runway was sort of
level, so we got to about 45 mph reasonably
soon (she stalls at about 38 mph) and lifted
off. But this was where the runway started
going uphill, and it was going up as fast as
we were climbing. I thought about aborting
the takeoff, as I knew there were pecan trees
at the end of the runway, but I pressed on.
The northeast wind was blowing us
toward the south side of the runway. I did
not want to risk a bank at such a slow speed,
so I just let her drift over that way, which
was taking us toward the crowd-who were
all watching my approaching airshow. But
the runway leveled out for about the last
third, and our very, very slow climb now was
actually accomplishing something. Even so,
I could see those trees looming ahead!

I lowered the nose just a shade and
got the airspeed up to about 50 mph and
thought about making a right turn toward
lower terrain to the south, but that would
take us right over the big crowd for sure,
a real buzz job. After a few more seconds
it appeared that we would be above the
trees, so I started a very slow turn to the
left, away from the crowd. I estimate we
passed over the trees no more than 50 feet
above the tops.
At about 1,500 feet I got my breath
back and commented to my passenger that
I was very glad I had not taken on more
fuel. He was talking now and very much
in agreement.
After putting the little gal back in my
hangar, I asked my friend what he weighed.
I was astounded to learn that I had misjudged his weight by about 50 pounds.
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While I was legal (barely) throughout the
flight, I was not smart. If not for 100 horses
and a climb prop, I might not be writing
this article.
I can think of several things I did wrong
that day, but never again will I launch
uphill under such circumstances. If need
be, I will just wait until everyone has gone
home and then depart downhill.
AOPA
JIM HOLDER is a retired Eastern Air Lines

captain who later flew for American Trans
Air. He is active in the Retired Eastern
Pilots Association (REPA) and The Silver
Falcons (another retired Eastern pilot organization) and is editor of REPArtee, the
official REPA magazine.

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2014