Gooney Bird
by
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MJ was running back toward the cockpit when the
plane suddenly shuddered and there was a loud noise from underneath her
feet. Through the side windows she saw
an F-16 fly from underneath the plane, round out, and begin another pass at her
big, beautiful Gooney Bird. She
strapped herself in, flipped the transponder to 7700, indicating a hijacking
was taking place, and dialed the emergency frequency, 121.5, into the #1 radio.
“DON’T SHOOT!
JESUS CHRIST, DO NOT SHOOT! THIS
PLANE IS FULL OF CHEMICALS! DON’T
SHOOT!” she screamed into her microphone.
She watched as the F-16 completed its course
reversal and leveled itself at the DC-3.
“DO YOU HEAR ME?
DON’T SHOOT, GODDAMMIT. THE
PLANE’S FULL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS!”
The F-16 headed directly at her, but she didn’t dare
take any evasive action for fear they would construe it to be an aggressive or
non-compliant maneuver. The Falcon
screamed over the top of the Gooney bird so close that MJ thought it was going
to hit her. The vortices from the speeding
jet rocked the DC-3, and MJ had to fight for control.
“November one eight Mike Juliet, the DC-3 just south
of Midway Field. This is Lightning
Strike Leader at your six-o’clock. Do
you copy?” the voice on the radio said.
“I HEAR YOU!
I HEAR YOU! DO NOT SHOOT! THIS PLANE IS FULL OF HAZMAT. IF WE GO DOWN, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
DIE. DO YOU HEAR ME?” she yelled into the microphone.
“This was NOT part of my business plan,” she
thought, as she fought to keep the Gooney Bird under control.
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Book Details
About the Book
Mary Jane Carlson, “MJ,” is a small-town Montana
woman of Scandinavian and Blackfoot mix that provides her with drive for
airborne adventure and courage to stay the course.
Gooney Bird follows MJ’s career as it weaves itself into the lives
of Ned Greenlawn, her mentor, Otto, her wisecracking copilot, and the world of
freight dogs, with its mundane routines, inherent risks, and moments of sheer
terror.
Ride along with this determined career pilot as she
discovers the joys and challenges of flying the DC-3, one of America’s greatest
aviation workhorses. Learn the routines
of negotiating today’s busy Air Traffic Control system as MJ and Otto work
their way through a typical freight trip from America’s southern border to its
Great Lakes. Be advised, however; the friendly skies can darken abruptly, and
routine can quickly become a fight for survival.
About the Author
Rick Byam is a former high school teacher, master
flight instructor, Cincinnati Flight Standards District Office’s flight instructor
of the year for 2001, and Gooney Bird driver. He has written for various
aviation and specialty magazines and local newspapers. In addition, he has written two one-act
plays, one of which was produced in February 2003. He is currently flying business jets for a major US airline and
working on his next novel.