Page 40 - REACHING ALWAYS FOR MY SECOND ELEMENT

JOYSELYN’S NATURAL GIFT FOR FLIGHT

When Living in Newport, Oregon, I worked for the local and County airports as a lineman. Fueling planes,

reporting weather conditions, towing, and parking aircraft. I became friends with one of the flight
instructors named Mike Farral and asked if he would give my Joyselyn a ride on her birthday; the answer

was that he would be most glad.

The day came, and much to her surprise, Mike was waiting for her. And after the preflight check, they

were on their way. A little needs to be said about Mike: he is one Ace of a pilot. He Flew F-4 Phantom jets
in Nam, Hughes Helicopters, and was a corporate pilot for an oil company flying a G4 Gulf Stream.

Most of the time, when someone goes on an introductory flight, it lasts for maybe thirty minutes top, not

a whole worrisome hour and fifteen minutes. Winds were picking up, and we now had a 25mph
crosswind on the runway. More wind, and in the distance, we could see a little Cherokee Six approaching.

That would be them returning home. Everyone was watching as the plane got closer. This is going to be

one hell of a landing. Winds are even stronger now.

The little lite weight Cherokee’s nose was about at a 70-degree crab to the runway. We all knew Mike
would make a picture-perfect landing, so he did. Just as the wheels were about to touch the ground, the

nose did a beautiful turn, and straight down the runway they came. When it happened, everyone that

watched applauded. When they had finished taxiing to the flight line and exited the plane, Mike was

ecstatic! He looked at me and said, you have got to let this girl get her license and fly.

Continue 40