Stars Fell on Trieste

by M. Alan Marr

  Dev holds his glass high in a toast. “Congratulations, to you all.”

  “Outstanding job!” Chaz says enthusiastically and then shakes each pilot’s hand. “I want to hear every detail—what’d they do to you?”

  Everyone shares stories of their training, and all of the pilots talk about their various experiences in the simulator. No one tries to one-up anyone else, in fact, the stories are mostly self-deprecating brushes with death (with minor pilot heroics saving the day). All of the stresses of training, the countless hours studying, the lack of sleep, was all worth it. They proved to themselves, and each other, they can well execute their new job at hand. Jen can’t believe the spread the boys laid out for them.

  The party lasts a couple of hours, until Steve, in his capacity as chief pilot and aircraft captain, checks his watch and calls it when it’s time to go. The clock is running, and they have a lot of work to do in the morning for the maiden flight of Oasis. Dev and Chaz walk everyone to the elevators and pass along one last bit of praise and congratulations to each of them. Like proud parents, they wait until the elevator doors close and then return to their suite, where the waitstaff is cleaning up. It was a long day for Chaz and Dev as well, so they give the waitstaff their gratuities, and retire to their bedroom to pack their bags and get some sleep.

  Chapter 4

  STARS ALOFT

  ☆ ☆

  TUESDAY MORNING

  0800 HOURS.

  Since Jen had no time to prepare before 767 training, she needs to return to Van Nuys to take care of personal business before joining the crew on whatever journey lies ahead. The maiden flight of Oasis will be from Seattle to LAX to drop Jen off.

  The crew departs the hotel in a large van. Pilots, flight attendants, all their luggage, as well as what Steve refers to as ‘the Louis Vuitton collection’ belonging to Dev and Chaz. They are dropped off at Boeing Field right next to their gleaming new 767. They stand together, looking at the massive jet for the first time as a cohesive and fully qualified crew. Everyone has satisfied smiles on their faces. Even Jen. Steve has a guy from the ramp crew take their picture. The crew has been on the jet dozens of times over the last two weeks, but this time is special. Today, the crew boarded the jet for the first time off the leash. No Boeing reps, no helpful training staff. No one. The vibe is completely different. Everyone is now working without a net.

  Dev and Chaz are very eager to get to the airplane, but restrain themselves and patiently run out the clock to give the crew time to do their work. Showing up early would only throw a wrench into the routine, and rushing on the first day is not something they want to put the crew through. As such, the boys have a leisurely morning coffee and take one last walk in Seattle before settling all accounts and checking out of the hotel.

  A limousine picks them up at the designated time and makes the twenty-minute drive to Boeing Field. The limo driver, though used to seeing private jets, nearly gasps when he sees this jet. He stops a conservative distance away from the immense aircraft.

  Chaz and Dev exit the limo and stand for a moment looking up at Oasis in awe.

  Chaz marvels. “Holy shit, Dev. This is our airplane. We actually bought this.”

  Dev delights at the impressive aircraft himself. “We really did.”

  The sense of scale finally registers to Dev, as he sees Steve waiting at the foot of the airstairs, diminutive against the size of the aircraft. The aircraft is so big, Dev almost missed him. The mental image of Steve waiting by the comparatively small BBJ had been repeated time and again. It actually took a moment to register the change in scale and perspective of the new sight picture. They also notice Steve’s new uniform: tailored navy blue pants, black shoes, wide black belt with flat silver buckle, a fitted light blue long-sleeved shirt, navy blue tie and epaulets with four flat silver stripes. The uniform is sharp, well tailored, and actually very chic. As they approach the airstairs, Steve casually greets them.

  “Gentlemen,” Steve says. “Beautiful day.”

  “Captain,” Dev says, as usual. “Yes, it is.”

  Steve smiles. “What do you say we go flying?”

  “Outstanding idea,” Chaz says, and then adds, “Hey, like the uniform.”

  “Franz and Milo came up with it.”

  Chaz nods with approval. “It looks great.”

  Steve breaks character for a moment and leans in toward them. “Let me go on up ahead of you. The guys have a thing up there.”

  Steve quickly heads up the stairs ahead of them and disappears inside. Dev and Chaz give him a few moments, then casually walk up the stairs to give the crew time to do whatever they have planned. The boys enter the aircraft and find the entire crew assembled. Three pilots flank one side; three flight attendants flank the other. Harrison and Jen are wearing three-stripe uniform blazers with silver pilot wings. The flight attendant uniforms are equally as polished and tailored: navy slacks, gray-blue uniform jacket with a smaller set of flight attendant wings on the breast pocket for Franz and Milo; fitted jacket with wings, skirt, jabot, and pill box hat for Annette. They all start clapping as Dev and Chaz enter.

  “Welcome aboard Oasis,” Steve says happily.

  “Thank you!” Chaz beams. “I am so proud of all of you. You did a tremendous amount of work in a very short time.”

  “You all look great,” Dev says. “And I want to echo what Chaz said. Very proud of you. And to Harrison, Jen, and Milo, our thanks for making such a swift transition. You are going to do great and amazing things.”

  Steve goes into work mode. “Flight time to Los Angeles today is two hours and six minutes, Gentlemen.” Steve addresses the crew. “Departure stations.”

  On Steve’s order, everyone disbands and gets to work. Strangely, Chaz and Dev now find themselves alone in the entry foyer. No crew, and no champagne.

  Chaz jokes, “Guess we need to hire another flight attendant for champagne duty.”

  “You should go up front,” Dev says. “They might want to hear some words of encouragement from the old man.”

  “I’m the old man?”

  “You’ve been flying 767s for ten years,” Dev says. “So, yes.”

  “All right.”

  Dev follows Chaz to the flight deck door. Chaz knocks and then opens the door and immediately notices Steve sitting in the first officer’s seat. Harrison and Jen are in the two cockpit jumpseats. The captain’s seat on the left is conspicuously empty.

  “Captain on deck,” Steve says with a smile, and then motions toward the left seat. “We thought you would do us the honor of captaining the maiden flight.”

  Chaz’s eyes light up. He looks at Dev, who is wearing a devious smile. “I detect a conspiracy.”

  “Well,” Dev admits, “Steve and I talked about it last week.”

  “Guys, this is . . . I would love to!” Chaz says, stepping forward and sitting in the left seat.

  Dev puts his hand on Harrison’s shoulder. “Harrison? I’d like to sit here, sir.”

  “Yes, sir.” Harrison gets up from the center jumpseat and leaves the flight deck and goes down the crew stairs to what has officially been named the crew deck.

  Chaz settles into the left seat and looks around the cockpit with pride. “Thank you, all. This is . . . unexpected.”

  “None of us would be here if it wasn’t for you,” Steve says and then goes right into pilot mode. “The APU is running and online. Ground air and electrics have been pulled. Exterior preflight is complete; no discrepancies. Your flight plan is loaded in the FMS with the Seattle Seven departure; first altitude is nine thousand feet. No single-engine emergency procedure for this runway, and no pushback required from this spot. Fuel is checked, and all systems are ready.”

  “Roger,” Chaz replies, in that calm, detached way, and then conducts the cockpit check of systems, beginning on the overhead panel and methodically working his way down to the main panels and pedestal controls.

  “Are you up to speed on the new avionics?” Steve says.r />
  Chaz answers as he continues his checks. “I actually did the training module on the avionics suite while you guys were in the sims, so yeah.” Chaz pulls up the digital airport diagram on his right-hand display screen. Their own position on the airfield is marked by a little airplane symbol.

  Steve picks up a microphone and hits the PA button. “Crew, report departure stations.”

  Franz’s voice comes over the speakers first. “L1 and R1, L2 and R2 doors armed.”

  “L3 and R3, L4 and R4 doors armed,” Annette’s voice says next.

  “Mid deck door is-a closed and-a locked,” Milo’s voice reports last, carefully enunciating each word clearly.

  Steve presses a button on the center panel to bring up the status screen that shows all eight of the main deck emergency slides are in fact armed, and the mid deck door is locked.

  “All main doors confirmed closed,” Steve reports. “Mid deck and cargo doors are closed, warning lights are out.”

  Chaz nods to Steve. “Before start checklist.”

  Steve pulls the checklist from the center panel and reads line by line and waits for Chaz’s response as he verifies each item on the panel.

  “Before start checklist complete,” Steve answers.

  Chaz and Steve put on their communications headsets. Chaz activates the communication line to the ground crew. “Cockpit to ground.”

  The ground crew, plugged into the external intercom system, replies, “Ground here, Captain.”

  “Parking brake is set,” Chaz says on the radio. “Pull chocks.”

  The ground crew below removes the nosewheel chocks that prevent the aircraft from inadvertent movement. The ground crew verifies the area behind the aircraft is safe and clears the cockpit to start engines. “Chocks pulled. Captain, you’re clear to start engines.”

  “Starting one, then two,” Chaz says on the radio. He turns to Steve. “Turn engine one.”

  “Turning one,” Steve says. He turns off the air-conditioning system and selects the engine start switch to ground start. The number-one engine turbines begin spinning to life. Steve watches the gauges until the proper starting rpm is reached, and then activates the engine start levers near the throttles that activate the ignition system and route fuel to the engine. The turbine accelerates rapidly as the fuel is ignited. The engine fully starts within sixty seconds and is running at idle power. The process is repeated for engine number two. Chaz and Steve run the Before Taxi checklist and are ready to go. The ground crew informs the pilots they see two good engine starts and that there is no traffic behind them.

  Chaz keys the intercom. “Ground crew is clear to disconnect.”

  “Yes, sir. Disconnecting. Look for two out front, Captain. Safe travels.”

  The ground crew unplugs their communications headset from the jet and secures the external panel. The cockpit crew watches as the two ground crewmen walk far enough away from the aircraft. They turn and point their bright orange hand wands in the direction of taxi, then use the same wands to salute, indicating the 767 is on its own. Chaz flashes the nose gear taxi light at them, and the two ground crewmen speed off in their vehicle. Chaz knows the pressure is on. He is now master of his vessel.

  “Taxi clearance, Steve,” Chaz orders.

  Steve keys the radio. “Ground control, Boeing one-zero-zero-charlie-charlie heavy, west ramp, ready to taxi.”

  “Boeing one-zero-zero-charlie-charlie heavy, taxi to runway one-five via taxiway alpha. Altimeter two-niner-niner-eight.”

  “Runway one-five via alpha, roger, Boeing zero-charlie-charlie heavy.”

  Chaz looks at the electronic airport diagram on the screen. “Okay, alpha is directly ahead, left turn on alpha to one-five.” Chaz takes a deep breath, then looks at Steve and smiles. “Ready?”

  “Ready,” Steve replies and then adds, “Oh, one thing, Chaz, if I may? You’re probably used to higher thrust settings to taxi. This one barely needs any breakaway thrust at all. Idle power just about does it.”

  “That’s a good point,” Chaz says, and then releases the brakes. The large aircraft immediately begins inching forward. The powerful engines have the same amount of thrust as the airline version of the 767, but the important difference here is that there are only seven people on board and hardly any baggage, rather than two hundred sixty-one passengers, nine flight attendants, hundreds of bags, tons of cargo, rows and rows of seats, and full overhead bins. In other words, this aircraft is far, far lighter than its airline counterpart and easily taxis at idle power. Steve also knows Chaz is a first officer at his airline and has likely only ever taxied a 767 in the simulator, since the real thing is always done by the aircraft captain. Chaz is fully type rated in the 767 like all the Oasis pilots, and despite being relegated to the right seat in the airline world, the Oasis 767 is Chaz’s personal aircraft, and he is fully qualified to occupy whatever seat he wishes. Chaz knows Jen is not wearing a communications headset while sitting on the jumpseat, so he discreetly keys the intercom switch on the control yoke and speaks quietly to Steve through the small headsets they are wearing. “Thanks for the heads-up, Steve.”

  Steve replies quietly so only Chaz can hear. “Roger that.”

  Chaz looks out the window to his left and speaks in a normal voice. “Clear left.”

  “Clear right,” Steve says, checking his side.

  Chaz makes a wide leading turn onto the centerline of the taxiway.

  “How’s she feel, Skipper?” Steve says.

  “Feels like I’m right at home,” Chaz replies with a smile and then eases pressure on the brakes to slow his taxi. “You’re right, Steve, even at idle, it’s easy to get going too fast.”

  “The carbon brakes are really gonna be an asset for us.”

  Jen sees Dev doesn’t understand what they are saying about the brakes. She leans toward him and explains. “Carbon brakes are more efficient. The older brakes wear out based on amount of force applied; with carbon brakes, wear is based on the number of applications, not the amount of force.”

  Dev nods in understanding.

  Steve punches up the departure procedure chart on the display screen. “Seattle Seven departure is in the box. LNAV and VNAV are available.”

  “Select LNAV and VNAV,” Chaz orders.

  The Lateral Navigation function on the flight director system will provide guidance for the pilots upon takeoff. The VNAV function will provide Vertical Navigation data.

  Chaz flips a switch on the forward panel. “Auto-throttles armed.”

  As the Oasis 767 nears the end of the taxiway, Steve activates the PA system to the cabin. “Flight attendants, be seated for departure.”

  Chaz makes a wide, slow turn and stops the aircraft at the hold line near the runway. The tower clears the aircraft for takeoff a few moments later.

  Steve keys the radio. “Roger, Tower, Boeing zero-charlie-charlie heavy clear for takeoff, runway one-five.” Steve selects PA on the radio panel and quickly makes an announcement. “We’ve been cleared for takeoff.”

  Chaz lines the plane up on the runway and then takes one last look around. “Here we go.” He advances the throttles a little, lets the engines stabilize, then pushes them up toward takeoff power, and then presses the auto-throttle button, setting optimal thrust. The airplane accelerates rapidly down the runway. Steve makes the appropriate airspeed callouts at predetermined speeds. “Eighty knots . . . One hundred knots . . . V1. . . Rotate.”

  Chaz eases back on the control yoke and the plane lifts off.

  “Landing gear up,” Chaz orders.

  “Positive rate of climb, landing gear up,” Steve says and then raises the large landing gear retraction lever.

  As the airplane picks up speed, Chaz calls for the flaps to be retracted. “Flaps up.”

  “Speed checks, flaps up.”

  The beautiful Boeing, now free of the extra drag of the landing gear and flaps, climbs away gracefully. Departure control issues a further climb clearance to fifteen thousand feet. All
systems are working beautifully. Seattle Departure issues a new radio frequency to contact Seattle Center, the air traffic control facility in charge of the higher altitudes. After a few minutes, the flight is cleared to climb directly to their cruise altitude of forty-one thousand feet.

  Chaz had to let Steve know it’s bad form to use the term heavy on center control frequency. Customarily, large wide-body jets add the word heavy in radio transmissions to ground control, tower, approach, and departure frequencies so aircraft behind them pay attention to the wake turbulence the heavy aircraft generates. Heavy aircraft on Center Control frequencies don’t include the annotation because aircraft spacing at higher altitudes doesn’t generally present a wake turbulence problem, unless it’s an A380 super jumbo, which is always referenced as a super. This was not a scolding, but rather, Chaz lending the voice of experience.

  Chaz’s piloting impresses both Steve and Jen. They watch as Chaz hand flies the aircraft all the way through thirty-five thousand feet. This is genuine skill. At high altitude, the air is thin, making it all the more challenging to hand fly smoothly. Chaz’s expertise is obvious. He has his left hand on the control yoke and the other resting comfortably on the armrest. Any lingering question in Jen’s mind about Chaz’s abilities are settled once and for all. He is a superior aviator.

  “How’s she fly, Skipper?” Steve says.

  “Fantastic,” Chaz answers, and then finally activates the autopilot. “This is one beautiful machine.” Chaz is also smiling because this is the first time he has actually ever captained a 767, beyond his own type rating ride ten years ago. Also, because Steve referred to him as Skipper, a Navy term reserved for commanding officers. Steve may be the duly appointed chief pilot of this operation, but Chaz is most certainly his commanding officer. And while Dev may be majority stakeholder, even he acknowledges this is Chaz’s airplane.