From Ireland to the UK, Part 3

[hurricanemk1c 195]

On a cold October morning, as frost lay on the ground, an Eastern 747-200 stood lonely on a cold, oily tarmac at Grand Forks airfield. Destination, unknown. Crew - 3. Passengers and cargo - CLASSIFIED

Unusually for a top-secret mission, a civil airliner was used. Although it really makes sense - who's going to notice a civil airliner ferrying around the place? But the really strange thing is, I, a non-military person, was allowed to captain the aircraft.

The rest of the crew were very high ranking American officers - one Colonel Staines (USAF) and a naval officer, Naval Flight Officer Tisley. They refused to give me their first names, but luckily it didn't really matter.

So how did I, a non-serving Brit who lives in Ireland come to command this flight? Well, the story is long, complicated but most importantly, classified. All I can tell you is that the RAF and the Irish Aer Corps have played their cards about me to the Americans.....

Anyway, onto the flight. After an extensive walk around, avoiding the cargo doors (which were under armed guard), I boarded the aircraft. Around me there was CLASSIFIED. Blooming sensorship. Ruins the whole story. Anyway, here the aircraft

Inside, Tisley was sat at the Flight Engineer's station and Staines in the co-pilot's seat. I slid myself into the comfortable seat and proceeded to start up the aircraft

Me - Blue

Staines - Red

Tisley - Green

ATC - Purple

OK, let's start her up. Ground switches

On

APU on please

APU on

Door open, starting APU

APU stable

Thanks, let's plan out the navigation. INS or GPS?

GPS - I have it

OK, you are navigating, I'm flying

Engine 4 start

Fuel, rich. Starter switch, on, N2 rotation

Starter switch off, fuel valve closed

Ground, this is Eastern 742, requesting push back to the left

Eastern 742, this is Grand Forks Ground. You are cleared to push back to the left, then taxi to runway 35 Left at your discretion

Rodger, push to the left, taxi to 35L, Eastern 742

With a cough and a splutter, the old engines slowly wind up

All four engines running, let's taxi. You have control

I have control

It's tight around here!

Flaps out

Tower, this is Eastern 742, requesting take-off on 35 Left

Eastern 742, you are cleared for take-off, 35 Left. Make a 180 turn 2 miles out of the airport, climb to 7000ft, then resume your own naviagtion

Rodger, 2 milesout, turn right to 170, climb 7000, cleared for take off 35 left, Eastern 742

Get a move on!

And we are off

Flaps slowly coming up

Climbing up into the air

And we're trailing

Turning

Staines had gone to the toilet, so a quick, sneaky shot was taken

Descending now into what I now know as Boeing Field

Over the mountains

.

Some nice 'lumps and bumps'

Autopilot disengaged

I have control

I grab hold of the stick as the gear comes down. Now's my moment

Flaps 35 please

Flaps 35

Airfield ahead

For some reason we have a very high descion height

Decide!

Land!

From my seat

A nice, smooth touchdown (for once - at least they don't know my nickname!)

Eastern 742, a follow me car has been provided. Please follow

Wilco, Eastern 742

The follow me car was tiny in comparision to the Whale Jet. But,as we taxied, we were slowly shutting her down

Engines 2 and 3 off. Fuel off. Air con packs, off. APU, on

Eventually, we arrived at the gate. It was very remote and the wind howled across the airfield. From my view, the ground crews were already at the aircraft, unloading the precious cargo

The ground carts connected up, and we handed it over to the ground crews. On my way out, Tisley caught my arm

Not a word of this to anyone, OK?

Why not? After all, it's only a ferry flight

You know far too much. OK then, goodbye

And with that, he left.

Thanks for looking and reading, I hope it wasn't too bad!

(PS - here are the other legs - Leg 1 - http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/6763-from-ireland-to-the-uk/

Leg 2 - http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/6980-from-ireland-to-the-uk-part-two/

And, if you are wondering, the text in the green at the top was from Classic S-Combo (the Ready for Pushback 747-200 from Just Flight)

[ddavid 149]

I'm surprised they let you live, Chuck - but I expect the landing helped...

Did you get a sniff of what you were transporting? Maybe best left unsaid, you don't want a knock on the door in the middle of the night, eh?

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers - Dai.

[hurricanemk1c 195]

All I noticed Dai is how complicated that 747 can be!