Maintain Calm

The Atlantic Hurricane season of 2017 produced 17 storms and 10 Hurricanes, 6 of which became Major Hurricanes. A flying opportunity that season brought me out of the relative hurricane-free safety of South-Central Kansas to the frontlines of the Florida coast.

Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm was pointing ever so convincingly towards the Sunshine state, and many started to prepare for a possible landfall. Even outside of Florida, most people are familiar with what happens when a swirling disturbance born of the Saharan sands makes its way across the Atlantic for populated areas in the Americas: Boarding up, buying supplies, protecting valuables, shelter openings, and evacuation. The best and worst of humanity is displayed in high definition with an international audience. I was born and raised in Florida. In my 25 years of living there I evacuated only once, but I’m all too familiar with the types of concerns of people wanting out of the way. This trip had a few good takeaways for me, some of which I hope may be good for others preparing to enter professional aviation.

In flying there will be unexpected changes-

My information going into the job was basic details: I had airline tickets into FLL and was asked to evacuate a sales/demo aircraft from FXE to CHA Chattanooga, TN. The type was a capable single engine turboprop that I had experience in. My surprise upon arrival was that I would have a plane full of passengers. In the short time from being contacted about the trip to arriving on site, the situation became more desperate and employees of the FBO were hitching a ride out of town. Fuel and weight and balance planning suddenly became more complex.

Flexibility might as well be the ACS requirement the FAA didn’t think of, get comfortable with it early.

There will be external pressures-

If I go back to that moment, the atmosphere all around the prominent South Florida FBO was on fire. Forty-eight hours from expected landfall. Commercial airline service to stop soon at major airports in the region. Disney is closed. Supplies in stores running short. The jetfuel can hardly get into Florida fast enough to meet demand. Inside the FBO a packed lobby, scattered luggage, employees doing their best, ramp full of airplanes. The cheerful tropical fish in the mammoth saltwater tank in the in the middle of the FBO lobby could but stare on in total unafraid leisure. Outside gave way to a midafternoon high of 90 degrees and 71% humidity with 10mph winds out of the Southeast. It yields a “feels like 107” for those of you that like the number. Between the heat of a Florida summer and some pressure from the owners of the aircraft wanting me to have topped tanks and full seats (which, yes, would be overweight in this airplane’s current configuration), it was stacking up to be a stressful day. I answered back with a fuel load that kept us safe, legal and "Yes sir, I promise" my 'slow and steady' plan on the power setting still allowed a one leg flight. Fuel was ordered but would be a long wait yet. We were delayed more waiting for some passengers who were late. “Do you really need all that?”.

I refiled my IFR. After what seemed like an undertaking in itself, every piece was in place, and we could load up and start the engine. My moment of relief didn’t last long when I realized we were nowhere near getting away. Even with the two zone air conditioning full blast, I’m sweating on the ramp. The tension in radio voices was as thick like the humidity. Many pilots inquiring about clearances, another airplane’s AC is failing with elderly passengers aboard. Cabin temp can skyrocket past 120 in minutes in that scenario. The controllers responses are succinct and firm, repeating often the same instructions to new pilot entries on frequency. Throughout, they stayed calm and professional. Nearly 20 airplanes, most of them fancy jets are lined up and waiting for departure/takeoff clearance ahead of me. Due to the massive amount of IFR’s in the region, aircraft departures were slowly metered. Every bizjet is leaving South Florida, as most hangars aren't rated to stay up at the 'worst case' strength of a direct hit in this region. Many more jets came in to get people out. And I’m at just one of some 30 airports situated along the East coast of Florida. I’m sure the environment was the same at each of the larger airports in the region.

Stress will cause mistakes-

Soon after takeoff I was presented with an equipment malfunction when my flaps remained froze in the takeoff position: 20 degrees in this airplane. At that load and atmospheric conditions I had a positive but just OK climb rate. The insidious danger is in the potential distraction in a critical phase, which could mean big trouble. “Keep flying the airplane first!” rang in my head every professor and instructor from my time at an aviation university. This flap failure is an occasional problem with older models of this aircraft, and one I knew how to combat but had neglected among everything else that day.

It’s in the normal procedures to make a full cycle of the flaps once by extending them for preflight and retracting them before engine start. If proceeding in this manner a pilot would then discover any flap operation issues before being in the air. In the rare case that they freeze, you know at a much less critical moment. But of course I hadn’t checked a full up/down cycle on THAT DAY and before THAT TAKEOFF of all opportunities for it to happen.

So stay alert, and use all available resources-

Murphy loves aviation. He’s a lifetime EAA member, head of AOPA, top dog at ALPA, etc. Fortunately, a pilot rated front passenger was a welcome hand to reset the breaker for me as I continued pilot flying duties. The flaps operated normally after the breaker reset and we were all cleaned up within 1,000 feet or so. That day offered Incredible pressure amongst potential crisis; the weight of millions of concerned people in the state of Florida, Anxious flight crews on frequency begging for a chance to depart, trusting Passengers in the seats behind me. Operating at the top of the charts. All of these add to risk we deal with when commencing flight.

As pilot in command you are ultimately responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all aboard the aircraft. For me that day it included an infant and a dog. In times of crisis, readiness is a must have even if the threat never materializes. In the end this particular part of Florida was largely untouched in a deadly way by the hurricane, as the brunt was felt in other areas and in the Caribbean. A popular quote I have in a framed gift from a student says:

“Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity, or neglect.”

I’m not a perfect pilot, but practicing good decision making even on a normal day can help ensure you do the right thing on a bad day.

In time, I abandoned my IFR to depart that day from FXE, seeing no real need for it. After I had waited 30 minutes or so with the engine running in the Conga line the controllers began offering immediate intersection departures for aircraft that could do it and do it VFR. I had the advantage of being a STOL turboprop so I escaped from the gridlock of the taxiway jet line after confirming adequate runway margin was available. Once away I had to pick through some Florida afternoon buildups and avoid some air mass thunderstorms crossing over the Everglades, but we made it through. I even waved at my Grandma's house on the edge of lake Okeechobee.

ZMA was not granting IFR’s in the air due to workload, and I wasn’t about to ask for flight following. I pressed on and hoped for luck with ZJX. Looking back it was the first time I'd ever been totally “alone” flying 1200 for a couple hundred miles without ATC and transporting lives in the cabin behind. In time I was granted an IFR in the air passing JAX. Familiarity. A friendly voice. A connection to the ground below. Total normalcy was back by the time I was with ZTL. I had a peaceful cruise phase and an impressive view of a sunset. In time, Chattanooga was on the horizon and a beautiful straight in visual approach was made. Success. I got one of the last hotel rooms in town and the next day I airlined back and did it again with another load of passengers in a second plane. To close, flying in times of crisis can..

Bring unique new experiences-

When returning one of the planes to its home base at FXE just two weeks later, I was told a surprise guest was joining. I'm a CFI and saw a neat opportunity to teach about the plane, so I planned to yield the left seat. When I arrived at the airport a prominent aviation youtuber was already there and setting up cameras. His name was Steve Nazer (‘steveo1kinevo’) and he was going to make a video of us on the return leg. I had never watched a single video of his before this flight, and can’t recall if I even knew who he was. The video has over 500,000 views. My final advice looking back on that? Don’t speak in a Youtube video. And never ever read the comments. That’s all I have to say here.