Flying Too Close to the Sun, George Jehn [freda ebook reader txt] 📗

After cranking up only the number one and three engines to conserve fuel, Shuttle Air 1540 was directed to taxi to Boston’s runway 22 Right for takeoff. Christina maneuvered the plane on the taxiways while Erik and Woody performed all their required functions. Once everything was running Erik got the weight and balance information over the Airborne Communications Apparatus or ACARS, filled in the required takeoff numbers with a black magic marker pen and handed Woody the completed takeoff data card. It fit neatly on the forward instrument panel and showed the pilots the number of passengers on board, amount of fuel, aircraft gross weight, along with the tail’s stabilizer trim setting and the calculated takeoff speeds for their exact weight. The flip side would be used for the landing data. Erik recited the before takeoff check list with Christina and Woody first checking and then replying to each item. Approaching the active runway they fired up number two, finished up the checklist and were cleared for takeoff.

Rolling down the runway, when approaching the calculated critical V1 airspeed of 132 knots, Erik felt an abnormal vibration. Quickly checking his instruments all appeared normal. But swiveling his seat toward the engine gauges on the pilots’ forward instrument panel he noticed intermittent RPM fluctuations and an abnormally high Exhaust Gas Temperature on the number three engine. The EGT gauge was well into the red warning band. Simultaneously, Woody made the V1 callout, the speed at which the takeoff could no longer be aborted on the ground. A split-second later came his VR call, rotation speed. Just as Christina began rotating the nose wheel off the ground there was an earsplitting boom like a clap of thunder. Erik hollered, “Something’s wrong with number three!”

CHAPTER THREE

“Jesus!” Christina shouted in a voice fueled by training and seat-of-the-pants instinct, “Engine failure!”

Like a doctor who is told a patient is coding, when a cockpit crew hears the words “engine failure” immediate actions are required to be performed from memory. Christina rammed the throttles full forward to get maximum power from the operating engines while Erik quickly reached to the top of his flight engineer panel and rotated the essential power selector knob carrying the crucial electrical items from number three to the number one engine generator. He simultaneously turned off the jet’s galley power to prevent an electrical overload and closed off the bleed air supply from the faulty engine so no smoke or fumes could enter the cabin, opening the same valve on the number two-engine.

Christina commanded Woody, “Gimme maximum power,” even though the throttles were already in the full forward position. Despite three thousand pounds of hydraulic assistance she had to press hard on the left rudder pedal to overcome the jet’s powerful asymmetrical yaw and keep it centered on the runway. With only two engines the plane’s acceleration was more sluggish, so she rotated the nose very slowly so as not to overcompensate and strike the tailskid, which could cause structural damage.

To Jim Ruppel, the Boston tower operator’s trained eye, Shuttle 1540’s acceleration appeared to be sluggish and he was about to ask the pilots if everything was okay? Just then the jet finally broke ground and gained altitude, but the rate of climb appeared to be lagging.

Inside the cockpit it was like time stood still and they were glued to the runway. But the big jet finally broke gravity’s grip and a hundred and fifty-two thousand pounds of gleaming metal staggered into the air. Once the vertical speed indicator confirmed they were climbing Christina directed Woody, “Gear up.”

There was no reaction.

“Woody, raise the landing gear,” she ordered. Seemingly spellbound, he just stared at the engine indications on the forward instrument panel. Erik quickly released his safety harness and seat belt, reached over Woody’s shoulder and moved the large handle with the little wheel on it to the up position. With the gear retracted the plane would now climb more rapidly. Since the jet’s three engines were at the rear of the fuselage and not visible from the cockpit, Christina wondered if the faulty one damaged any of the jet’s systems. If an engine broke up it could cause a catastrophic failure by cutting the fuel and hydraulic lines, along with the flight control cables. Was there a fire? Thoughts of 9/11 flashed through her mind faster than her jet flew through the air. Had terrorists targeted her flight? Despite these concerns, she performed her required flight duties with textbook precision. The passengers had placed their lives in her hands and she would not let them down. “Inform the tower we have an emergency and are taking it straight out until we get the flaps retracted,” Christina directed Woody as the plane entered the low murkiness. “Then we’ll need an immediate clearance to return for landing.” Although not visible because they were in the clouds, she knew she had to get the crippled bird over the looming metal masts of the mammoth cargo ships anchored in Boston harbor. She had frequently gazed in awe at these enormous vessels sailing to mysterious, far-away destinations. But now their metal spars were like huge hands reaching straight up, trying to swat the big jet out of the sky. The first needed step was to achieve the correct thousand-foot level-off altitude where the flaps could be safely retracted.

There was still no response from Woody. She wanted to reach over and shake him, see if he was alive. “Did you hear me? Call the tower and work with Erik to shut down number three and then run through the emergency checklists. I’ve got to concentrate on flying this bird.”

“I’ve got it,” Erik said picking up his microphone. “Logan tower, this is Shuttle Air 1540. Our number three engine’s failed and we’ll need to return for an immediate landing.”

“Roger, 1540. Do you require the emergency equipment?” Ruppel replied.

“Affirmative. We’ll be taking it straight out until we get the flaps retracted.”

“The normal procedure is to turn left to