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MOA,s and Wake Turbulence
The night was long as I tossed and turned with visions of the first flight of the year coming up. Finally dawn had arrived and I get up check the weather, it is good to go. I garb my flight gear and out the door a stop at McDonalds for a bite and coffee. As I am driving to the field I make a mental flight plan. Just a short hop will do for now. I arrive t the field no one is around it’s no wonder being 38 degrees. I drag the trike out and fuel up. Then go thru a check-list, I have been inspecting things all winter so I would be ready. I can hardly wait for the engine to sound off. I suit up one final walk around, a quick review of my “flight plan”. I am only going around the pattern and over the hill. I pull the starter cord prime the engine she starts on the second pull. A warm up check instruments, radio and GPS. Taxi out check the pattern all clear full power and off I go. Around the pattern feels good, then over the hill the feeling gets even better. Now I think I’ll just extend my flight. Soon I get “air drunk” and hypothermia set in. I stray into an MOA and just as suddenly two F-18 Hornets buzz the top on my king post. Suddenly I am tossed about and am fighting for control. I try but cannot control the trike, exhausted I am just about to give up and get ready to accept my fate. About this time I find my speed increasing and no longer have control as I am caught in draft behind the jets. Wow this is just like the Daytona 500! Now I am going along for the ride of my life. We have headed out to the coast and are skimming the water. I look at my airspeed 60 mph in the vacuum, but the GPS ground speed is 600 KTS! at only 100 ft AGL ( actually water). Everything is a blue blur to the left and a brown blur right. After about 2 hrs the jets begin to gain attitude up to 1500 ft and slow I see a huge airfield ahead and PALM TREES. Then I recognize the airfield. Being an old Navy flier I know it’s Jacksonville Florida. Just then the turbulence returns and I fight the control bar getting tossed out of the draft at 220 mph I pray the trike stays together. Thank you Pegasus, we are still a mass of fabric and metal. At that time the engine quits, out of gas! I see a same clearing below and begin a glide towards it, threading my trike between the palms I land. Getting out I kiss the earth (like a few times before). I see no one. Sure is hot here with my OZ flight suit, I shed the suit. Then I hear from the bushes “You got to take more than that off”. Looking I see several men and women emerging from the bushes, all NAKED! I have landed in a nudist colony.
To be continued........... Click here to read the conclusion
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