Leaving 10,000

By John Westling

As the nightmare unfolds, pilots Will Wright and Jerry Grant experience a series of dangerous events leading to the eventual crippling loss of control on Onyx flight 887.

Experiencing a mid-air collision, the Airbus A321 is locked in a right turn with no hope of recovery. Once out of fuel, the plane will likely spiral to earth, killing all 145 souls on board.

Caught up in a violent storm, the flight deteriorates into what may be the ultimate flight from hell. Delays, medical emergencies, a highjacker, injuries and death combine at the worst possible time, testing the pilots capabilities.

With the help of an Air Force fighter pilot, there might be a way out, but will it be enough to save the flight?

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Westling
• Release date: Aug 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9798540599856

Book preview

Leaving 10,000...

A terrifyingly short story

John Westling

Copyright © 2021 by John Westling

First edition

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. This book may not be

reproduced in whole or in part, by any means, without permission from the author

Contact: https://jwsixes.wixsite.com/website

ISBN: 9798540599856

Dedication

Many thanks to Angel Flight West Pilot Juan Del Azar for contributing his knowledge of aviation communications, technical descriptions, and procedures. Without his help, this book would still be holding short of Runway One-Six, left.

My F-117 was a single-pilot attack aircraft. Night flights. No lights. No radio. Just me, just my decisions, just my errors. Just my life.

Mayday, Mayday, mid-air... Nearest airport... repeat, Mayday... No elevator control, no... Losing altitude... Pull up! Pull up!... Broken... One hundred -forty souls on... Mayday... No! turn left, turn left!... Can’t reach the runway...

Will. Will. Wake up, Will. You’re having a bad dream. Will, Honey, wake up. Your jammies are soaking wet with sweat.

Lower the landing gear...

Will! Honey.

We’re going down. I love you, Susan.

Wake up, Will!

Ha... what?

Bad dream, Will. Here, sit up. You’re having a bad dream. Let’s get you out of your sweaty clothes.

I can land it. I know I can. Let me fly it, Captain.

Will, stop. Stop! Open your eyes, Honey, wake up.

Oh my God! Susan! I could have done it, but the Captain wouldn’t give me the controls.

It was a dream, Will. Just a bad dream.

It was real, Susan. I was there. We were almost on the ...

I’m sure you could have saved the plane, Will, but for now, let’s get you awake and dried out. What a nightmare.

Nightmare? It was too real. Jerry, Sherry, one-hundred-forty passengers... all dead. My fault. The Captain....

How is a nightmare your fault, Honey? It’s over. You’re here and alive. C’mon, it’s five a.m., time to get up. Coffee’s ready.

Even a warm shower doesn’t lessen my thoughts of impending doom. Over and over, my mind tries to replay the script but can’t. It’s not like before, when I might have eaten something spicy, resulting in wild dreams, or to a lesser extent, just a series of unconnected events. This time it was crystal clear, as if someone broke the tinted glass that taints dreams.

If I were a nervous personality, I might worry about future events this day after accidentally spilling coffee on my freshly laundered and pressed Captain’s uniform this morning. It isn’t the burn on the top of my left thigh that concerns me. It’s my inability to jettison last night’s nightmare from my mind. I have a job to do. I don’t need this distraction today.

Will, I think it’s time to find another psychiatrist. Your father is gone, yet you continue to find every way possible to please him even though his love was certainly conditional. Don’t you agree that it’s time to close this chapter and move on?

I wish it were that simple, Susan. But, I agree, it’s time to find another source of counseling. I could normally shrug the nightmares off, but this one scares the crap out of me. It’s like I was staring death right in the face, knowing I was going to die in seconds. It’s a pretty helpless feeling when I’m not in control.

According to the Onyx Air psychiatrist, failing to meet my late father’s expectations probably causes my nightmares. Maybe, but not this time.

I love you, Captain Will, and don’t you ever forget it.

I love you too, Susan. See you for dinner tonight?

I’ll have just enough time to change and get to the airport for my first flight of the day. My long-time flight attendant girlfriend is always one step ahead of me. She hands my black flight bag to me, adorned with a single circular sticker with a picture of a F117A stealth fighter surrounded by the words ‘Night Stalkers’.

Very cute in her pajamas, Susan kisses me, holding the door open as I hurriedly walk through the Seattle morning rain to my idling Subaru Outback in the driveway.

Bye, honey. Be safe. She calls.

Settling in the pre-warmed seat, I realize regretfully that my previous life as an Air Force fighter pilot is fading in the distance, three years after retirement.

Arriving at the SeaTac Onyx Aircrew lounge at 7 a.m., the rest of the flight crew greets me. Two I know, two I don’t.

Good morning, crew. I’m Wilbur Wright, your Captain today. And yes, it’s Wilbur. My dad was an aircraft designer for the Lockheed Skunk Works. True story. Call me Will.

It took me a while to get used to the concept of a crew flying with me.

My first officer today is Jerry Grant. We’ve shared the flight duties many times. A skilled Navy F/A-18 pilot with over 5000 hours of flight time. I’m glad to see Jerry and tell him so as we shake hands, almost spilling both cups of coffee.

Great to see you too, Will. Been a while.

Jerry introduces me to Sherry Delmonico, whom I already know. With ten years of experience, I have absolute confidence in her. She’s cabin supervisor today.

Made my day when I saw your name on the crew list. Gimme a big hug, Will. I’ve missed being part of your crew.

I’ve missed you too, Sherry. I have much more confidence knowing that the cabin is in the best of hands.

Then Linda Crowley and Kiki Northam, flight attendants for the first flight of the day. I learn this will be Kiki’s first official flight. They’re getting younger, or I’m getting much older, fast.

As we’re checking the latest weather, Jerry points out a disturbing forecast item. This storm today is volatile. A combination of warm moist air from the southwest meeting a deep low pressure of artic air forced south by the jet stream.

The barometric pressure is forecast to fall from 30.01 to 28.01 inches of mercury at our destination. Highly unusual for Las Vegas, but the weather is becoming more violent and unpredictable with climate change. He adds that the pressure during hurricane Andrew was 27.23, resulting in record-breaking rainfall and wind. We may not land. I submit the flight plan somewhat reluctantly. Onyx Flight 887. Non-stop Seattle to Las Vegas. It could be challenging, but that’s why we fly.

Chapter 2

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