Twittear
The joy of Aviation, soaring the skies, surfing the clouds, yes, that’s fun. Now imagine adding some extra ingredient: Charter flying in … the Caribbean!
“Oh darn!”, I think. There still are two seats left, but why is this a complication? This flight is going to the island of Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory. This island suffered a volcano eruption in July of 1995, leaving half of the island covered and destroyed, including its international airport, W.H. Bramble Airport, and forced the island to be accessible accessible only by helicopter or ferry until the new airport opened in 2005, the John A. Osborne Airport (MNI). The trick is, with its length of 1800 ft / 600m it could be considered a rather medium to short General Aviation airport, but with a steep hill on one side, and a steep valley on the other side with the norm of crosswinds exceeding 20 knots, and strong, constantly changing sheer winds., which means ‘no room for errors’. As pilots, we all know that landing is an option and that a go-around is always available, nothing wrong with that. Add to this that we only have enough fuel to get back to our airport of departure plus reserves, and on this island’s airport, giving its special characteristics and necessary special training and sign-off, each go-around has to be reported in written to the airport director together with its reasons, with possible sanctions to the company, and/or retraining of the pilot. Accidents happened before, on any airport, but on this airport it can mean or flying against a hill, or against a steep valley wall. And both sides of the airport are “covered”, one with hills and buildings, the other with the Soufriere Hills Volcano, with most of the time low clouds and mist in its vicinity. Adding to that on top of the hill are some occupied houses, and on a bad climb out day ‘you can see what they are having for lunch’, on their plates, as we use to describe the today’s conditions of departure. It’s no wonder that we fly with less then what the airplane is capable of. It is the BN-2 Islander, a flying ”twin-engined box’, but hard working like a truck, and easy to fly, though in these conditions nobody wants to get caught with an aircraft loaded to its maximum capacity. The company’s policy marks the maximum weight of the aircraft, if flown into or out of Montserrat, about two hundred pounds (90 Kg) under its legally permitted weight. Depending on the day, we often take 300 pounds (135 Kg), or even 400 (180 Kg) pounds off. Recalculating the weight and balance of our airplane, and comparing it to the weather conditions, I decide to leave some non time sensitive cargo back, with our handlers in Antigua, for the next departing flight to Montserrat, as we are flying a round trip, which means we will be back in Antigua in 40 minutes. That next flight ANU-MNI shows just two scheduled passengers, one of them being a child. “Good! Now let’s hurry up!” I say to myself, “The weather is closing in!”
We finally make it, on time, to depart before the weather moves in, after briefing the passengers, calling clearance delivery for engine start, ground control for taxi instructions, and we are cleared to taxi to the active runway. For us it means taxiing to the intersection of the taxiway A with the active (and only) runway, as departing from here means we have more than enough space, even if on a full load! After our non-eventful departure, and established at our cruising altitude of only 2000 ft as requested by ATC, we are enroute to MNI. The best time to finish and adjust the paperwork, and being tourist guide as well, if the passengers are tourists, non-locals, or just to spot out a few whales playing in the blue Caribbean waters.
With its very little aircraft movement MNI airport is a very easygoing airport… until you taxi to the before mentioned threshold: just a mere few feet off the runway’s pavement is the steep valley, only interrupted by a very small road with two tiny lanes. “Part of the thrills” I am saying to myself, taxiing carefully the aircraft around. Aligned with the runway centerline, holding the brakes, engines on 65% and a last but quick engine check, everything in the green, I carefully move the thrust levers to full power, releasing the brakes, knowing that an engine failure during this take-off is very critical. A hill at the departure end, high enough to overfly it by barely 30 feet / 10 meters, with a less than full load, on both engines. This certainly leaves no room for errors or laziness. High concentration and attention is not only mandatory, but necessary to survive both situations here: normal and emergency! Back in Antigua, with its long and wide runway, it is an easy approach, not to talk about the landing. We land with plenty of power on, as once we touchdown securely we keep the airplane rolling to get to our exit as soon as practicable, either on taxiway A or B. Once the aircraft parked, engines shut down, and making sure that the equipment and magnetos are off, I proceed with the disembarking of passengers and cargo. As the handler’s cart is rolling towards us, with the next flight’s passengers, an adult and a child, I proceed with business as usual: a quick aircraft check, finishing up the paperwork, and making sure that the passengers don’t get too far away from the plane and stay in a safe area. After they have been picked up and the next passengers seated and briefed, their bags loaded and secured, we are ready to go… wouldn’t it that the prior flight’s bags that got left back before are missing, and yes, the handler’s cart just left. “A quick call,” I think, and call their office. “Indeed, it’s still here.” they confirm, “We bring it to you right away!” “Good”, I say to myself, and prepare the paperwork that I would normally do enroute, during the flight. Once done with this chore, the cart shows up with the missing bags. We are on time, weather is fine, and this second round trip goes flawlessly, and it’s time to enjoy the sights of the Caribbean, including those over open blue waters, always worth the sight. No whales insight, this time though. The third flight of the day, with departure in 1 hour, gives plenty of time for lunch, but not today… again! “Why is so much oil on the engine cowling?” I think, and start to investigate. In prior occasions it was just the normal oil loss, a few drops. But not this time. It was a lot, too much oil. After our mechanic came in and inspected the engine, his first saying was “is the other plane available later?” “Yes.” I said, and was convinced that the judgment was right in calling in the mechanic off his lunch time. “Then take the other plane, I’ll have to check this one a bit more later on.” And it was clear that I’d have to start with it now, calling the other pilot on the other island and trying to help him to get here on time, or at least not very late. A few calls later, a few changes on the paperwork, the other airplane just landed and the fuel truck is coming in, as we will top the fuel tanks off, with two passengers, and little cargo. Two more round trips to Montserrat and one to Kelly Field in Barbuda, that’s it for today. A day that I can consider ‘local’, without flights to the surrounding Islands.
The whole grass strip and ramp is naturally grown, exactly like the rest of the island, nothing has been modified, and except after a heavy rain shower, it never gives any kind of trouble for taking off or landing. But it is noteworthy that after a few days of no rain but only the Caribbean sun shining in its full intensity, having used the brakes slightly to help turn the aircraft around, by differential braking, these brakes heated up well enough to ignite the already dried up grass. Luckily it didn’t happen when parking but on the turn itself, so that after we secured our airplane we made use of the fire extinguisher that is available at the ramp, and after just a matter of seconds the small fire was put out.
It is not unusual to get into small talks with guests at the resort, sitting at the bar, lounge chair, or laying on one of the beach chairs under the umbrellas, but it is certainly unusual being asked by young teenagers that see us in our pilot’s uniform “Are you guys pirates’? Right away being corrected by its elder brother saying ‘Pilots, not pirates!’ For sure they were having a good time, laughing about these things, sipping on their lemon juice. “Almost same thing, going from island to island, one adventure after the other!” came as answer, making me think what would life be for a pirate, sailing among these paradise islands, in the seek of adventures. And you guess it, more pictures taken of me together with the tourists, most likely with a caption on it saying ‘Our Pirate Pilot’. After the rain stopped, and upon inspecting the grass strip, the plane is checked out and ready to leave. “See you tomorrow!” I say to this wonderful airfield, knowing that soon I will be again squeezed by air traffic controllers between Boeing 747s and 737s, among other wide body airplanes, mainly from London and New York, and several Dash 8 Turboprops from the local airline LIAT. Have you always wondered on how many photographs you appear? In how many countries there might be photos of your ‘self’ appearing on pictures taken? No? Me neither, until pictures of our airplane were taken on every flight, mostly to Coco Point, right from the beach/threshold, as well as from inside the airplane itself, and once on the ground, shooting those pictures with us, the pilot and the plane. Makes me wonder what part of memories we are to those who visit, our part of making their vacations or simple trips a fulfilled adventure in the Caribbean. Our part as pilot, not just to take them safely and comfortable from point A to point B, but being part of their whole experience making them to start living the adventure already in our airplane, feeling the adventurous spirit!
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