Waking up on Saturday morning is always traumatic. For some reason, the body alarm gets out of whack and even though you aren't supposed to be anywhere, you feel guilty for getting up later than usual.
I lay in bed between the sleeping beauties, thinking about the two injured girls and how they were doing. Only a broken arm and a broken wrist between the two girls isn't that bad, so you have to think that they were lucky, having been in a head-on collision. It's always traumatic when someone you know gets hurt.
The need to use the bathroom and my growling stomach convinced me to get up and get moving. My slip-on peg came in handy as I used the bathroom and decided a swim would be good. On the way past the hot tub, I put the lid back on and walked to the pool, took off the peg, and dove in. Before I could go a lap, Wanda and Bobby dove in, and instead of doing our usual swim, the two wanted to play.
After nearly drowning me for several minutes, we did do some serious swimming. It felt good to stretch my muscles and use them to the max. When I was panting by the side of the pool, Bobby came up and asked, "Do you think we can fly up to see my sister today instead of tomorrow?"
"Sure, if they have a plane available, we'll do it. I'm interested in seeing if you can get into the right seat without being too cramped. You need enough room so your feet don't interfere with the pedals. We'll see when we try it."
Bobby asked, "I know there's not enough room for Jan and Wanda, but do you think there's enough room to bring Wanda with us?"
"Probably, but I'll have to calculate the weight and consider the weather. If it isn't too hot, we shouldn't have a problem. When the 206 is ready, I think we can get most everyone in it. Since Marie and Angie are both small, the total weight may be about right unless we have a bunch of luggage. Every pound counts."
As we walked back into the kitchen, Marie and Dennis were sitting at the breakfast table eating cereal. You have to give the young man credit, he did gawk at Bobby and Wanda a little but he really didn't show too much surprise. Maybe his family visits out at the nudist park.
The three of us that came from the pool showered, dressed, and came into the kitchen as Dennis was getting ready to leave. He was going back to the trailer park as Marie had decided it was a good day to go to Busch Gardens. She said she was going to get Jan and Angie up to see if they wanted to go with them. Dennis was going to get his sister and a couple of Kathy's older kids to come along as well.
Thinking about it, I asked, "What would you rather do Bobby and Wanda, go flying or go to Busch Gardens?"
Both women said together, "Take us flying."
Then Bobby said, "I really want you to meet my big sister. You'll just love her. Wanda, you will enjoy her too. She's much more laid back than Millie, more like my mom. She has a bunch of kids and isn't fazed by anything. Her husband owns a marina where people sailing the gulf come in to stay overnight or to refuel. He also has some boats with crews he charters on the weekends or full weeks at a time."
Angie and Jan came into the kitchen, happy to hear of the planned adventure to Busch Gardens with several people. Since they were taken care of, I told the two women that if they needed anything for the day to get it together because we were on our way to the airport. I reminded them to bring their sunglasses as it gets pretty bright up in the air.
I purposely didn't call before going out to the airport, as I wanted to see my new airplane before we did anything. Once we were out there, we walked over to the maintenance hangar to find three men working on a really nice looking white with red and blue trim 206. Two had the cowling off and were doing something with the motor while another was doing something to the side of the airplane.
As we walked into the hangar, John came out of the charter office and walked over to us. As he approached, he said, "It's a beauty isn't it?"
I pointed at the plane and asked, "Is that mine? Is that it?"
"That's the one, Chuck. You really got yourself a deal. Frank said he'll have the holes patched and painted by noon. And the Mauser twins are obviously heads deep into your annual. We don't hear any crying or cursing, so the plane must be in good condition. Kurt said the engine had a tear down about thirty hours ago. He found documentation signed off in Mexico from a reputable dealer for the rebuild. We'll get the information into the airplane's log and you will have dodged a very major expense."
"What does that carpet look like? Is it bad?"
"Not at all, come on, take a look. If you use a good cleaner, the little stain that is there might come out."
I looked at the small spot on the carpet and since there was no smell, I immediately decided I could live with the small stain. I looked over the plane to find it did have a communication system similar to the one in the S&S plane. This plane doesn't go that fast, but it has a decent range, somewhere around six to seven hundred miles, and it has about a 150 mph cruise speed.
The one thing that was the dagger in this whole flying thing is the cost of fuel. The hundred octane aircraft fuel was running around four bucks a gallon. That's three hundred and twenty dollars for eighty gallons to go about seven hundred miles. That can get expensive. I suppose I was going to have to plan my use of the airplane very carefully. The problem was that something like the 172 was only big enough for Bobby and me, plus maybe one more person.
We looked at the plane very thoroughly and I decided that if it became too expensive, I could make enough by selling it to pay for a smaller plane and have some money left over to fly it.
I cornered John, "What do you think of my chances of renting this thing out enough to help pay for the maintenance costs and to have enough left over to help pay for me to fly it as well?"
"Pretty good, Chuck. The 206 is perfect for business flights around Florida and even up to Georgia or South Carolina. It's perfect for flying down to the Keys and the air is full of planes going between Tampa and Melbourne because there isn't any decent road to drive. Since the plane can carry a small group, it is very useful and versatile."
"You'll have to fix me up with a contract so you guys can charter it whenever you need to. Oh, I need to reimburse you-all for the hotel for the kid that flew the plane up from Houston. Can I do that in the office?"
"I don't think there are any charges on it other than fuel since the kid stayed here waiting to get on the charter going that way this morning. He was happy to get in the hours of free flying in a nice airplane. From what he noted in the log, the flight was very nice and the airplane flew perfectly."
"Let me go see if I can rent a 172 for today. You can help me make up my mind whether my weights are too close or not. Come on, girls, we all have to get on the scales."
Bobby and Wanda looked at me a little strange, but followed me into the charter office. They had one of those big scales like you see in a Publix grocery store. I had Bobby go first and she only weighed 344 with clothes on. Wanda topped out at 141 and I came in at 182. That total with a hundred fifty pounds of fuel was going to be 817 pounds with a max weight load limit of 830 pounds.
I looked at John and said, "Unless there's a fudge factor I don't know about this, we are too close to take a chance on the weather factors. We'll just have to do this another day with just the two of us."
John immediately said, "Use our 206. I'm sure we'll give it to you for the same rental as the 172. You have a hell of lot more weight capacity in that one and you are checked out in it. Besides, in the 172, you should probably go around over land but in the 206 you can safely cut across the gulf to get up to Panama City. You'll get there a little faster and it uses only a little more fuel than the 172. Just the safety factor of the 300 horse motor should convince you."
"That sounds good, John. I think I'm up for that. Kind of a long way from the 150 isn't it. Let me do the weights for the eighty gallons. There's plenty of room plus we'll be going only a little under two hundred and fifty miles. I'll fill up if the gas is cheaper up there, otherwise I'll wait till I get back."
John and I pushed the 206 out of the hangar then we had Bobby climb up into the right seat. She fit but it was a little tight. The passenger seats behind her were even smaller so she said she could keep her feet off the pedals. I picked up some bottled water and made sure the girls didn't need the potty as we would be in the air for almost two hours.
I did my preflight inspection then had to go into the charter office to get my personal log book. I made my notation, then used my cell phone to call in a flight plan and initiate it. I made sure Wanda was buckled in and the side double doors were closed tight then climbed up into the cockpit and pulled the checklist card. I went right down the line to start up the airplane then watched the gauges as they all came to rest in the correct positions.
After warming up, I called the tower for taxi and takeoff instructions and was given access to roll down the taxiway to get ready to take off. When I turned around to takeoff, I had this eerie feeling that this may be my first of many, many takeoffs in the years ahead. We rolled down the runway faster and faster until our airspeed indicator was where it should be and the airplane became lighter as it lifted off smoothly, climbing upward and turning toward the north, northwest.
When we leveled off at sixty-five hundred feet, I punched in all the information on the fancy Garmin GPS unit to bring up Panama City with the estimated travel time and our measurements of speed with the variables of airspeed compared to ground speed.
I clicked on the intercom and spoke to the two ladies asking them if they felt comfortable. Both said they felt safe but were glad they had the headphones to keep the noise down.
There were a lot of small aircraft up today. We were overtaking what looked like a small Cessna out over the gulf with an air coupe going the same way above us and a little faster. We were definitely going to have to keep an eye out for traffic.
Right at an hour and forty minutes later, I used the radio to ask for landing instructions. They gave me straight in instructions and had me get off the runway as soon as possible to head toward the general parking area by the private aircraft terminal. After parking on an open tie down spot, I shut down the plane, got out to help the ladies get out, and strapped the plane down.
We went inside to find out about a rental car. Bobby decided she would rent the car since it was her sister we were here to see and she knew where she was going. When the operations clerk questioned me about my gun, I showed him my badge but said I was on personal business. The man was nice and said, "Happy to have you here, you guys always get free airport services and a fuel discount if you need to fuel up before you leave."
That was nice. Finally Bobby called her sister to find out where she was. They were at the marina out in Panama City Beach so that meant we needed to go across the causeway and bridge to get to the outer island.
Bobby knew the way and we arrived to park near a nice concrete block building with the name "Jeff's Charters." A big lady and four pretty big kids came rumbling from the building to collide with Bobby. The kids all wanted to be picked up and hugged by Bobby, who did just that after a big hug from her sister.
When the initial excitement was over, Bobby introduced me to Michelle. It was the same as with the rest of her family. Michelle picked me up like a rag doll and held me out in front of her saying, "You ain't very big but if Bobby says you're enough, you're enough. You are bigger than dad and Donny though. Let me find Jeff. He's down messing with a motor on one of the outboards. You introduce your man to the kids, Sis."
There was fifteen year old six foot five little Jeff, then six three fourteen year Sandra. Next was six foot twelve year old Jeanie, and last six foot eleven year old Mike. If you've ever felt small among giants, this was it. Michelle came back with a guy that was probably six ten and had to weight four hundred pounds if an ounce. The first thing he did was a shock. He picked Bobby up and pulled her to him giving her a big hug. He stuck his giant hand out to me to give me a shake and encompassed my entire hand. "Happy to meet the man Bobby has found to make her happy again. She's been without for too long. Now who's this looker standing over here?"
Bobby introduced Wanda then we all went into the office and lounge building. The place was fixed up with a TV, some comfortable chairs and a bunch of vending machines. While Bobby and Michelle began talking a mile a minute, Michelle's two girls cornered Wanda and were asking her a thousand questions. Jeff nodded his head beckoning me to follow and headed out the door.
"So you flew down here today?"
"My first flight since flight school. We had a nice flight, nice and smooth with good weather."
"That's kind of scary being way up there isn't it?"
"Not really. That's what learning to fly is all about. Everything you learn is about safety first. If something doesn't fit or doesn't seem right, you don't take off. I'm sure you won't go out in the gulf without checking your boat and equipment. I won't fly without doing the proper checks."
"That's good. I've always heard that pilots check their planes very closely before they fly. They don't want to crash either."
We had walked down to a boat that had some bars erected over it with a come along on wheels set on tracks that went to the dock at the front of the boat where a big wheeled cart was.
Jeff said, "I'm going to pick this end of the engine up and you slide the strap under for me okay? We'll do the front then the rear. Ready?"
I slid the two straps under the engine wondering how strong Jeff must be to lift the engine up so easily. He connected the straps then hoisted the engine from the boat. After pulling the freed engine to the cart on the dock, Jeff let the engine down on the stand then pushed it up to a shop adjoining the office and lounge.
An old guy was working on motors in the shop and Jeff said, "Leave some of that other stuff go, Carl, I want this rebuilt as we need the boat for rental. With summer here, we can rent everything we have."
Jeff wiped his hands off, used some cleaner then after washing his hands we went into the lounge again. Michelle was fixing what looked like food for fifty, but I knew that it was just food for her family. She was making spaghetti and meatballs with some garlic bread. She was my kind of lady too as she had a huge bag of lettuce already pulled apart.
Michelle said, "Saturday is a fun day for the kids. They get to come down here to watch their dad and to play with the boats. Little Jeff always wants to work out in the shop, but his dad is trying to teach him how to run everything else. All the kids like to help out though, so they all get to do something. Jeanie likes to pump fuel, but I think she likes to collect the money even more."
When it was time to eat, Carl came in and sat at the giant picnic table with everyone. Watching the quantities of food that this family could put away was astounding. The kids ate more than the adults, Bobby included, but all of them put away a bunch of food. Old Carl was like Wanda and me. We didn't eat even half of what everyone else ate.
Jeff got himself out a beer and offered one to me. I had to decline as I was flying, but Bobby and Wanda each had one, along with Michelle. The kids all asked if they could go down to the beach. When Michelle said yes, all of them went into the office, quickly changing into swim clothes. Seeing these giant kids was really a sight. They were not fat anywhere, just really big.
Jeff got a call on his marine radio for assistance and a tow for a boat out in the gulf about twenty miles. He said he was glad to meet me but said, "these tows are worth a fortune. This is a big boat, so I'll make my month with this one tow. Watch the store for me, Michelle, I'll be back by seven, I'll take Carl with me."
Michelle said, "We get a lot of tows from boats that run out of fuel or break down from a long run out of Mexico. I hate to see Jeff go out by himself on those as there have been dangerous people out there. Some are average people, but the ones with the big boats are usually the bent nose kind."
"Should I go with him? Does he need someone like me with him?"
"Naw, he'll be okay. He doesn't stick his nose in anyone's business and just does what he's asked to do. That's the best way to be out on the water."
Wanda and I walked around on the docks while Bobby and her sister visited. I was happy to see the clouds weren't building so we would have an easy trip back. It was nice to be able to quickly go somewhere to visit like this. Wanda really liked the big sailboats, saying she always wanted to go sailing for a few days. She thought it would be one of the more pleasant trips a person could have. She said that Mercy at the trailer park was crazy about sailing, as were Steve and Sue and their entire family. They had to really enjoy sailing to consider a three month sailing trip with fifteen or so kids.
Back at the lounge and office, we watched as Michelle refueled a big cabin cruiser and was paid cash for the diesel fuel. When she came back she said, "I need to put my bikini on. I get bigger tips when I'm wearing my bikini. Guys just love to get pumped by me."
She laughed aloud at her own joke. I could only imagine the commotion she would cause pumping fuel in a bikini.
It was almost four when the kids came back and Bobby announced it was time for us to go home. She did say that we would come up soon for an entire weekend. She said she might get Millie to come along. There were lots of kisses and hugs and handshakes before Bobby drove us back to the airport.
After checking the weather, taking advantage of the fifteen percent discount, I refueled the plane, bought some water, and filed a flight plan. We were quickly in the air and on our way. The flight was perfect. Some clouds were building, but none were real big and none caused any up or down drafts. It was nice to come around and fly into the home runway. I pulled up to the hangar where the plane belonged and shut down. It took me a couple of minutes to make sure everything was shutdown correctly and the log books filled out.
Inside the charter office, I told the girl there that I had filled up at Panama City since I received a law enforcement discount. She said, "You can get our internal fuel price which is a self service price for just over three dollars a gallon. You don't have to pay the Aeropark's fuel prices if you house your plane with us. Oh, and you need to go look at your plane. I think that all it needs now is to be registered. The men finished it this morning."
We walked out and found the plane in front of the maintenance hangar. One of the mechanics came over and said, "John's going to test fly it in a little while to certify it again. Look at where the holes were. You can't even tell. Look at the carpet too, that stain came right out. You have one hell of an airplane. I'll bet it'll be rented out a lot."
I didn't know what it was going to take to register the airplane, but when I asked I found out that it was just more bureaucratic stuff that John would guide me through.
I suggested a stop at Park Place for a beer and pizza to Bobby and Wanda. The two ladies were for it, so we drove over to have some food and possibly find out how Betsy and Maggie were doing.
Shannon wasn't at the bar, but we did see Georgia, who told us that the girls would probably come home from the hospital tomorrow, Sunday. The food was great and the beer hit the spot. When we got home, we all felt guilty enough that we ended up in the exercise room doing our regular workouts.
We didn't go swimming; we just took showers and had some more beer while watching television. While we were watching television, Bobby wanted to compare the difference between the cost of us flying up to see her sister rather than driving.
With the discount on gas and what S&S was going to charge us, we probably used forty gallons at three twenty-five a gallon or about a hundred thirty dollars. If we drove the Cadillac and got twenty miles to the gallon we would use about thirty gallons at two twenty-five a gallon or sixty-seven fifty. Since the drive would take six to eight hours we would stay overnight and if we stayed in a hotel that would be at least a hundred so it worked out that flying was a little less expensive if we had to pay for lodging. With Bobby's family, I don't think that we would be at a hotel.
Bobby said, "I know there's more to flying than just the gas but it will be nice to be able to fly up to see Michelle a little more often. We can go get my mom and take her up there or you can take my two sisters up. They would love it. I know you can't take all of us at once, but you can take two of us at a time."
There are disadvantages to having a really big girlfriend.
Bedtime came and the three of us were able to snuggle up and make each other happy in very little time. We wondered where Angie, Marie, and Jan were but knew they would call if there were any problems.
Primary editing by Pepere
Proofing by Sagacious