My decision to spiral down from Flight Level 400, at three thousand feet per minute with speed brakes extended, was not what I had planned. Our Citation Mustang was experiencing multiple anomalies as Patty and I approached a line of building thunderstorms over Louisiana. The amber WINDSHIELD OVERHEAT caution message, followed by the center multi-function display failure, had my complete attention. Coupled with a dual-engine power rollback from an ice-covered probe, exceeded my capacity to remain calm. I was over my head, and I could feel myself losing control of the situation.
Then, Patty changed everything.
“Would you like the descent checklist?” she quietly asked.
I remember thinking, “What the hell, why is she so calm?” Then it dawned on me. If she is going to be professional, I have to be too. And from that moment, my demeanor changed. I got my “stuff” together, and we safely diverted.
A competent, confident companion is the best resource in the cockpit. And while none of the ladies in this essay are licensed pilots, they are all amazingly talented.
Kirk Samuelson feels the same way. He departed Sonoma County Airport (KSTS) on a low overcast IFR morning in his Citation CJ2+, with wife Bonnie in the right seat. Together, they developed a specific, laminated co-pilot checklist for her to use on every flight.
It came in handy on that dreary morning.
Within a minute or so after rotation, the right engine suffered a catastrophic bearing failure. Kirk had his hands full with the weather, ATC, and setting up an approach for his takeoff alternate, Oakland, CA (KOAK). Bonnie ran the emergency checklist and the resulting ATC audio sounded like a routine training event.
Mark and Dena Aloe have been flying together for fourteen years. Inseparable in and out of the cockpit, Dena is a pilot’s dream. She checked the engine oil on their Citation CJ3 after every flight. She installed the engine covers, programmed the Collins flight management system, and even talked on the radio.
I could sense Mark’s uneasiness after I asked if I could sit up front on a flight from their home in Pittsburgh to Turks and Caicos. After all, they had invited us, and I am a highly qualified jet pilot.
“Well, he hesitated, I guess it will be okay.”
The CJ3 is a very fast jet. Powered by Williams engines developing over 5,600 pounds of total thrust, it will easily exceed its maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.737. An audible warning system is installed to notify the pilot if the airplane is exceeding this speed and, if activated, the pilot must immediately reduce power using the thrust levers.
Mark is a highly competent pilot, in command in all respects. And it was there we found ourselves at forty-five thousand feet on a beautiful morning over the Atlantic Ocean, screaming through the clear skies.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
I heard this overspeed warning tone in my headset and the overhead speakers. I turned to look at Mark.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP continued the warning.
Mark just stared back at me.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP continued as we accelerated to the maximum speed allowed.
“Mark, I yelled over the warning tone. Mark!”
And just as calmly, Mark said:
“That’s Dena’s job.”
Fly safe.
