Borger, TX : "Classic 13, what are your intentions?"




Peggy and Julie in front of the 'Lunar Rocket'!
Maule M-5 235 hp

 

Flying the Air Race Classic was one of the most exhilerating experiences we've ever done!  Maybe MORE exhilerating than we liked at times!  Our flight to Borger, TX , June 22, had no tailwinds, to say the least.  We trudged on, trying to find anything favorable in winds aloft.  ZIP!  Hot in the cabin, Peggy used old sectionals to fan the pilots, hoping to bring some sort of breeze for cooling.  There in front of us in the distance was Borger, TX . . .and an airplane!!  Could it be that we would do a dual flyby with someone else??  NO!!?  Not with our slow speed and 31" Alaskan bushwheels dragging in the air ;-) !!!  But, there they were.  Julie announced Classic 13 had them in sight, alerting them we were coming up behind them in the distance.  This was something we learned to do in our many briefings, making sure if you were to actually DO a dual flyby the other plane would be aware for safety purposes.  As we approached the airport we realized we would not be making the dual, but that 2 other planes were in front of us.  Landing lights on! "Classic 13, flyby to land", Julie announced.  We made the flyby which stopped our time. The timing judges were asking, "which one was 13, what were the other numbers?"  We announced we had in fact been the 3rd one in the short period of time they were talking about.  All of a sudden we had NO BATTERY POWER . . .no radio, no intercomm, etc.  We panned the horizon, making sure the other planes had either continued on or had landed and cleared the runway.  We had to shout to make sure the other one could hear what we were reporting.  "No airplanes in the air, no airplanes on the runway, Julie, you've got it, clear to land!" I shouted, trying to support the PIC . I snugged up my seatbelts.  "Good job, Julie, good job!!" as our tundra tires touched the runway.  We were a bit shaken but knew we needed a mechanic and a Chair person to explain our actions after our flyby.  He was in full agreement with our decision making, landing safely with no radio contact.  The rules of the race are that if you have maintenance done there is paperwork involved.  There were no mechanics in Borger, TX.  We got permission from the Chair person of Borger to remove the battery, charge it overnight, hoping it would be all that was needed.  We were transported to the hotels by church volunteers.  We were so exhausted  that night.  I had picked up Subway sandwiches, cheese and grapes from Alliance, NE Chamber members to take along when we left.  That was our evening meal!!  Friends told us they could hear the tower when we were trying to land saying, "Classic 13, what are your intentions!! " The next morning we arrived the airport hoping the overnight charge was all we needed to proceed on.  NOT!  After our runup, we started hearing the same sounds we had heard the day before when we lost battery power.  We decided to delay our departure and try to purchase a battery, thinking we may have to order one and get it the following day.   No one had one, they thought.  Out of the blue, a man walked up with a NEW battery in a box with acid, etc.  With a little charging, we were off again.  On to Norman, OK!! Team 13 was lucky again!



'"Where 'ya want me to stick this?"
Julie had to leave the building!!





Scenery in Borger, TX