by Roo

Part Three - Chapter Fourteen

Mayday

Editing by Bronwen

Author's note: After a two month break, I am returning in excellent health and am continuing the story.

Previously:

Ricky and I took Jamie, Jenny and the twins to River Downs where I spent the first nine years of my life. Ricky showed the two older girls where Rita and I had carved our names in a tree and they asked if they could carve their names on another tree. We also visited the grave of my twin Jean.

After lunch Tom showed the girls around the property while Ricky and I caught up with Margaret. It was late afternoon before we said our goodbyes and climbed on board the bird and made our way home.

The girls were tired; it was sunset and the scenery was like something out of a storybook. The colours in the outback come alive as the sun disappears below the horizon and the sky turns a deep orange, while the mountain ranges change colours till all is dark. When you look up to the night sky the stars seem so bright and close you feel like you can almost reach out and touch them. The outback is a very spiritual place for me and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Jenny and Jamie went to sleep once we were airborne and with the hum of the engine I dosed off as well so it was up to my ever loving husband to get us home.

I woke up when Ricky was gently stroking my face and said, “Honey wake up we're on the ground.”

I guess I must have been more tired than I thought and the events of the last couple of weeks had left me drained.

The girls were still asleep so once Ricky closed down the chopper he got the car out of the hanger so we could transfer them into the back seat. They were rubbing their eyes and Jenny said, “It's dark.”

Jamie replied “Yeah !!!Usually is at night!”

“Ok girls, settle down and once Uncle Ricky finishes with the chopper we'll get you home and fed.”

“Food,” replied Jamie.

Jenny remembered all the food that was packed that morning to take with us for the trip and that it was in an ice chest and said, “Aunty Carla, what about all that lovely food we took with us, can we eat that for our dinner?”

“That's the plan,” I replied.

Ricky got into the car and said, “Carla how about we go to Rita's at the restaurant and eat there before we go home?”

“Ricky we have an ice chest full of food and I don't want to waste that.”

“Well I don’t think your sister will mind if we take it in and eat there.”

“No I suppose not, and I want to see how Rita is getting on anyway.”

The girls liked the idea of taking the food into the restaurant and mixing with the customers. So that is where we ended up.
Rita was pleased to see us and greeted us as only my older sister can. There weren’t many people in the restaurant being Sunday evening and the ones that were there all knew us and invited us to sit with them even though we had brought in the ice chest with our own food.

Ricky's brother Peter sat down with him and started discussing Rita and myself as to when our babies were to be born. While the conversations were going on with the rest of the group Rita and I decided to listen in on them.

“Ricky what’s it like to be a dad and should I be present at the birth of my son?”

“Well Pete I know I'm your younger brother and usually you're supposed to know more about these things, but being a dad is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and I can't wait to have our third child to spoil.”

“Well what about being present at the birth?”

“Yeah sure do it, it will make you realise just what women go through and I'm quite sure Rita will want you to be there as well.”

Rita and I kept quiet and just smiled at each other.

3/3/74

Monday morning, I am feeling tired but happy and glad that I took the girls out to River Downs yesterday to let them see a bit of where I grew up and also realise that a grave is just that, and it only holds the remains but not your spirit. I am planning to take a trip down to Brisbane and will have to see if Doc Ryan thinks if it ok for me to fly. Later, Mum and Dad said they would take the twins over to Ricky's parents Helen and Barry to give me a bit more rest time and it probably is time that they got to see them a bit more anyway.

I phoned Doc Ryan, “Jim it's Carla can I come and see you this morning?”

“Good morning Carla what have you done this time?”

“Nothing, I just want you to check me out because I want to spend a few days down in Brisbane and I want to make sure I have your ok before I fly down there in the Piper.”

“Ok make it ten o’clock this morning and we'll see what your health and state of mind is like.”

“There's nothing wrong with my mind thank you very much!”

Jim laughed and hung up before I could have the last word.

Ricky was still at home so I decide to let him in on what I was planning to do. He was playing with the twins out on the verandah so I sat down on the swing seat and said, “Ricky I need to talk to you for a minute.”

“Alright honey I'll take the twins in to Mum.”

“No they'll be fine, come sit with me.”

He sat beside me and said, “What's up sweetheart?”

“Darling I need to go down to Brisbane for a few days and catch up with Sam and her mum Mary.”

“Do you want me to fly you down?”

“No I should be ok to fly the Piper down.”

Ricky replied, “I really don’t think that’s a good idea Carla you know how much I worry about you at the moment.”

I thought, 'Here we go again, but I suppose he's right so I'll see what he wants to do.'

“Look if Jim checks you out and says it's ok to fly than I suppose it’ll be ok but I don’t like it honey.”

“Darling I promise I will only fly if he says I'm safe to fly ok?”

Ricky went off mumbling something about not being in control and 'Why is she so stubborn all the time?' I decided to keep my mouth shut for once and wait till I get the all clear from Jim.

Life is a bit different now that I am not off to work every morning and I'm enjoying spending a lot my time with my little girls, but this morning Ricky said he would look after them and take them out to the hanger where they also have a play area with sand pit. Yes they are well spoilt by all.

I arrived at Doc Ryan's surgery at nine thirty and walked straight into his office, “Morning doc.”

“Good morning Lady Carla.”

“Don’t you start,” I replied.

“Ok lets see what your vitals are doing.”

“Jim I need to get away for a few days on my own and catch up with some old friends in Brisbane,”

Jim did all of the necessary checks and gave me the ok to fly but to take it slow once I was in Brisbane.

I drove straight out to the hanger to tell Ricky to prepare the Piper for my flight. He still didn't think I should be going on my own, but once I whispered a few things in his ear he seemed to succumb to my charms. While he was preparing the plane I took the twins home and than packed everything I would need for a week's stay in Brisbane.

I chatted with Mum and Dad for a while and told them I would ring every day and talk to to the twins at night before they were put to bed, then I gathered the girls up and took them out to the hanger so that they could see me take off.

The Piper Comanche was all set to fly, so Ricky put my gear in the rear of the plane and we went into the office to have a cup of tea before I took off.

Ricky said, “Sweetheart ring me as soon as you get to Archerfield so I know that you are ok.”

“Yes of course I will and stop worrying so much, I am a safe pilot.”

I let the twins sit in the cockpit for a few minutes and told them to be good girls for Daddy.

They both replied in unison “Yes Mama, we be good” with that mischievous little smile that they have.

I said goodbye to my husband, and did all the preflight checks and taxied out to the runway where I gave one last wave to my family and gave her all the power to take off.

I climbed to six thousand feet and levelled out and set my course and speed at 360 air knots. It was a beautiful clear day and the country down below looked green and lush; all the rivers and streams were all flowing with brown water from the previously flooded catchments.

I always like flying over the top of the range and the city of Toowoomba and as you come to the edge it drops two thousand feet and the scenery of the valley below is just spectacular.

I got as far as flying over Oakey, well not over Oakey because there is an army air base five miles out from the town and that is restricted air space, so I kept within the air corridor outside this space. As I was nearing Toowoomba I noticed a smell of burning wiring filling the cockpit. I thought, 'OK now keep your head and follow the right procedure, remember you trained for this, JEAN where are you?'

She manifested herself right beside me and said, “Carla I will protect you but you have to do the flying.”

Ok first things first; radio into the tower, “This is lima foxtrot bravo vh emergency emergency, I have smoke in the cockpit and request to land at Toowoomba Airport.”

“Lima Foxtrot how far out are you?”

“I'm five miles west of the Airport and losing altitude.”

“Carla this is Terry at the Toowoomba tower, we can just pick you up with binoculars, how many are on board?”

“Terry thank God it's you, it's just me; smoke is getting worse, am going to lower the landing gear, right engine has feathered out.”

“Carla you're two miles out, runway is clear and emergency vehicles already on their way.”

My air speed had dropped to two hundred and eighty knots, and as long as I could keep her at that I'd be able to land without too much trouble. The smoke was making me feel sick and as I was approaching the runway the left engine feathered out as well. Now all I could do was to keep her nose up. I could barely see the runway for the haze inside the plane.

'Jean are you still with me?'

To be continued, please leave a comment