Mission 3771 - Archerfield to Theodore

Background

On Monday the 16th of February 2009 I flew Mission 3771, making it my 112th Angel Flight.

The mission descriptions from Angel Flight were:

SUBSEQUENT TRIP REQUEST (17th and 18th AngelFlight)

An eighty year old man from Theodore has been diagnosed with heart disease.

He travels to undergo regular cardiac and pacemaker checkups.

I had flown Roy previously on Missions 2620 in February 2008, 3194 in July 2008 and 3593 in November 2008.

Leg 1: Archerfield to Theodore

I was just walking across the street from the office to have a late lunch at 2pm when John Watson rang with a problem. An Angel Flight pilot assigned to take Roy back from Archerfield had encountered bad weather on the way to Archerfield and consequently pulled out. Roy had already been dropped off by Earth Angel Sue Runge, and was waiting for a replacement pilot. Could I help?

About and hour later I arrived at the airfield, waved hello to Roy in the terminal and set about getting the aircraft ready for our flight. This was accomplished in about 20 odd minutes and I invited Roy to come aboard.

We headed north via Kilcoy and Gayndah before turning left and doing the last 90 odd miles into the late afternoon sun. We elected to stay down at 8,000' as there was significant cloud just above that height. So we had smooth sailing for most of the way.

Leg 2: Theodore to Archerfield

Roy was appreciative of the fact that I wanted to get home soon, and having witnessed me in the past trying to start a heat soaked engine, offered to alight with the engine just ticking over. He thus scrambled down the wing into the waiting arms of his wife Juanita. They both waved me farewell as I blasted off to the east and then south.

I spent the last 30 or so minutes of the return flight in the dark and landed at a very lonely Archerfield aerodrome, a bit tired, but nonetheless pleased with having been able to help Roy at such short notice.

Summary

I was back on the ground in Archerfield after having