INITIAL TRIP REQUEST: This 82 year old gentleman has prostate and bladder cancer. He travels to Brisbane, accompanied by his 84 year old wife for the relevent surgery. Seven and a half hours by road would be too stressful and exhausting for this elderly couple. He travels to undergo regular cardiac and pacemaker checkups.
The weather in Brisbane was lousy and the forecast for the Theodore region was not much better. However, I did set off anyway. After an instrument departure, I climbed over a solid deck of cloud and pointed the nose in the general direction of Theodore.
Before too long the clouds started to break up and I was thus able to descend visually and locate the airfield.
Waiting for me was the inimitable Juanita Goodland, bearing gifts in the form of chocolate easter eggs. Although I am not supposed to accept payment of any kind for my services as an Angel Flight volunteer, I thought it prudent not to offend by knocking back the proffered sweets. Once airborne I complied with Angel Flight policy, making sure that they would no longer be esculent by masticating them.
I soon had Robert and his wife Gladys in their seats and their luggage in the back. Thus we headed off, at 9,000' towards the south west.
After first being set up for an instrument arrival into Archerfield, we did become visual at 3,500' and could do the normal visual arrival into Archerfield, where Earth Angel Ivor Luscombe was already waiting for my passengers.
This being a rare weekend flight for me, I was also greeted by Heather and our sons Max (7), Harry (5) and Otto (2½), who all helped unload the plane and joined me for the 50m taxi to my parking spot.
They then tried to emulate their father, albeit at very low altitude, and, not being able to see above the dash, very much on instruments.