dafydd manton
08-25-2010, 01:03 PM
Charlie Four Two
"Cranwell - Charlie Four Two."
"Four Two. Take-off."
The ear-shattering roar,
The vibration, Straining.
Brakes off - rolling.
Flashing white lights underneath,
Red, either side,
Snapping by ever faster.
Rotate - Nose up. Flying.
The jolting stops, the noise decreases.
Milk the flaps up gently, throttle back, cruising,
Delicate turn to Starboard,
The stars above as you climb in to the night sky.
Idle chat on the intercomm.
"That's S****horpe down there. Look at the glow
from the steelworks."
Over Sheffield, more orange glow, polluted clouds,
Then clear, dark, empty skies.
Rolling lazily around the area, playing,
As you check the weather.
"Cranwell, Four Two,
Visibility Plus 20,
Cloud Base, Cloud tops,
Alto Cumulus, Density"
All that they need to know.
Another slow, gentle turn over the English countryside,
Flying easily back to Lincoln.
The sun is starting to show itself above the horizon.
Another glorious sunrise, another glorious day.
Nose Down,
Throttles wide open,
Four Hundred,
Vibrations,
Dials Blurred.
"Four Two, downwind, Finals."
"Four Two clear to land,
Surface wind 110, 4 knots,"
Roll lazily along the perimeter,
And watch the sun rise.
Another glorious sunrise, another glorious day.
The sun rose twice for me today.
"Cranwell - Charlie Four Two."
"Four Two. Take-off."
The ear-shattering roar,
The vibration, Straining.
Brakes off - rolling.
Flashing white lights underneath,
Red, either side,
Snapping by ever faster.
Rotate - Nose up. Flying.
The jolting stops, the noise decreases.
Milk the flaps up gently, throttle back, cruising,
Delicate turn to Starboard,
The stars above as you climb in to the night sky.
Idle chat on the intercomm.
"That's S****horpe down there. Look at the glow
from the steelworks."
Over Sheffield, more orange glow, polluted clouds,
Then clear, dark, empty skies.
Rolling lazily around the area, playing,
As you check the weather.
"Cranwell, Four Two,
Visibility Plus 20,
Cloud Base, Cloud tops,
Alto Cumulus, Density"
All that they need to know.
Another slow, gentle turn over the English countryside,
Flying easily back to Lincoln.
The sun is starting to show itself above the horizon.
Another glorious sunrise, another glorious day.
Nose Down,
Throttles wide open,
Four Hundred,
Vibrations,
Dials Blurred.
"Four Two, downwind, Finals."
"Four Two clear to land,
Surface wind 110, 4 knots,"
Roll lazily along the perimeter,
And watch the sun rise.
Another glorious sunrise, another glorious day.
The sun rose twice for me today.