Make Room for Another Co-Pilot

Seems I’m not the only person with an Airplane! moment.

Here’s Richard Greenfield’s “somewhat similar, small plane story of my own that your post reminded me of--

“A number of years ago, I was invited, with a business associate from NYC, to go out to Nebraska to visit with a livestock grower that was trying to develop a market for a breed-specific beef program (he was raising a French breed called "Limousin"). We wound up at his ranch somewhere near Grand Island, NE, and had to get from there to Denver for a flight back to NYC.

“We took a small 9-seat Cessna from a cow pasture and I was seated next to the pilot. I distinctly remember thinking about the movie Airplane! and wondering if I could take over. Being the perverse person I am, I also thought that if he began to deflate I'd grab the wheel but not the air fill hose. Anyway, all was well until we got put into a holding pattern over the old Denver airport, in the dark, in an ever-increasing snow storm.

“After circling for about a half hour, the pilot turned to me and said, 'We’re getting a bit low on fuel. I think we're going to have to land someplace and refuel.' This news did not make me feel very good. We diverted to a small airport (and I mean small—1 runway, no lights and a shack at the end of the runway with a pay phone) in Akron, CO.

“When we taxied up to the shack, everyone got out to stretch their legs. The fuel pump was padlocked and there was a note on it that said, 'If you land and no one's home, call Clem,' with Clem's phone number. The pilot went to the pay phone (this was pre-cell phone) and called Clem. About an hour later, a pick-up truck came down the road and Clem unlocked the pump.

"At which point, we found out that the 'airline' had no credit at this 'airport' and the pilot had to charge the fuel on his personal credit card. Unfortunately, his credit limit was insufficient to pay for more than a half a tank. Much to my shock, the other passengers were OK with this. I was not and neither was my traveling companion from New York. I whipped out my AmEx card and said, 'There is no way I'm getting back on that plane and circling for God knows how long in a snowstorm without a full tank of gas! Fill it up on me!' And they did.

“I'm a profligate spender.”