Excerpt From Book I
First F-100 Dead Stick
 

Turbine rotation is a must to maintain hydraulic pressure. The pressure can be augmented by a ram air turbine (RAT). It is like driving your car and holding a pinwheel into the breeze. The RAT is deployed differently on different designs of a fighter. So, if you lose your engine, and the turbine is rotating slowly, you just say to yourself what Charlie Brown says: "Rats," and the turbine is deployed. If the turbine of the engine is frozen and will not turn, you "JGTHO"-just get the hell out.

One day I was at 35,000 feet making simulated gunnery passes on a B-47 under various G loads when I decided it was time to go home. The infamous Los Angeles low overcast was moving over the beach and was feather-touching the edges of the west end of the runway. I did another split-S and worked my way parallel to the beach communities, where I intended to pull up and enter the downwind leg at 7,000 feet-my simulated, high-key (flame-out) altitude. Keeping my eye on the fast-moving overcast, I added power. Nothing happened. I looked at my instruments: rpm were hanging low, and the exhaust-gas temperature was a big zero. I instantly realized I was the victim of aflame-out!-t low altitude!

My eyes grew like those of a kid blowing bubble gum! My pounding heart was in my mouth, and I wondered where the sound of castanets was coming from until I realized it was my chattering teeth. I was climbing into a right-hand turn. I stopcocked the throttle (pulled it to the off position), hit the ignition and hurried the throttle into idle. Nothing! And I mean nothing! For a second, I was filled with terror. But I made an instant decision (my mind was racing): "Overcast or not," I said to myself. "I gotta go for it! I've practiced! No way am I going to eject into the ocean! Stay calm; do what you do every time you practice dead-stick." I immediately stopcocked the throttle. To hell with trying to start it again; it's too disorienting. I pulled the lever for the ram air turbine and called IA. "IA tower, this is North American test. Flame-out Above the overcast! Over the beach at the refinery! Need room for either runway. Do you read?"

"Roger, North American. IA is yours. United 674 break off your approach, climb to 7,000, heading 34. NAA, overcast extending to end of runway. Emergency vehicles starting into position." "Roger, tower. Copy," I said.

Jesus! I was scared. I rolled out level at a good altitude to hit my high key at 7,000 feet I nursed the airspeed to 220 knots and started downwind. I could see the wind tunnel at Northrop with my line of sight. When that disappears under my nose is where I usually start my low key-my left turn on base leg. I have to wait I'll start my turn when I am opposite a point near the parking lot of Hollywood Park and close to 5,000 feet-my low-key altitude.

I looked down. I could feel sweat leaking past my shorts. I was shaking but at the zenith of my awareness and vigilance. And I was scared. There were breaks in the overcast. I felt sure that if I beat the overcast to my spot, I would know when to turn base. But for God's sake, don't hurry it. You'll be too high and too close in. Everything seems under control but me. My rate of decrease in altitude is OK I'm holding 220 knots. I want to be at about 2,500 feet and 200 knots halfway through my 18-degree turn. I'm approaching base leg. Too much overcast! What a time for an overcast I'll have to guess. I feel sweat dripping into my eyes and then to the bottom of my mask. I quickly raise my visor and take a quick wipe of my eyes with the edge of my sleeve. My sight is on the wind tunnel. I wait, wait; check my altitude, airspeed, the wind tunnel, the parking lot Now! Turn!

There were breaks near the end of the overcast! Steady on the turn! Watch it! Not too much aileron; keep it smooth or you'll cavitate the pump. Steady in the turn ... 220 knots ... 2,500 feet ... level out on final; you look OK You'll have to guess where you are; back on the stick, take it back to 200. Leave it there; through the overcast, steady, steadddyyy. There! You're through the overcast Hands on the emergency gear handle. No! No! Not now, for God's sake! Better to land gear up than hit short OKI Great! You can see! You have altitude, airspeed, but wait a minute; that's not the runway! For Christ sake! You're lined up on the 25 left taxiway. And there's a plane on it. He's in the way! No don't You're high enough! You're still at 200--have altitude-go ahead play the turn; little right aileron, cut at an angle for the end. Little left aileron, back on the stick, pull the manual gear release. Move over; no sense landing on the taxiway! Move over, ya dumb shit! There! That's it! Yer OKI Easy! Easy! Speed 190 ... OKI Got three gear. Yer lined up. Stick back! Speed 180 ... easy! Little more ... little more ... back ... back! Easy! Eeeezzzze, touchdown! You made it! First time it has ever been done. Shut up! Discuss that later ... pull the chute! Let it do the work. Strong west wind. I feel the pull of the chute! I'll stop! Fire engines on both sides. I was slowing to a halt I hit the nose-wheelsteering button and made a 45 degree left turn on a taxiway. I hit the brakes, stopped and released the chute. I gave one hell of a sigh of relief. I opened the canopy. Released my oxygen mask. Seems like a pint of water gushed out. God! The fresh air feels good. Firemen with nozzles surrounded the plane from nose to tail. I reminded myself to be sure to thank them. My consistent practices had paid off.

Was it fate that put me in the position to dead-stick? I'll never know.