About a year ago, Graham and I stopped in for a visit with Tim “Toby” McPherson of Tall Towers Aviation, located just northwest of Fargo, North Dakota. During that operator-article visit, Toby was kind enough to take Graham and I for a ride in his P-51D Mustang, “Boomer”. Only a pilot can understand the thrill that was experienced from the back seat of this magnificent machine of the WWII era.
“Boomer” is a dual-controlled Mustang. During the joy ride, Toby allowed me to make a few “spray runs”, air maneuvers and take off and land. Of course, he was in the front seat and could have easily taken control of this 1490HP machine. Afterwards, he complimented my flying skills and said I should return one day for a check ride with famed Reno Air Race and ag-pilot Bob Odegaard. Sounded like a great idea to me!
Well, sometimes people make offers and you know they are only being polite. Particularly when it involves allowing someone to fly the love of one’s life; like Boomer is for Toby. The aircraft was built piece by piece over more than a decade. Its maiden flight was July 17, 2006. On that day, I was at the hospital witnessing the birth of my first grandchild; such a coincidence. In any case, I had my doubts if this opportunity to fly a P-51 Mustang solo would ever happen.
As the months passed, Toby and I visited through emails and at trade shows. We talked about me flying Boomer, with him always saying it would not be a difficult thing for an experienced ag-pilot with “big iron” time. Then, as luck should have it, I was scheduled to be in North Dakota in May of this year for a couple of articles. I asked Toby if this would work for him. “No problem, Bill. I’ll check with Odegaard to see if he is available”, responded Toby. It seemed I was about to find out that Toby McPherson does not make idle offers!
Toby is an excellent Mustang pilot with a couple hundred hours in Boomer. However, he explained to me that Odegaard was the right pilot to check me out. As far as he was concerned, if Odegaard gave the signal to solo, that was good enough for him.
The dates were set. Tuesday through Thursday, May 22-24, with several days to allow for weather and however much time it would take flying to get me up to speed to solo the aircraft. We all met for dinner Monday night and discussed the virtues of the P-51, along with other aviation-speak.
You can only imagine the pressure and intimidation I felt. Here I was sitting with two excellent pilots discussing the next day’s check flight. I had read the P-51’s Pilot’s Operating Handbook and felt I knew the basics. Even so, lots was going through my head. I kept reminding myself that I had an edge with this “evaluation” flight. In all the other aircraft I have flown, there never was a check pilot. This time, there’d be someone to guide me through the process. I was only slightly relieved with that prospect.
Tuesday morning, May 22, Bob Odegaard and I met at the Hector International Airport in Fargo. We went through a thorough briefing about the aircraft and how we would fly it. The plan was to depart the airport traffic area and do some airwork.
I strapped myself into the front cockpit and Bob positioned himself in the rear. We tinkered with the radios, which upon departure went into the squelch mode making it virtually impossible to communicate by voice over the intercom. Talking with ATC and the tower was almost as impossible, but they graciously worked with us.
With me flying, we took off and departed the pattern. We went through a few wing overs, slow flight, stalls and aileron rolls. I have to admit, with my limited aerobatic abilities, I have found aileron rolls to sometimes be a little difficult, falling out into a split-S. I can assure you, that would be a Standard No-No in a P-51 at any altitude under about 5,000 feet. The aircraft rolls perfectly, even for this novice.
Bob took the controls, reduced the power and made a low level fly-by over Toby’s operation. I suppose that was the secret signal Bob was about to do the deed, let Bill Lavender solo Toby McPherson’s beloved Boomer.
We returned to Hector International. The weather was perfect with a 10-knot wind almost directly down the runway. After a succession of three or four, or maybe even five (who’s counting?) take offs and landings, we taxied back to the south ramp.
I am thinking, “Well, we’ll do a debrief, maybe get some lunch and go back out flying”. Wrong. Bob did do the debrief. Then, he asked me, what would I like to do? There really wasn’t any point to continue, since I was very much ready to fly the aircraft solo. Hmmm...
Now was the time when it all comes together. A culmination of 39 years of flying, never once thinking I’d be allowed to solo a P-51 Mustang. It is not so much the ability as it is the opportunity. The aircraft is relatively easy to fly. It does what you tell it to do. You have to have certain disciplines to accomplish flight, but it is not rocket science and it surely does not make me any more of a special pilot, other than there is a P-51D Mustang endorsement in my logbook!
I could go into great detail about how the next three solo take off and landing went at the Hector International Airport. Details about how Bob instructed me to always roll the canopy open on final (I bet that’s a real feat during North Dakota’s winter), just in case there’s a nose over and this would help prevent being trapped . I could explain how managing the power, keeping a 400+ MPH aircraft under gear down speed of 170 MPH while in the pattern. I don’t think I can write well enough to describe the shear adrenaline rush when the throttle is opened for the first solo take off, using only 45” of 61” (67” during a wartime emergency) of available manifold pressure to rocket the 9,000 lb gross weight aircraft into the air. And, there’s the welcome clunk of the gear literally falling into the lock position when turning on final.
Instead, I will tell you I am humbled beyond description for the faith and confidence that both Bob and Toby, especially Toby, put in my ability to solo Boomer. I am truly indebted. That solo endorsement in my logbook will one to cherish.
Until next month,
Keep Turning
