Article October 29, 2001 Issue

Fearless flying

By Channing Walker

THE GROUND WHIZZED BY beneath us in a blur of earthy tones as we lifted off from the Los Mochas airport aboard a twin-engine Piper Seneca—a plane just big enough for six people, counting the pilot. My close friend manned the controls, and although I occupied the copilot seat, I was clueless about all the instrumentation before me.

Since it was too noisy to talk, I passed the time sightseeing and praying as we made our way north from Mexico toward California and home. Our only in-flight emergency arose when one of the kids, then about five, said he really needed to go to the bathroom.

But when we touched down briefly at the border to refuel, something was wrong. The plane bounced violently along the runway before stopping. From then on, we all prayed devotedly. Still, the final descent into the home airport was almost a nightmarish debacle.

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