“Attention all aircraft, time 0710 local. Victorville Class E surface area terminated. Class D airspace now in effect. Air traffic control services are now available.”
“Ground, Angel 8, taxi to 35.” Dash calls after a few moments of silence.
“Angel 8, Victorville Ground, runway 35, taxi via C C1. Information I current: Wind 250 at 12, altimeter 29.92.”
“C C1, 35, Angel 8.”
“Ground, Angel Flight, taxi.”
“Angel Flight, Victorville Ground. Information I current: wind 250 at 12, altimeter 29.92. Runway 21, taxi via C A.”
“C A, 21, Angel Flight.”
“Angel 8, contact tower 118.35.”
“Switching, Angel 8.” “Tower, Angel 8 taxiing to 35.”
“Angel 8, Victorville Tower, runway 35, line up and wait.”
“Angel 8.”
“Tower, Angel Flight, Ready at 21.”
“Angel Flight, Victorville tower. Runway 21, cleared for takeoff. Remain within a 15 NM radius of the field, surface to 15,000.”
“Cleared for takeoff, Angel Flight.”
When they clear the runway, I clear Dash for takeoff. Sensing no real need to stay, I decide to run back to house and get breakfast.
When I return to tower, Rosalina is already monitoring.
“Oh, hey.” I say as she sits back and watches the radar.
“Morning. I see you made breakfast. I wanted to surprise you, but you beat me to the punch.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. No radio calls since I got here. They’re rehearsing the high show, since that’s what they’re performing tomorrow.”
“Sweet. Have you seen Bow or Windy?”
“Not since last night. Why?”
“Just curious is all.”
Before I can wonder about what happened to the two of them, Rosalina stares out the window towards the Angels, smiles, and tells me to turn around, pointing at the space in front of the window.
Right There In Front Of Me, laid out in the sky are the following letters:
T
H
A
N
K
Y
O
U
!
THANK YOU!
“Straight out of a Mario game.” I think to myself as I shed a few tears of appreciation. “Angel Flight plus Angel 8, good to be of service.”
“Angel Flight plus 8, final landing.”
“Angel Flight, tower. Runway 17, your discretion. Cleared to land.”
“Cleared to land 17, Angel Flight.”
“Angel [1, 4, 2, 6, 5, 3, 8], left [E3/D], contact ground on 124.45.” “Attention all aircraft, information J current. Winds 340 at 6, altimeter’s 29.96.”
As I watch the Angels packing up, I smile at Rosalina, who reciprocates.
Before the first Angel starts up, I say, “let’s send towered ops off by two voices into one mic. That way, we can hear everything.”
“Ok.” She says as she unplugs her headset and puts it away.
When the last of the line staff board Fat Albert, the canopies drop and each jet fires up. This is for real.
“Victorville Ground, Angel Flight, Departure to San Bernardino.”
“Angel Flight, Victorville ground.” Rosalina takes. “Runway 17, taxi via C E E1, cross runway 21.”
“17, C E E1, cross 21, Angel Flight.”
“Victorville Ground, Fat Albert Ready to go, Departure to San Bernardino with Flight following.”
“Fat Albert, Victorville Ground, on request. Runway 21, taxi via C A.” I grab as Rosalina heads for the ATC computer.
“C A, 21, Fat Albert.”
Just as I release the PTT, I get the strip from Rosalina.
“Fat Albert, Joshua Departure 124.55, squawk 0210.”
“Joshua 24.55, 0210, Fat Albert.”
“Fat Albert, Roger. Contact tower now, 118.35.”
“Over to tower, Fat Albert.” “Victorville tower, Fat Albert, 21 via A.”
“Fat Albert, Victorville tower. Runway 21, line up and wait.”
“Fat Albert, Line up and wait, 21.”
“Angel Flight, contact tower now, 118.35.”
“Angel Flight switching.” “Tower… Victorville Tower, Angel Flight on E to 17.”
“Angel Flight, Victorville Tower. Runway 17, line up and wait.”
“Line up and wait 17, Angel Flight.”
“Fat Albert, runway 21, cleared for takeoff. On course departure approved.”
“Cleared for takeoff. On course, Fat Albert.”
“Victorville Ground, Angel 8, last to leave, information K, taxi runway 35, departure to San Bernardino.”
“Angel 8, Victorville Ground. Runway 35, taxi via C C1.”
“C C1 to runway 35, Angel 8.”
“Fat Albert, contact Departure, Semper Fi.”
“Your services are greatly appreciated, great day, Fat Albert.”
“Angel Flight, company Hercules off runway 21 for San Bernardino. Runway 17, cleared for takeoff.”
“Cleared for takeoff 17, Angel Flight.” Spitfire keys back as I prepare to shut the tower down.
When the last jet raises their gear, I call, “Angel Flight, Joshua Departure 124.55. San Bernardino tower 119.45. Frequency change approved. Anchors aweigh.”
“I thank you, we thank you, your country thanks you, Angel Flight over and out.”
“Victorville Tower, Angel 8, short of 35, ready to go.”
“Angel 8, Victorville tower. Caution wake turbulence departed Company Hercules and jet fighters, runway 35, cleared for takeoff, on course departure approved.”
“Cleared for takeoff, Angel 8.”
She takes off in record short distance, having dumped fuel on the afterburners. As she climbs away, I send her off.
“Angel 8, Joshua Departure 124.55. San Bernardino tower 119.45, frequency change approved. It’s been a big adventure with tons of fun.”
“Thanks for doing this. Be awesome!”
“Happy to help.”
Before I power anything else down, Rosalina smiles and points behind me as Dash rockets past the tower with full afterburner. She pulls a knife edge, canopy towards us, before she levels, rockets straight up, and disappears from radar.
Once the noise dies down and the dust dissipates, I wait a few more seconds so that the airwaves and airspace are absolutely clear before keying the mic One More Time.
“Attention all aircraft, vehicles, and personnel. Time now 1715 local. Victorville Class D surface area terminated. Class E airspace now in effect. Air traffic control service is terminated.”