“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced, “this is your captain. Welcome aboard SAA Flight 1002, one-stop service to Lisbon, Portugal. We are about to take off. Please fasten your seat belts.”
He paused, then smiled and went on. “Then place your head between your knees and kiss your ass good-bye.”
The copilot looked at him in shock.
Clete repeated the message in Spanish.
The copilot first smiled, then giggled, then laughed almost hysterically.
“Get on the horn and get us taxi and takeoff,” Clete ordered.
Still laughing, the copilot reached for his microphone.
“Flight engineer, you awake?” Clete asked over his microphone.
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, let’s wind up the rubber bands and see if we can get this big sonofabitch off the ground.”
“Starting Number Three, sir.”
There was the whine of the starters and then the sound of an engine—somewhat reluctantly—coming to life. The aircraft trembled with the vibration of a 3,250-horsepower Wright R-3350-DA3 engine running a little rough.
In a moment, it smoothed out.
“Starting Number Four.”
The second engine started more easily.
“I have Three and Four running and moving into the green,” Clete said.
“Confirmed, Captain.”
“We are cleared to taxi, Captain,” the copilot reported. “We are Number One for taxi-off.”
“Thank you. Disconnect auxiliary power.”
“Disconnecting auxiliary power.”
“I have auxiliary power disconnected,” Clete said after a moment. “Three and Four in the green. Engineer, start Number Two.”
“Starting Number Two.”
“See if you can get us to the threshold without running over anything big.”
“Jorge Frade, SAA 1002 taxiing to the threshold of Runway Three Zero.”
“Engineer, start Number One.”
“Starting Number One.”
“Jorge Frade clears 1002 to take off as Number One.”
Two minutes after that, Frade said, “I have everything in the green.”
“Confirm all green,” the flight engineer said.
Clete then ordered: “Copilot, pay close attention. I am now going to try real hard not to bend our bird.”