October 2005- I had spent hours in the 1976 Warrior II (PA-28-151) working on my instrument rating. It was 1989, I was 19 years old and was going to college and working at Executive Air in Green Bay, Wis. as a ramp rat; learning the ropes, literally from the ground up. I would work the morning shift and finish the day flying.
Before flying the Warrior, all my time was in Cessna aircraft. The first thing I noticed was that the tapered low wing would float down the runway. I needed to peg that final approach speed, adjusted for weight, each time, or I would hover down the runway, using up asphalt.
I liked the aircraft the moment I flew it. I really liked sitting on the wing and when I made turns, the wing would bank away and clear the view. I felt that the Warrior, with the dihedral wing, handled turbulence and bumps better…. but, that could just be me.
I liked how I sat in the cockpit, and visibility over the nose was excellent. I also liked having manual flaps—less chance of failure.
I began working on my commercial rating and needed a long cross-country. My instructor had a buddy that he wanted to see in Atlanta. Take a Warrior from Green Bay to Atlanta? Sure, why not? I mentioned it to Jodi, my girlfriend at the time (now my wife), and she asked how far Charlotte N.C. was from Atlanta. Not that far, I said. Her brother and sister-in-law lived in Charlotte.
We purchased some WAC Charts and began to plan. No GPS in the little Warrior back then. One June morning we loaded up N5487F and blasted off to Peachtree City Airport near Atlanta. We asked for Flight Following and Green Bay (GRB) got us the approval.
As we neared O’Hare (ORD) we were expecting the usual, vectors over Lake Michigan or head west over Rockford. Unbelievably we were cleared “over the top.” We had to climb to 8,000 feet and go direct ORD VOR….right over the top of O’Hare! I banked the wing and took a picture. T
The Lycoming O-320 purred along. We stopped in Terre Haute, Ind. for fuel and food. At that time the Indiana Air National Guard were using F-4 Phantoms. They had them lined up on the ramp and were eating lunch in the same airport cafe. It reminded me of scene from “Top Gun.”
We blasted off to Atlanta and saw some beautiful cumulonimbus clouds over Indiana, 40 miles off our left wing. The sun set as we passed through Kentucky. Bowling Green handed us off to Atlanta and the controller mentioned that he kept his aircraft at Peachtree City Airport.
We spotted the airport and a light drizzle started to fall. Landing at Peachtree City, with its tall spruce trees lining the runway, was like landing in a tunnel. Only 7.5 hours of flight time from GRB.
My instructor’s buddy was waiting for us. We tied N5487F down and went to get something to eat. The Warrior did not miss a beat all the way down and I looked forward to flying it to Charlotte.
Jodi and I climbed out of Peachtree City Airport early the next morning, on our way to Charlotte N.C. I had to contend with Atlanta Hartsfield Approach. They were very clear that I had to stay below 3,000 feet VFR. I could not get in my VOR and all I could see was trees and more trees.
Jodi looked over and asked, “What’s wrong?” to which I replied, “Oh, nothing.”
She then asked, “Well, then why is your neck all red?”
Ok, so I cannot hide when I am nervous.
I told her the situation—basically I was not getting set up on course, just getting vectors from ATL. Then, ATL handed me off to Departure.
Departure asked, “Would you like vectors to Charlotte today?”
YES PLEASE! Of course, not letting on that I was worried, I responded in my “pilot voice,” “Roger, that would be wonderful, thank you.” The controller probably saw that I was acting like a loose goose in the fog!
It was a beautiful flight over to Charlotte. The Warrior handled the hot southern weather beautifully and we arrived in Charlotte, thanks to some nice controllers and finally getting my VOR signals.
After a few days in Charlotte we headed back to Atlanta. We were number 15 for takeoff that morning in Charlotte, behind 14 Piedmont 737s. I kept the door cracked open and the nice fan up front kept us cool.
On the way home from Atlanta we contacted Flight Watch (no onboard WX back then) and were informed that the line of crud that we were looking at was indeed a line of thunderstorms.
We set the Warrior down in Chattanooga, Tenn. We tied N5487F down and used the courtesy car to get lunch.
The storm passed and the sun was shining. We blasted back off for Terre Haute. It was hot and humid. We could only get 100 fpm climb out of the Warrior.
After contacting Chattanooga departure, the gal asked, “Cherokee 5487 Foxtrot, do you have the ‘train’ in site?”
I looked at my buddy Russ, sitting in the right seat. “Do you see a train on that mountain in front of us?” I asked.
He and I wondered what was so important about seeing this train. “Ask her to repeat,” Russ said.
We then realized, through her Southern drawl, she was saying “terrain”!
“Oh, that mountain in front of us… don’t hold your breath, we are only doing 100 fpm.”
Well, we did clear it and the Lycoming just hummed along.
We reached Terre Haute, as the sun was setting. After fuel and some good food, we pointed the nose to Green Bay. Approaching Chicago, the city lights lit up the night sky; it was beautiful.
Sure enough, we had to drop down to 2,300 feet, vectored about two miles off shore and the beautiful Chicago skyline passed by our left wing. Shortly thereafter we arrived back in Green Bay.
I just fell in love with that Warrior, what a great aircraft. Solid, stable and a great instrument platform for training and long cross-country flights.
I actually tracked N5487F down. She now resides in Minneapolis. Like every pilot, certain planes just touch your heart. This one sure did me.
Trevor Janz grew up around airports while his father and uncle flight instructed. He soloed at 16, received his private pilot license at 17 and his instrument rating at age 18. Send questions or comments to editor@www.piperflyer.com.
