A blind former 90 year old Ercoupe pilot wearing dark glasses and using a
guide dog which he placed in the Ercoupes baggage area was sure he could get
his
license back under FAA regulations for "Blind Flying."
He had previously flown with several other CFI's paying triple the rate with
a big tip.
Humoring him, the new CFI Instructor really needed the money and figured he
would be pilot in command anyway. Since he was a nice old guy it would make him
happy to take him up.
The old blind guy said, "Just line me up with the runway and I'll take off
without any help. Please don't touch the controls my trained seeing eye dog
will
bark once to steer left of the line and twice to steer right.
The plane moved faster and faster down the runway.
The instructor realizes they're headed straight for the water at the edge of
the airport. And it begins to look as though the plane
will plough off the end of the runway into the water. Panicked the new
instructor screams.
At that moment, the plane lifts smoothly into the air.
The instructor relaxes and laughs a little sheepishly
in the knowledge that the plane is in the air.
The blind pilot says to the instructor, "Ya know, Bob, one of these days the
instructors
scream will be too late and we're going to die."
**************
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