The job of an airline pilot in the early days of civil aviation was one in which character, skill and a dogged ability to stick to the task, under extreme pressure, were tested on an almost daily basis. Weather forecasting was rudimentary, navigation was based on fleeting glimpses of railway lines through ragged cloud and accurate landings on an ability to discern a dim line of gooseneck flares.
The aircraft were subject to frequent technical failures and the engines had to be nursed with the sensitivity old stagecoach drivers used in handling an inexperienced team of four. Those who learned their trade during the war came through an even more deadly and unforgiving school. Nowadays, the modern generation of pilots sit in air-conditioned comfort, with reliable engines, navigation errors measured in yards rather than miles on aircraft which can land themselves smoothly and accurately, in almost impenetrable fog.
12.09z "Speedbird 9 cleared for take-off"The aircraft was laden with 247 passengers and 91,000kg of fuel for the flight to Perth, the night was moonless, but clear, and the flying conditions were smooth. The en-route weather forecast was good and the crew expected an uneventful flight lasting 5 hours. The flight crew ate their meal after settling into the cruise at 37,000 ft. This was supplemented by a tray of satay (a specialty of Malayan cookery). The crew had finished their meal by the time the aircraft was south of Jakarta on Airway B69.
Eric Moody had a quick look at the area ahead of the aircraft with the weather radar and picked up nothing more interesting than returns from the surface of the sea. He made his way aft and found that the crew toilet was occupied. He descended the stairs to the first class area and started a conversation with the forward purser Sarah Delane-Lea. Almost immediately he was called to the flight deck by Fiona Wright the Stewardess I. As he climbed the stairs he noticed puffs of 'smoke' billowing out from the vents at floor level and a smell which he described as 'acrid, or ionised electrical', such as one finds near sparks from electrical machinery. He entered the flight deck to find the windscreens ablaze with what appeared to be the most intense display of St. Elmo's fire he had ever experienced. Eric strapped himself into his seat and again looked at the weather radar. Nothing of significance was in view, but he was pleased that in his absence, the other two crew members had put on the seat belt signs and the engine igniters.
Roger then pointed out the side windows at the engine intakes which were glowing as if lit from within. The electrical discharges had a stroboscopic effect which gave the illusion that the fans were moving slowly backwards. At the same time the St. Elmo's fire on the windscreen had given way to a display of what looked like tracer bullets. All this happened so quickly that there was little time for discussion and Eric had been distracted by the display from what he considered to be the most important consideration, the smoke which appeared to have got into the air-conditioning.
Before he could speak Barry called out 'Engine failure number 4!' Eric immediately asked for the Engine Fire Drill, and the other two crew members carried it out. Roger believes the crew were helped by the fact that the problem compounded itself gradually. The slow build-up of danger ensured that they were not plunged instantly into an extreme situation. They became more alert and concentrated as the incident became more complex and at no time lost control of their reasoning processes. They were soon forced to face the full consequences of their problem by the voice of the Flight Engineer.
'Engine failure number 2....'
'Three's gone....'
'They've all gone!'
Eric stared at the instrumentation in front of him and refused to accept the full impact of what had been said. 'Four engines do not fail', was the refrain which dominated his thinking. He had practised a four engine failure detail on the simulator some months earlier and then, the assumption had been made that all generators would fail, leaving hte aircraft on standby electrical power, fed fromt eh aircraft batteries. This would have caused a failure of the co-pilot's instrumentation and much of the cockpit lighting. Yet the instrumentation all appeared to work and the auto-pilot remained in control. The display on the engine instruments was also very confusing as the instruments were a mixture of Smiths and General Electric, some of which froze under power loss and some in which the needles dropped off the scale. There were also some amber lights indicating that engines had exceeded their maximum turbine gas temperatures. While he studied this confusing display, Eric heard Barry suggest that they shut the engines down. At the same time he noticed that the airspeed was decreasing. He put the auto-pilot into a gentle descent and turned to his co-pilot 'OK Roger, put out a Mayday'.
13.44z "Jakarta, Jakarta, Mayday, Mayday Speedbird 9. We've lost all four engines. We're leaving 370"
Eric then controlled the aircraft using the auto-pilot, while the other two carried out appropriate emergency drills. Both pilots shared the task of moving the engine start levers on different occasions. Because the auto-pilot remained in control, Eric had time to consider the likely cause of such a multiple failure: electrical? (check all circuit breakers): fuel? (turn on all pumps and cross feed cocks): icing? (turn on engine anti-icing). All the crew members, afterwards felt that checklists, for such extreme emergencies, shoudl contain every item for consideration and not leave anything to intuition. Although crew members will always exercise their initiative, it is better that they have trust, that the check list covers everything. The dominant feeling of the crew at this point was the question ' what have we cocked up?'
The first relights were attempted on engines 1, 2 and 3 but Eric decided, with the agreement of the crew, to attempt relights on the number 4 engine along with the others. (The number 4 engine fire handle had been pulled when the fire drill had been carried out).
At 26,000 ft the cabin pressure warning horn sounded as the cabin climbed through 10,000 ft. The crew started to don theit oxygen masks. When Roger removed his mask from the stowage it fell to pieces in his hand. The bayonet fitting came out of the supply pipe and the tubing disengaged itself from the mask. Eric was presented with an unenviable choice. Should he continue to descend slowly as possible and have his co-pilot suffer the effects of anoxia, or should he increase the rate of descent till the aicraft was at a more survivable altitude. He chose the latter, and began an emergency descent.
 Mount Galunggung erupting (Photo by courtesy of L. J. R. Allen ANZ)
However he decided not to extend the gear, as instructed in the flying manual, because it opened up the possibility of having to ditch the aircraft with gear extended, should it prove impossible to retract them. With hindsight it is now obvious that during gear extension, the hydraulic power from windmilling engines might not be powerful enough to move the gear and the flying controls at the same time. They had previously turned the aircraft on a Northerly heading back towards Jakarta and they decided that with a safety height of 10,500 ft in that area, they would turn back out to sea when the aircraft reached 12,000 ft. At thsi time the inertial navigation systems were giving a display of gibberish and were no use in fixing their exact position.
When they reached 20,000 ft Eric retracted the flight spoilers and reduced the rate of descent. Ironically he noticed that Roger had, by then, managed to fit the oxygen mask together (a test of intelligence and manual dexterity while under extreme pressure).
At this point Roger noticed that his airspeed indication showed 320 kts whilst Eric's showed 270 kts. Eric thought that it was worth assuming that the higher figure was correct in case they had been attempting to start the engines while outside the relight envelope. Again they had no luck, although the fuel had been igniting behind the engines and treating those passengers with window seats to a view of, what appeared to be, four engines on fire. At about that time the cabin reached 14,000 ft and the passenger oxygen masks were deployed. Eric decided it was time to have a word with them.
 S.F.O. Roger Greaves, Cpatain Eric Moody and S.E.O. Barry Townley-Freeman.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is your Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are all doing our damndest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress."
Eric then asked the Cabin Service Officer to come to the flight deck. He attempted to explain the problem to him while wearing his oxygen mask. Graham Skinner could not understand Eric's words, but he realised his presence on the flight deck was not helping matters, so he nodded, and returned to his job of helping the passengers.
13.57z "Speedbird 9. We're back in business. All four running, level 12,000"
It was about this point that Eric started to consider the awesome consequences of attempting a deadstick touchdown on the sea at night. His father had taken him, as a child, to Hythe pier to watch teh flying boats land. He knew that flying boats fif ot fly at night because of the difficulty of judging height above water. He remembered, with some amusement, a training film made by British Airways which simulated a ditching at sea. The Captain playing the role (no actor) had used the phrase 'it's not our day' in passing the bad news on to the cabin crew. This reverie was interrupted by sounds of jubilation from the other two crew members as number 4 engine started. (This was the engine which had first run down and the success amply repaid Eric's gamble in trying to start it). The other three engines started, an almost interminable 90 seconds later. They were at 12,000 ft.
They immediately requested a climb to a height which gave them more clearance over the high ground ahead of them and asked for clearance to Jakarts. They climbed to 15,000 ft and at about this height there was a resumption of the St. Elmo's fire. When the throttles were pulled back to level out the Number 2 engine surged continually. It felt as if it would shake the aircraft apart, so it was shut down, but not without great reluctance.
 Route of aircraft.
At this point Eric suspected that the St. Elmo's fire, above 15,000 ft was somehow connected with the engine problems and concluded that the engines themselves were severely damaged. He decided to descend to get away from the strange atmospheric effects but resolved to leave the throttles in their present position and to control the aircraft speed and descent by the use of speedbrakes, flaps and undercarriage. This required a leap of the imagination as up till then they had strong suspicions that the engines had failed because of an oversight, or an error, by the crew. They were cleared to Jakarta Airport where the weather was fine, with calm wind and good visibility. The only added compliction was that the glide path information was not available for Runway 24.
While the aircraft was on the baselog for Runway 24 the crew had great difficulty in picking up any lights on the ground and, in particular, in picking out the runway lights. Eventually the runway was spotted to the right of the aircraft out of the co-pilot's side-window. When they lined up with the runway the lights again disappeared and hte crew realised that their front windows were almost opaque. The final descent, to touchdown, was made using the localiser, to stay on the centreline, and by peering through the outer edge of hte left hand front window, which was still clear. Eric was just able to make out the lights of the VASIs on the left of the runway. The other two crew members called out the radio altitude and DME distance to help in judging the descent. When they were over the runway the whole of the front windows were filled with a diffuse glare of light. This was comforting in that it proclaimed the general proximity of the runway, but the delay before the wheels touched down felt like minutes rather than seconds. The landing itself was smooth. Eric felt that the earth seemed to gather them up; downstairs in the cabin spontaneous cheers and clapping broke out from the passengers.
The crew taxied the aircraft off the runway towards the terminal building. The glare of light from the parking area again filled the front windows with a blinding glare. They decided to call it a day and parked the aircraft.
14.21z "This is Speedbird 9, could you turn runway lights fully up please." Conclusions
It was two days before the crew got confirmation of the cause of the incident. Barry was convinced it was caused by an encounter with volcanic ash when he found his hands and clothes covered in a fine black dust as they waited for steps to be brought to the aircraft. When they got outside they found all the leading edges, engine nacelles and nose cone stripped of paint as if the aircraft had been sandblasted, as indeed in one sense it had.
They had flown into the dust cloud from a volcanic eruption from Mount Galunggung which is positioned about 110 miles south east of Jakarta. The plume of ash started to become visible on satellite weather photographs after the event.
The engines were the worst affected parts of the aircraft with the turbine blades having the most damage. The tips of the blades were ground away where they were blasted by the ash at high speed. The material of the ash was mostly silicate particles with a mean diameter of .075mm. Apart from wearing away the high speed parts of the engine the 'silicacious refractory material sintered in contact with the hot metal fusing itself to the blades'. This is what happens inside steel furnaces. The changes in blade shape and size had serious effects on the efficiency of the engines with the number 4 engine (significantly the engine which ran down first) being the least damaged. Ash was also found in the pitot tubes which had caused the differing airspeed readings.
 The effect of sandblasting on landing light cover.
In October 1984 ICAO issued a special report on the dangers of volcanic ash to aircraft, where it was pointed out that the incident on June 24, 1982 was the ninth eruption of Mount Galunggung that year. The report found that prevention was better than cure, but suggested that any pilot who encountered such a problem should, altitude permitting, reduce thrust to zero, descend and leave the area as soon as possoble. Consideration shoudl be given to turning off engines and restarting them when clear of the ash and inside the relight envelope of the aircraft.
14.31z "Speedbird 9, I can't see with the light in my eyes. I'll hold it."
What can be learned from the behaviour of the crew?
It would be comforting to think that this was an average crew and that a similar outcome would have emerged had others been flying the aircraft. If this be the case then British Aviation is indeed blessed with the standards of their pilots and flight engineers. If they were unexceptional crew members then it is obvious that they behaved in an exceptional way. They exhibited a quality which is described best by a word which is much loved by football managers, and the word is 'bottle'. This describes a sort of courage which is not of the gung-ho variety but the sort which causes someone to persist in an enthusiastic and inspiring manner when the odds for success look slim. Barry said that had the aircraft landed in the sea, he would have still been trying to start engines as the fuselage touched the water. This is the sort of professionalism wich passengers deserve to get from their flight crew.
Barry felt very strongly that check lists which have to be used in such extreme emergencies, should contain every item of relevance to that emergency (perhaps in an expanded form in the Flying Manual) and suggest that the crew should read out from the check list the items which are meant to be 'memory items'. When there are three concurrent drills to be carried out while one is 'thinking through treacle', close adherence to a comprehensive checklist is the only way to guard against error.
 Wear on blade tips.
Their efforts were successul because:
i) One pilot ensured that while check lists were being completed, the aircraft altitude and speed were always monitored (somebody minded the shop),
ii) the emergency was managed in a rational and safe manner,
iii) teh emergency check lists were fully utilised,
iv) they continued to try to start the engines even though for 13 minutes there was no visible reward for their efforts,
v) they used the auto-pilot to reduce work load so that at least one member of the crew could detach himself from the chek list and try and reason his way to a solution,
vi) where necessary they made bold decisions: trying to start No. 4 engine and refusing to climb back into the cloud of ash, and
vii) they made full use of each crew member, aircraft system and landing aid to ensure a safe landing.
This was an exercise in crisis management, the sort of thing that NATO spends much of its time studying. Any Captain finding himself in such an extreme situation must ensure that, at any particular moment, he clearly identifies the aspect of the problem which is most relevant to the safety of the aircraft and attempts to solve it.
 The engine intake after the event.
He must be able to delegate some responsibilities, and clear-minded enough to ignore those problems which are not an immediate danger to the aircraft. These priorities will change as time goes on so the pilot must guard against tunnel vision. This is an aspect of aviation which is not studied widely, although in recent years there have been five occasions when multi-engined aircraft lost all engine power. The most amazing aspect of these incidents is that there has been no loss of life in any of them.
Postscript
Afterwards the crew were amazed to see the way the event captured the imagination of the world. Their own reactions were mixed, some feeling a sort of delayed action euphoria, while others felt very lucky to be alive. They all felt that after similar incidents crew should not be allowed back to their jobs until normality returns.
| 
The material which adhered to the blades.
Eric found himself both lauded and hounded by the press of the world, often being asked questions which were both silly and uninformed. Always he was being asked for quotes. 'Give us a quote about what it was like to land on a dark night with no forward vision' he was once asked. 'It was a bit like negotiating one's way up a badger's a**e' said Eric not because of any great knowledge of brock bums (presumably the Arctonyx Collaris, or the Sumatran badger) but because it is how a dark night is described in his beloved Hampshire. Eric was pleased with his quote and disappointed when it was never used, even when he changed badger for possum (Didelphia Massupialis) in Australia. We have mush pleasue in including the quote in this article (The Log, April 1986), long renowned for its fearless misuse of the English language.
Ancillary revenues trend for airlines
Europe's Top 4 Low Cost Carriers Generated 470 Million Euros (US$593 Million) From Non-Ticket Sources in 2005
But U.S. frequent flier programs produced revenues estimated at 2.5 billion Euros (more than US$3 billion) and better per passenger results.
October 10, 2006, Shorewood, Wisconsin, USA. The IdeaWorks Company has analyzed non-ticket revenues, also called ancillary revenues, for airlines in the United States, Europe and throughout the world.
Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair, Europe's largest low cost carrier, wants to offer free airline tickets by replacing traditional ticket sales with revenues produced by ancillary activities. His statement reflects how Europe's budget airlines have morphed the Southwest Airlines model of providing overall value into an a la carte style of offering ultra-low fares and charging consumers for services such as checked baggage.
An IdeaWorks analysis reveals growing distinctions between the LCC model that is prevalent in the United States and that which is developing throughout the world. Here is a sampling of the observations from the analysis:
1) European low cost airlines are more likely to charge consumers for services such as advance seat assignments, checked baggage, onboard snacks and drinks, and purchasing tickets with a credit card.
2) IdeaWorks estimates Ryanair's aggressive use of a la carte pricing generated ancillary revenues of €7.76 (US$9.77) per passenger.
3) United’s Mileage Plus frequent flier program posted amazing ancillary revenue results of €9.40 (US$11.98) per passenger.
4) AirAsia, Air Berlin, easyJet, Ryanair, SkyEurope, Virgin Blue, and WestJet are among the airlines that now list ancillary revenues in their financial statements.
"Europe's Top 4 Low Cost Carriers Generated 470 Million Euros (US$593 Million) >From Non-Ticket Sources in 2005" was released today as an 8-page Industry Analysis. The full Industry Analysis is available at the IdeaWorks web site.
Shannon Die… Never
An eight part serial by Joe Hennessy
Episodes 1-8
- Shannon Airport gateway to Europe and the Americas and the first Duty Free Airport in the world in threatened. Carriers who formerly used Shannon now have permission to operate directly from the USA into Dublin.
- Airport employees decided to take the law into their own hands in an effort to save both their jobs and the Airport that to them is the only one in the Country.
- The story Shannon die Never was written in the early '70's it was first rejected by Figgis Allen. Dublin in September 73.
- The story written as fiction became fact in July 1993 when the Irish Government gave permission for foreign carriers to operate directly from the US into Dublin.
- On the 28 April 2001 an American businessman named Denis Tito left earth on a Russians space ship as the first tourist from earth into space. The fare was a measly $20. million
Episode One.
'Now gentlemen, you all know the situation. The American Carriers are going into Dublin and our Airport Shannon who for so many years catered to the North Atlantic traffic, will, it looks like with time, return to being a breeding ground for hares.
Many of us here were around when the place first started to operate and we are obliged or to put it more strongly obligated, to make sure it stands out in some way,' said Charlie Ferris, Chairman of the Committee named 'Keep Shannon Alive.'
This was the first statement made at the meeting called by the Airports employees, who immediately detected that their airport was in jeopardy once landing rights had been granted to American Carrier to land in Dublin.
Many regarded the place as home from home as all knew the seriousness of the situation, and had come together on this particular night in an effort to solve he problem as far as Shannon was concerned.
'Why don't we make it into a Space Port,' suggested Billy Drew.
This suggestion raised the eyebrows of all present and the Chairman called on the speaker to be practical.
The meeting ended without progress on this particular night and all retired to Mickey Patterson's Pub where the discussion continued.
Mickey on hearing the reason for the meeting became very worried feeling that if anything happened to the Airport, he would never again see a customer in the isolated spot in which he lived.
'I suggested we make Shannon into a Space Port,' piped Billy.
'A Space Port…. to where,' inquired Mickey.
'Well we could start with Mars.'
'Do them fella's drink porter.'
'They could always acquire a taste for the stuff.'
Charlie interrupted the conversation, saying such a suggestion was ridiculous.
'Any suggestion that will encourage porter drinkin customers into the Country, especially this part, is not ridiculous. I don't care where they come from,' and as he spoke the letter he had received from his sister in the States that same morning came to mind.
She had emigrated many years previously, married, and as it happened one of her sons worked in Cape Kennedy.
He mentioned this fact and agreed to write and ask her if her son, Arthur, might have a set of spare plans that she might send on to him. The men in Shannon would take it from there.
There was hilarious laughter in the Spollens household in New York after they had heard the contents of the letter that had arrived from Ireland that same morning.
The boys and girls of the family suggested to their mother that she should send some of Arthur's drawings made while he was at college and which were now stored in a big brown box in the attic. She was adamant that under no circumstances would any of Arthur's papers leave the house. However her sons feeling that if their Uncle were to receive some of the drawings, his stature in the community would rise out of all proportions. Independently went to each went to the attic, grabbed some of the drawings that were stored in the brown box, put the papers in an envelope and without the other's knowing mailed them off to their Uncle Mickey.
Their mother despite her insistence that none of her son's papers should leave the house felt obligated towards that 'gom' of a brother of hers and secretly she did the same as her two sons had done.
'By the way, I have some correspondence for you from America,' said Clancy the postman who had disturbed Mickey from the comforts of his feathered bed.
Clancy, who as well as delivering the mail, kept all those on his beat, living in outlying areas up to date on all local gossip. He handed these three large impressive looking envelops to Mickey and waited to see his open them. To his dismay Patterson took the envelopes and placed them on the mantelpiece.
'Time I was going about the Minister's business,' he eventually muttered realising he was not going to see the contents of the envelopes he had delivered.
'If you see Billy Drew, would you tell him to drop over,' said Mickey as Clancy started to depart.
As soon as he was alone he made a bee line to the mantelpiece took the envelopes and opening them sat surprised looking at the hive of information that lay on the table in front of him.
'With these plans the mechanics down at the airport won't have any problem putting one of these things together,' he thought.
Pedalling his way into Newmarket on Fergus, Clancy met Drew, who set out to walk his greyhound and who now was standing over the animal who just sat on the side of the road.
Drew fancied himself as a trainer, but the greyhound looked on him as someone who would carry him if he got tired.
Clancy went on to tell him that Mickey Patterson wished to see him.
'Did you have a letter from America for him by chance,' he asked.
'No less than there,' the postman replied. 'But that's confidential, just between the two of us.'
'Ah I know what he wants me for,' said Drew, and picking up the tired greyhound in his arms started to walk in the direction of the Pub.
The airport grapevine soon let it be known that there was to be an emergency meeting of the committee in the Pub on the following night.
Forty-five people attended and Patterson had difficulty keeping up with their orders. Glasses were soon in short supply, however customers had no objection drinking from bottles.
The Chairman called the meeting to order and was quick to put the 'cons' of the proposal to the group. Drew was then called on to put the 'pros' of the operating to them.
A vote was called for and all were unanimous in favour of the proposal.
Finance was going to be one of the main problems. In order to avail of the facilities granted to Charitable organisations, in regard to collecting money it was decide to change the name of the group to the Koran Study Association, enabling them to keep the first three letter of the original name.
Their accountant, Joe Bressler proposed that they should also take full advantage of the subsidy offered by the Irish Government to foreign companies setting up in operation in the Industrial Estate in Shannon. It was agreed to form a company in the UK, which were to be button manufacturers. This Company would in turn make application to the Irish Government to open an Irish subsidiary and obtain premises on the Industrial Estate at Shannon Airport. In these premises they would build the ship, and the subsidy from the Government would help finance the operation.
Episode Two
Office of the Minister.
Department of Industry and Commerce,
Dublin.
Managing Directory,
Buttons Ltd.,
Buttons Place,
London.
A Chara,
The Minister is in receipt of your application and has directed me to inform you that he would be very happy to have a subsidiary of your company set up in operation at Shannon.
He is willing to grant you a subsidy, together with factory premises located at the airport and a twenty five years tax concession. While he finds it difficult to understand why a button company like yours would required sheet metal cutting equipment he is however prepared to install the equipment in an effort to show good will.
We have noted your statement to the effect that you already have a foreign market for you manufactured goods and of your intention to ship the finished product by air.
This is indeed to the Minister's satisfaction since you will be complying with the original concept of the Industrial Estate at the Airport.
Should there by any further information, which you might require, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Mise le Meas.
Seosamh Mac Aongusa.
Smiling Ferris replaced his phone on being told the contents of the letter which Bressler's brother had forwarded him from London, amused at he Minister's effort to 'show good will.'
Immediately plans were made to have to have an English associate who had long connections with Shannon, visit the Department in Dublin as representative of the Button Company. And he in conjunction with the Department's representative would make plans as to when the factory would go into operation.
'Good show,' said Bill Higginbottom in a sophisticated Oxford accent, on receiving the key of he factory from Lacey the Department's representative before going on to explain hat the sheet metal cutting equipment was required because they planned to product a button that would revolutionise the button industry. The told him the plans were top secret but that, when production would start they would dominated the button industry by being sole suppliers.
Led by Jim Swords, the maintenance personnel from the various airlines operating through the airport set about the task of building this monster. They planned on building the ship in three stages. First the nose sections, then the centre section, then finally the tail sections. The old tower, stripped inside was selected as the launch pad. As each section was completed it would be moved there with each section being attached to the other until final assembly was completed.
Factory security was tightened when Jim Butler, an ex New York policeman, and now living in retirement at Shannon volunteered his services. He was a close friend of Tim Doyle, and close friend of Tim Doyle, the local sergeant.
This man insisted that all have ID cards as he maintained Shannon was now Ireland's Cape Kennedy.
'Did someone on Mickey's family die,' asked Drew quietly after the man had gone to fill his order.
'No,' replied Mary his new part time assistant, 'for occasions such as to night he told me that those black shirt and cream ties were all the latest go in Limerick and Ennis. To me he looks more like one of Al Capone's boys.'
Soon all that had been requested to, show at the pub and the meeting got under way.
Joe Bressler emphasised the fact that there should be no waste what so ever. This upset the maintenance representative Jim Swords, who was most emphatic that, 'All materials would be used as economically as possible and that there no necessity for anyone to worry about such a thing happening.'
Ferris and Drew felt the tension mount and Charlie quickly changed the subject by asking what progress the Button Company was making.
In reply Higginbottom went on to tell him of an associate if Sydney whom he had been in touch who felt there was an niche in that part of the world for their product and offered to operate as their agent out there.
'This fellow' Higginbottom went on to say 'could sell ice to Eskimos'
With that the meeting ended.
'I know you think I said the wrong thing,' said Bressler.
'Well I didn't expect you to day such a thing,' replied Drew.
'Look Billy, all I'm interested is in facts and in this case facts are money and material.'
'He could give you some facts about the greyhound of yours,' interrupted Charlie laughing as he attempted to defuse the situation.
'What facts could you tell me about my dog,' snapped Drew upset that his pet had been brought into question.
On hearing how long the dog had been in his possession, Bressler did some calculating, he then without hesitation went on to tell Drew that his investment was a financial disaster and to get rid of him. With that he made his excuses and left.
Drew sat dazed on hearing how much this dog of his had cost him over the years.
'What's wrong with Billy,' asked Mickey, as drew just sat there as though in a daze.
''Bressler gave him some facts and figures as to how much his dog was costing him and I think shock has set in. He's just realised that old pals can cost money.'
'True and it goes a bit too far when you have to literally carry your old pal when you take him out for a walk.' replied Mickey.
Despite the number of ID cards Bill Higginbottom showed this new guard on duty at their factory gate. He was not allowed into the factory until Swords vouched for him.
'Getting in here must be like getting into Cape Kennedy,' said Higginbottom, when he had finally gained entrance.
'Well after all we are offering them some competition,' replied Swords before asking 'and what did you learn about the button industry,' as they walked in the direction of the two small machines located at the far end of the factory which were to produce the button company's finished article.
Higginbottom while on holiday managed to contact a friend involved in this industry in London, and over a couple of drinks he had received a crash course in button manufacturing.
'How the hell do you switch this thing on,' he thought warily eyeing the machine in front of him.
'In order to ensure that the Lord is also on our side, in our effort to keep Shannon as the number one in the Country a Pilgrimage is being planned. Those interested in making this are asked to add their names to the attached list.' and so read the flyer attached to the notice board in the Airport's cafeteria
This had been placed there so that all who might wish to would have the opportunity to act as crew members on this proposed trip of theirs. The response was so great that it was decided to place al the names in a hat and have some reputable person, who in this instance happened to be the curate from Clarecastle make the draw.
'Are you sure my name was in the box,' asked Patterson.
'I put it in there myself,' confirmed Drew.
'If I thought for one minutes it had been left out, I would call the Department and tell them was really going on down here.'
Training prospective astronauts was something no one in Shannon knew anything about. It was proposed that Mickey Patterson should visit his sister in the States in order that he might be able to get this information. Mickey who had rarely outside his own County Clare was stunned at the suggestion and eagerly accepted this challenge and was soon preparing for his trip to the State.
After an exiting adventure Mickey Patterson eventually arrived at his sister's home in New York. Aghast he looked around at what he considered the luxury they lived in.
As it happened his sister's son, Arthur came up from Florida for the weekend. He insisted that Uncle Mickey should come back down there with him for a few days.
'Major Ford, I would like you to meet my Uncle who is over here from the old Country on vacation,' introduced Arthur.
At this stage Mickey had met so many people military and civilian that he did not know whether he should sake hands orsalute.
Major Ford happened to be in charge of astronauts prior to their departure into space. and Mickey instantly took a keen interest in him as he went on to ask him many and varied questions. The Major tired of answering these same type queries decided his best bet would be to give Mickey a couple of magazines who gave explicit details on how astronauts were prepared for flight. At this stage these had been read by thousands of Americans interested in space travel.
All too quickly his trip to Florida ended and he was soon back in New York with his sister.
His nephews more than interested in all the literature which Major Ford had given their Uncle Mickey, managed to get their sister to type the information on to plain paper to make it more authentic looking when he would show it to the people back in Ireland. This would indeed impress his friends.
Episode Three
All were surprised at the amount of information Mickey Patterson returned with and more than impressed to see that the stuff had keep typed giving all and sundry the impression that Arthur Mickey's nephew was in fact running Cape Kennedy.
The papers were handed over to Mick Doyle, chief of security who passed the information regarding the training on to Billy Drew. He realised that there indeed was a difference between training greyhounds and astronauts.
'Ferris,' said he putting the phone to his ear.
'Charlie old boy this is Bill Higginbottom.'
'And how are you.'
'I was fine up to a couple of moments ago when I got a call from that man Lacey in the Department. He's here at the airport and is going to come down to see how our operation is progressing.'
This was one of the main fears the group had an inspection from Dublin.
Higginbottom had already alerted the mechanics working in the factory building and they were at this time covering the rigs on which the nose cone was being built.
Arriving at the factory Lacey was confronted by their American security man who by no means impressed him after he asked 'What do you want Mack'
Eventually after much explaining he got to see Higginbottom. He was more than impressed with the number of people around the machines, and even more interested in the large covered object that lay on the factory floor. Higginbottom aware of this went on to explain to him that this was part of their new equipment which they planned using in the manufacture of this new button of theirs. With relief he eventually escorted Lacey off their premises, telling him that he would be the first to know when they planed on what you might say 'blasting off' with this new production of their.
Contented, he stood and watched Lacy pull away in his car on his return trip to Dublin.
Returning directly to the phone, he called Ferris with out delay to tell him that they coast was again clear while adding, 'He wanted to know what the covered nose cone was. I told him that this was the new machine which would produce this new type button of ours.'
'What new button' asked Charlie.
'Beats the hells out's me but I had to tell him something.'
'Incidentally are you producing any of them down there,' asked Ferris
'Some.'
'Have you heard anything from that fiend of yours in Australia.'
'No.'
'You're certainly a hive of information,' muttered Charlie in a rather disheartened manner before returning the phone.
Again his phone rang, and on picking it up, Billy asked him, 'Is that brain from Dublin still around.'
'No… he's left' replied Charlie.
'
Good I'll get the word out the coast is clear again.'
'Now you fellows will have to understand one thing, as far as this training is concerned and that is that I am the boss,' Drew told the recruits who stood in front of him.
They were informed that training would take place two nights a week Tuesdays and Fridays.
Drew insisted that during training sessions he would be addressed to as Mr Drew and surprised the trainees at the manner in which he issued orders.
'Stewardesses…. Stewardesses for what,' exclaimed Charlie on hearing Mulligan's suggestion.
'Well if we're going to bring passengers back we're going to need someone to take care of them… like feed them and what not.'
'Would it be right to send girls out there into space.'
'You can bet your life BOAC would do it if they though it would be for passenger comfort,' replied Mulligan.
The problem now as what the reaction to such a suggestion might be.
'Another American tourist,' thought the driver of the gas truck, on approaching what seem to be two crashed cars spread across the airport road. He was on the final stage of his trip from Foynes to Shannon with aviation fuel and it looked as thought he was going to be delayed. As he came closer he saw the police going back and forth with measuring tapes and he knew that this could be a long delay.
Pulling up, he got out of his truck and on coming up to the sergeant asked, 'anyone hurt.'
'No,' replied Tim Doyle and with that the driver returned to warmth of his truck's cab and tried to get some sleep.
Inside the airport another truck carrying the completed nose section of the ship started to move slowly from the factory area towards the terminal building and the launch pad. The newly installed sliding doors on the side of the old tower were opened.
On arrival there, a hoist was attached to the nose cone and in the darkness of the night this was manoeuvred into position.
Eventually Higginbottom took out his walkie talkie and said into it. 'Mother is home.
Doyle on the outer perimiter of the airport got the message and without further ado he finished he supposed investigations. Soon both wrecks were off the road.
'Sorry about the delay,' Doyle apologised to the gas truck driver who without delay fired up his engine and followed by a long queue started into the airport.
No sooner had the grapevine let it be known that they planned on sending stewardesses on the trip, than Charlie's phone began to hop off the cradle.
He not for one moment thought that so many girls would be interested on going along on this trip.
He had to explain to each caller that there was no firm decision as to whether girls would go on the trip or not and that he would keep each one of them in mind.
His phone continually busy insisted that Higginbottom go see him to inform him that Lacey, the man from the Department had been in touch with him, inquiring if he had heard of some kind of ship or other being built in Shannon. He laughingly went on to tell Lacey that it would have to go through a buttonhole before he would be interested in something like that.
'We're going to have to tighten up security we just can't get caught now that we're moving' stated Charlie on hearing what he had to say.
Bill went on to tell him that he already had told Jim Butler their security man about this and his worry now was in case Butler might take the law into his own hands and punish any intruder that might come within a hundred yards of their factory.
'Now Tom you're going to have to be diplomatic about this. Picture what would happen if you were to roughen up a civil servant … our goose would really be cooked then,' mentioned Charlie on meeting him some days later.
'I guess you're right, but from now on anyone in this area better have a pass singed by Bill or Jim.' commented Butler, and with that Charlie went into the factory just to see the progress being made.
Episode Four
The crew in training vied with each other to reach their physical peak; with the phrase 'not to reason why' becoming their motto.
Billy was complimented for his part in the training at their next board meting and he was called on to say a few words which he did so without hesitation, ending 'are there any questions any of you might like to ask'
'Mr Drew,' asked Tim Doyle 'What is the purpose of carrying the greyhound on these training runs with the crew members.'
'Oh you s.o.b,' he thought while smiling in a dignified manner.
'Weightlessness is one of the major problems out there in space.
You may smile at the fact that I am allowing a future Irish Cup winner to be used as ballast, but that is my sole intention.'
'You'll never be short of an answer,' thought Doyle before saying 'Thank you,' aloud.
'Then we can take it that George Sullivan will be the salesman on the trip,' mentioned Charlie after Bressler had made the suggestion, since he felt that he was one of the best salesmen in the tourist industry.
Sullivan was informed on the following morning that he would be travelling on the trip and was trilled at the challenge he was being confronted with.
Donaghue who was handling the operations side of the business was in search of a suitable location to set up his office and Higginbottom came to his rescue by offering the factory premises as soon as the construction of the ship and the place was vacated.
Patterson so impressed with the bars he had seen while in the States, decided to improve on his premises. At an auction in Limerick he managed to purchase a number of bar stools which he felt looked most impressive on seeing them standing on the outside of his bar counter. His clientele were more than impressed with the new paint job he had given the place. Higginbottom however suggested that he should not make the place too modern looking lest it loose some of its charm.
'Charm, Mr Higginbottom won't pay the bills,' he quickly replied to his suggestion.
The more Sullivan thought of the task in front of him the more intrigued he became with it. He decided to take all the printed information available regarding Shannon and it's Industrial Estate with a view to try encourage the residents of the those other planets out there in setting up subsidiaries of their organisations in the Shannon Industrial Estate. Visions of this planet becoming known to them as Shannon flashed through his mind.
He was not all that pleased however, when told by Mr Drew that he like the others travelling would have to go into training and in particularly when told that he could not longer enjoy a smoke.
'What the hell am I going to do with those fifteen pipers I have at home,' he asked.
'Show them to your visitors and tell them that you too were once an addict,' smirked Drew.
While at lunch with Charlie one day, Sullivan suggested that they should take along one of the harpists from Bunratty and he agreed with the idea in principal.
Work at the Button Factory progress progressed satisfactorily, prompting Higginbottom to mention that they should possibly go into the mass production of these space ships, sold on the condition that only Shannon be used on their returning from space.
Swords however put a damper on that suggestion that was until such time as they had the one they were already constructing completed.
Under the cover of darkness the roof of the told tower was being discreetly changed, so that with the flick of a switch it would slide open and allow the completed ship presently being assembled inside of it to be launched into space.
The nose cone was already installed in there awaiting the arrival of the other two sections.
'No doubt about it, if you pissed crooked this fellow would hear about it,' thought Billy on meeting Clancy the postman had asked him why he was doing so much training.
'Them others fellows who train with you, and carry the dog when he gets tired, who are they,' he asked.
'Oh them' replied Drew, 'well its like this a couple of the boys at the airport heard about the dogs potential and they insisted I sell them a fifty per cent interest in him that's whey they come along.'
'Are you afraid you can't do it yourself.'
'Not at all,' blurted Drew, 'they just want to make sure that I don't try over train him that's why they insist on coming along to carry him part of the way should he get tired.'
'Have you been into Patterson's' asked Drew deciding it was time to change the subject.
'No faith I have not, and I've noticed he hasn't got any more of them fishing books from the sister in America either.'
Billy went to try consoling him by telling he had one set-aside for him but that someone had come into the house and taken it. He guaranteed him that he would get one of the crewmembers he knew to send him one directly from the US.
'What's the guys address,' asked Don Rosco, after Billy had explained the predicament he was in regarding Clancy and the supposed fishing books.
Instantly Billy whipped out a bit of paper with the address already written on it from the top pocket of his coveralls.
'Now you're sure it's Playboy you want me to send him,' inquired Rosco.
'Yes that's the one' confirmed Billy. 'OK buddy I'll do that small thing for you,' agreed Rosco before whipping into the terminal building to get himself a cup of coffee.
Surprised Higginbottom sat reading the letter that has arrived for him, never realising that such a problem would present itself. Ferris was equally shocked as he sat with phone in hand listening as an editor from one of the local papers tell him of how an intoxicated friend had told him on the previous evening that the people in Shannon were planning to build a space ship. On this they planned on transporting tourists in there from space. He claimed he was in a bind for a headline for the week end issue of the new paper and he was wondering if Charlie could confirm this statement.
Episode Five
The press was soon made aware that a consignment of buttons was being shipped 'down under'. In turn they were anxious to visit the factory and take pictures of the operation.
Higginbottom managed to discourage them and instead arranged to have a container with the merchandise photographed on the quay. This picture appeared on the following Sunday's papers under the caption, 'Buttons for Boney's boys'.
'We were a bit sceptical about this factory in the beginning but now on seeing the progress you're making we're more than pleased,' mentioned Lacey as both he and Bill Higginbottom sat having lunch in the Airport restaurant one Tuesday afternoon.
The Department was more than impressed on seeing the picture on the Sunday papers as a result of which Lacey had come to Shannon to compliment Higginbottom. He was ever more surprised on hearing that this particular container has only ten tons of a hundred ton consignment.
'No doubt but this factory of yours has potential… can we be of any further assistance to you,' he immediately said on hearing this news.
Higginbottom toyed with the idea of asking for another grant however he decided against it and said he would take a rain check when offered some additional factory space.
Accustomed to the males in the group he was training; Drew became nervous when the women came under his jurisdiction knowing he could not speak to them in the same manner as he did the males. The girls on the other hand had been told what to expect and their only concern was as to whether they would be required to carry the greyhound.
'Occasionally,' replied Drew to this question, 'I require those under my supervision to carry additional weight so that they will be able to cope with such a problem should they be required to do such a thing while out there in space.'
'Billy are we going to have to carry the passengers on to the ship,' asked one of them.
'First of all young lady, when on these training outings you address me as Mr Drew, authority has to be respected.' he muttered before adding 'I would expect that the passengers would be able to walk aboard.'
Mulligan watched as Drew put these girls though their paces, after which he went on to ask him is his dog had fleas.
'Every dog is entitled to have one of two fleas, what the hell would they have to scratch if it wasn't for a flea.' he replied.
'The one I got from him must have false teeth … as there are a mass of small red bumps on my back,' replied Mulligan in disgust and with that he left the group.
'You know that there's talk in the Parish that not alone are you training the dog but that you are also training a couple of young girls.' said Clancy in the course of conversation on meeting Drew while doing his rounds one day.
Billy had to be careful as to the manner in which he replied to this question since telling him anything was like giving a story to the newspapers as by the time he would finish his round the whole parish would have the information. With the bit he would have added here and taken off there a respectable married man like himself could very easily end up a social outcast because of his running around with these scantly clad young ladies.
He went on to explain to Clancy that they were in training for a competition which was called World Airport Sports, an event which was still only in its infancy. Satisfied with the reply Clancy started to remount his bike while asking 'By the way did you get any word on them books you promised me.'
'I told you what happened the ones I had at home but I asked one of the crew members that I'm friendly with to mail you one directly from the States to your home.'
'Then I suppose I can expect one any day now.'
'That you can,' replied Drew happy as Clancy took off to complete his mail round.
'No doubt about it, but its magnificent looking,' said Butler while standing next to Jim Swords as they watched the rigs being dismantled from around the centre section of the ship.
'We're making good progress,' was Swords only comment.
'Ferris,' he said on picking up the ringing phone.
'We've just completed the second section,' Swords nonchalantly informed him.
'Marvellous,' he replied 'Now we want to get it out of here as soon as possible we have the most difficult part yet to complete.' he then said.
That night another feigned traffic accident occurred on the outer perimeter of Shannon Airport halting all in and out bound traffic while the centre section was being transported from the Industrial Estate to the launch pad.
Within the tower the sling tethered to the nose cone was gently lowered into position and soon the nose was sitting on the centre section of the ship.
After this had been successfully accomplished all involved soon headed in the direction of their homes.
Arriving on the factory premises on the following morning Higginbottom was amazed at the amount space that was now available.
'You're late,' he said jokingly to Butler on looking to his watch.
'I had a late night last night,' he replied.
'What time did you get home.'
'Around four a.m.'
'And what the Dickens are you doing in here today.'
'We're getting so near now, I'd be afraid I'd miss something,' he replied laughing.
'He's human after all,' thought Higginbottom.
Drew's wife began to wonder about all this training her husband was doing. He had told her that he was determined to get a place on the airport basketball team.
'If only I could tell her,' he thought before saying goodbye as he started to go off on another of his exercises.
Episode Six
'I suppose that's another one of them fishing books,' curiously muttered Clancy on handing the large brown envelope to Mickey Patterson.
'Probably the latest issue,' replied Mickey being evasive.
His nephews in the States had come across some other drawings, which they found in the attic, which their brother had made while at school.
'I… I must be off about the Minister's business,' then said Clancy knowing full well that Patterson would not open the envelope while he was there and so he left.
At it happened the magazine which Drew had promised him arrived at his home while he was out working and though his wife was tempted to open the envelope she decided against it, knowing how anxiously he was awaiting it to arrive.
On arriving home Clancy immediately noticed the envelope on the table and without hesitation went to open it. Aghast he stood looking at the cover which on which was a picture of one of the most beautiful looking girls he had ever seen in his life wearing the skimpiest looking bikini he had ever seen in his life.
'Are you home Clancy,' he heard his wife Clara call as she came through their front door.
'Mother of God, what will I do, she'll kill me if she sees this kind of literature in the house,' and dashing to the bedroom he stuck he magazine under the mattress.
When he returned to the kitchen she asked him if he had seen the envelope that had come for him and he just nodded his head and nothing further.
That night with his wife gone to the bingo, Drew relaxed shoeless seated in front of the big turf fire in his home.
'Who the heck could that be,' he thought on hearing a banging at the door.
'I'm coming,' he shouted as the pounding continued.
On opening the door he was brushed to one side as his guest pushed his way into the house.
'I got that fishing book,' snarled Clancy as he stood in the hallway looking at Drew
'Did you… didn't I tell you it would come to your own home.'
'Is my magazine the same one as you get.'
'Yes… the same one.'
'No doubt but they have some lovely looking fish in it.'
'That's America for you.'
'How about that fish in the centre page.'
'You'd want a quare old fly to catch that.'
Clancy just looked to him and as he did his hand went to his coat's inside pocket and taking out the magazine he asked 'And what kind'a fly would you want to catch that.' before throwing the opened book on the table in front of Drew.
'He must have sent you the wrong one,' gasped Drew on seeing the picture.
'Go out'a that…' sneered Clancy, 'all about fishing … dolldidee…'
'It's a different Playboy… Mickey gets the one with the fishing hints.'
'I'll give you this one for the fishing one.'
'But I told you I gave them away.'
'Alright, and you can this one away as well,' said Clancy as he started to leave.
Drew's one worry was in case his wife would see the magazine in the house and no sooner had he thrown it in the fire than he heard her opening the front door.
As the stock of sheet metal in the factory started to diminish, another meeting was called in Patterson's Pub. All were more than surprised when Butler their security man made quiet a sizeable donation, to what might be called the cause. Despite that it was decided to step up the campaign to raise additional funds.
Embarrassed most of those available stood with collection boxes in both Limerick and Ennis endeavouring to get donations from the public to donate towards what they called the KSA.
'And what is that,' asked the little old lady.
'Oh Christ… just take one and go,' thought Drew before going on to try explaining that it was a society that was studying the Koran.
'How admirable,' she commented before going on to ask, 'could I be of assistance.'
'If you'd like to take a trip to the moon, by all means,' he thought before going on to further lie and tell her they were too confined for space at this time, however he went on to tell her that he would be in touch with her.
The ladies who were collecting seemed to be doing a lot better than the men. They weren't even asked what KSA stood for. Young men trying to make an impression by making donations.
Their accountant Mickey Bressler was very pleased with the days taking even though it was only pittance in comparison to what they would require, every penny counted.
'A lot of sheet metal for a place like this,' said the driver of the articulated truck on disembarking in the loading bay at the button factory.
'Yes,' agreed Mulligan, 'we make a particular type button here and we need a lot of that stuff.' before going to tell the driver that they were now exporting their stuff to Australia.
The driver however was unimpressed and just continued offloading the back of his truck.
Unable to determine from the blue prints that he had, Swords was unable to conclude if the locking pins went inside or outside the engine cowlings. That being so it was decided that both he and Mickey Patterson, would make a return trip to the United States and nonchalantly meet Mickey's nephew.
Through him Swords planned on connecting with some of the maintenance people of who worked on these engines and wrenching the information from them one way or another. On this occasion and knowing the reason for the visit Mickey was not all that anxious to go on the trip.
However Drew eventually convinced him to make the trip.
'You'll have nothing to do, so I will let you know when you're leaving and remember Swords will be going with you,' he added.
'Martini for me,' replied Mickey on being asked by the stewardess what would he like to drink.
'Sweet or dry,' she asked
'Dry… very dry.'
Surprised Swords looked to his travelling companion. The manner in which he had given his order would give one the impression that he was a world traveller. Few would believe that this was only his second time out of the country. Unfortunately Mickey's acquaintance in the Customs at Kennedy was not on duty.
Swords had intended staying at the International Hotel at Kennedy Airport but Mickey insisted that he accompany him to his sister's home, where they were both made very welcome.
After supper that evening Mickey called his nephew Arthur who invited both of them to Miami and a tour of Cape Kennedy to boot.
'Will you be coming back this way,' asked Mickey's sister. Before they left New York on the following day
'We're not sure…' replied Swords and with that she gave both a motherly hug and they left.
'This is indeed a surprise,' greeted Arthur on meeting his Uncle and Jim Swords in Miami before asking 'How long are you going to be here.'
'Just a couple of days,' he heard in reply.
'Jim do you have a saloon in Ireland too,' Arthur asked.
'No… I'm not that lucky,' replied Swords. 'I work with one of the airlines in Shannon and since I was coming to New York on business, your Uncle decided to come along with me. He was telling me so much about the Cape, I was wondering if it might be possible to have a look at the place.'
'I think that could be arranged I'll get some of the technical people to talk with you.'
They stayed at Arthur's apartment that night and he brought both to Cape Kennedy on the following day. Swords met with some of the maintenance people and on chatting with a fellow named Pierceon he found out that they had a mutual acquaintance named Sweeney that had worked for the same airline at one time. Later he was employed at Cape Kennedy, and immediately there was no further tension.
'I remember getting a letter from Sweeney at one time telling me he was working on an engine and was having great difficulty with the locking pins on the cowling, did they put them inside or outside,' he asked and awaited the reply.
Episode Seven
'Inside,' blurted Pierceon, before suggesting that they should go have a cup of coffee.
Much more at ease, now that he had the information he required the visitors left Cape Kennedy on their return trip to Arthur's apartment. After supper he suggested they should go out on the town.
'We could go back to the place we were last time,' suggested Arthur.
'And what place would that be now,' asked his Uncle Mickey trying to give the impression that he had forgotten whey they had in fact gone when he was there on his last visit.
'The place were you bought the girl who was stood up the drink,' replied Athrur.
'So that's why you wanted to come back down here,' smirked Swords.
After some persuasion Mickey accompanied the other two to that club and Swords instantly saw what Mickey was attempting in a very mediocre way to upgrade his premises to something like the one they were presently in.
'Does he have any girls in his place at home,' asked his nephew.
'No. No…' interrupted Mickey.
'And what do you call Mary,' inquired Swords
'She's different she serves behind the bar and anyway she's only part time,' stated Mickey.
'I got'a go over there sometime and see your set up,' stated his nephew.
'Wait a while, if he keeps improving he place like he is who knows what it might end up like,' blurted Swords.
'Do you think he'll turn it into one of the ones like they have in Frankfurt,' asked his nephew.
'Of course he is,' replied Swords.
'Be sure and let me know the opening night for the cabaret I love to meet one of those strippers,' stated Arthur as he looked seriously at his uncle.
'May God forgive you, if your mother heard you talking like that she'd break your neck,' blurted Mickey.
'And is she knew what you were planning she'd break yours,' promptly replied his nephew.
When Mickey had gone over his alcohol capacity he insisted on dancing with one of the hostesses and instantly Swords had him photographed.
'Wait 'til the lads back home see these.' he smiled looking to Arthur.
'He's going to have one hell of a time trying to explain them.' agreed Arthur.
With difficulty they eventually managed to get Mickey home, while he had visions of girls in backless gowns dancing on the flag floor of his pub.
'Too bad your stay had to be so short,' said Arthur as he stood saying goodbye to his Uncle and his friend in Miami Airport.
Swords decided their fastest way home would be to get a flight from Miami direct to London and make a connection out of there back to Shannon.
Upset at having received a memo from Dublin inquiring as to why the crash launch was all of sudden using so much diesel he coxswain had no option but to reply and claimed the engines badly needed maintenance and hence the reason they were using so much fuel. In was in fact due to the excessive training that the crash crew was doing on the river. Since the American were using the Pacific as their return base the coxswain felt that all return flights should be made back into the Shannon that was of course at high tide.
Higginbottom on the other hand had received orders from four different agents out in the Orient placing order for buttons. None realised that there would be such a demand for the product making it necessary for more people to be put on the button production end of the operation,
'And how did you get on in Florida,' asked Drew as he made himself comfortable by Patterson's fireplace.
'Not bad, but that travelling is murder,' said Mickey as he cleaned up the pub one morning.
Drew asked a lot of question, but he had no intention of giving him an hour by hour account of what they had done.
'Did you go to any night club,' he then asked out of the blue.
'Why the hell doesn't he talk about that bloody greyhound of his and not be asking me all these questions,' thought Mickey before replying 'Yes… yes we had a social drink in one of them'
'Ah you were doing more than drinking, at least that's what it would like to me, from the pictures I saw.'
'What pictures,' gasped Patterson.
'Swords has a couple of pictures of you with one of the most streamlined looking heifers, I seen in a long time sitting on your knee, and in another one of them you were dancing with one.'
Looking at him now, Drew could not for the life of him picture seeing any girl sitting on his knee, with his colarless shirt, with turned up sleeves while his cap was pitched on the Kildare side of his head. Not a sight to attract such a good looking girl.
'There has to be a mistake,' emphatically stated Mickey as he wondered if he had indeed done such a thing.
'I want to see them pictures,' demanded Patterson on meeting Swords.
'Give me a lemonade first,' said Swords.
Grabbing a bottle from under the counter Patterson slapped it in front of his customer.
On seeing how upset he was, Swords was getting the greatest of pleasure from this prank he was playing.
Taking an envelope from his pocket Swords lay it on the bar counter. Patterson immediately snapped it up.
Aghast Patterson stood looking at the pictures he held in his hand.
'And the crowd around here think you couldn't get yourself a wife… wait 'til they see these.' said Swords.
'I don't even remember these been taken,' blurted Patterson.
'You were too involved talking to the girl and what's more you asked the girl you were dancing with to marry you.'
'WHAT' exclaimed Patterson.
'Yes. You told her you were a big saloon owner over here in Ireland and you felt sure she'd fit in here no problem.'
'She could sue me for breach of promise,' was the first thought that came into Patterson's mind and his hand stretched out and took the full bottle of Powers of the shelf.
Hearing the office door open Higginbottom on looking up saw Jim Swords standing there in front of him.
'Mulligan is riveting the last sheet of metal to outside of the ship,' he blurted.
'This I got to see,' he said jumping up from his desk and heading down the factory followed by Swords and joined the group already standing there.
Excitedly all watched as Mulligan sunk the final rivets home and after the last one went into the fuselage, hats, and caps papers and in some instances tools were thrown high in the air with excitement.
'Last time I felt like this was V day,' muttered Higginbottom overwrought at this accomplishment.
Like the battle of Britain this could be victory for the battle of Shannon
Episode Eight
'I never thought I'd hear those words,' said Ferris on being told the ship had been completed.
Meeting the chief of security in the corridor some hours later they decided in view of the bad weather to move to completed unit from the factory to the launch pad that same night.
'We'll set it up for a 2.am move,' said Butler.
'You're the boss,' replied Ferris.
In the darkness, the factory area was a hive of activity.
'Move' bellowed Mulligan.
With that the chains connected to the final section of the ship went taut as the forklifts and tractors they were connected to had spinning wheels before the eventually managed slowly started to move. The unit housing the engine on to the back of the very large flat bed parked in the factory bay.
'The engine in that truck is not going to be powerful enough to move that,' commented Drew.
'You get in the cab, we'll chain the forklifts and tractors to the flat bed and that will get in moving out of here,' stated Mulligan.
Ever so slowly they made their way up the road to the launch pad and with great difficulty the unit was positioned under the other sections which had already been connected to each other
Inside the old tower was a hive of activity as final preparations were made to the ship. Donaghue a former navigator now working as a dispatcher with one of the airlines, set up his operations office on the now vacated factory floor and gave navigation instruction to all concerned.
The Button Company required extra machinery in order to fill the orders, which were now coming in, and so the size of the operations office had to be curtailed
An unplanned visit by a group from Dublin who planned on taking a Cooks tour of the place momentary upset the space program in Shannon, since these people wanted to look at the old tower in particular.
'This place has done a lot for the Country,' one of the dignitaries mentioned as the group sat sipping coffee in the lounge.
'I feel they've had their fair share,' commented another
'Well after all they were first.'
'I would be inclined to rephrase that and say this was the training ground and now that we have the experience we can move to the Capital.' he heard in reply.
'I wouldn't say that too loud around here, you could end up in the river.'
As the group set about leaving the lounge they were approached by Sergeant Doyle the local Garda, as he shouted. 'Vacate the building there's supposed to be a bomb in the Tower.'
The visitors broke like hares on seeing a greyhound and not even Le Mans could boast of such a quick start as the visitors dashed to their cars and the safety of their own homes.
The factories in the Shannon Industrial Estate agreed en masse to send a small sample of their wares on the ship trip into space. They viewed with each other for advertising space on the outer shell of the ship. Sullivan the proposed sales man felt more than happy on being able to put this part of the operation together.
Patterson's Pub packed to capacity hosted the farewell part prior to the ship's departure. Looking at them Mickey wondered if he would ever see any of the crewmembers going on the trip again. He felt more than proud to be part of this great operation, which had started out as more or less of a joke. This venture had joined the employees of Shannon as one in an effort to keep the place known to the extent that one foreign national had once asked, 'what part of Shannon is Ireland in'
'I wish you God speed,' said Mickey as he stood at the door of his pub shaking hand with all as they left.
'Don't worry we'll be back' promised Sweeney before he and his crew boarded the ship for their departure.
The operations office was a hive of activity and all those in there eagerly stood by for the launch.
Mickey Patterson stood at the front door of his pub looking the airport while silently praying the trip would be a success.
With the checklist completed the ship were advised that they would start their engines at seven fifty eight.
'Shannon One base operations, start your engines.'
Without acknowledging, Sweeney's hand shot to the starter switch and flicked it on. Immediately both engines fired.
'Shannon One standing by to blast off,' he then said into his mike and as his voice came over the PA system there was a loud cheer from all those in the office.
With ten seconds to go, Donaghue started the count down.
- 'Three,' he eventually came to and, Riley braced himself for the takeoff. He would miss his son's first communion, but he promised to make it up when he got back.
- 'Two….' Mulligan standing well back from the pad felt ever so sorry that he had not been lucky enough to have been chosen, but consoled himself on realising that this was but the first of many.
- 'One.' Braced Sweeney, looked to the blue sky above him their source for future tourists and making it another first for Shannon while he waited to hear the command 'Blast Off…'
The end of one, the beginning of another.
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