Terrain, Terrain, Pull Up, Pull Up ... Fear in the sky

As human beings, we behave in different ways when we face a moment or a situation that puts our lives at imminent risk.

I remember on one occasion I had to make a trip from Maiquetia in a Cessna-402; I remember that it had been raining and I was informed that if the weather conditions continued to be adverse, we should go to our alternate airport in this case the airport of Acarigua, State of Portuguesa, until we could enter our original destination: the "Jacinto Lara" Airport in Barquisimeto, State of Lara.

We took flight and everything was normal, after the breakfast they offered me, I got ready to sleep a little, trusting my surroundings; when suddenly my aircraft began to jump in the middle of the turbulence; we were over Cabudare, when I realized that something was different, I saw how my crew was performing maneuvers, both pilots were coordinating movements in many devices, while they indicated that they needed assistance from firefighters and that they were declaring an emergency with the code word: "MAYDAY, MAYDAY , MAYDAY ", I was quickly indicating the number of souls on board, location and intentions to the air traffic controllers at the Approach Center (APP); in the middle of the chaos, in just a second the captain turns around and tells me: "calm down, Letty, calm down . .", I managed to see the Obelisk, located at the end of the Rotaria in front of me, while I felt that we were falling. I don't know how much time passed since they declared the emergency, I only remember falling and a voice from the control panel indicating that we should climb: "pull up, pull up, terrain, terrain", with that tone that we heard on NatGeo in their air catastrophe program.

I had my seatbelt on since we took off and even so, I felt it was not enough, I did not scream, I took several breaths of air, breathing deeply and raised a prayer to God asking for comfort in the hearts of my loved ones if something happened; I was very scared, yes, but I had to keep calm and not panic in order for my crew to do their job and take me to safety. Inexplicably a peace and tranquility came over me, with a certainty that all would be well.

My plane landed a little abruptly, but it stabilized a few meters away, a fire truck and an ambulance escorted us on each side and as soon as they opened the hatch, they took me to solid ground, quickly moving me away from the aircraft, they checked my blood pressure and other vital signs, as soon as the scare passed, I was able to leave towards the hotel, where I reacted and the scare became present.

I called my house, my grandmother was worried because I had not called them earlier, when my dad found out, he boarded a commercial flight and arrived a few hours later to accompany me, he did not leave my side until we returned home.

Fortunately, everything went well, there were no major consequences, henceforth I chose to travel by commercial flight and avoid opportunities where they should go on private general aviation aircraft.

Eventually, I returned to flying smaller private aviation aircraft, relying on the professionalism of my crew.

All photographs are taken from personal devices and are my property.

@LeticiaPereira

ES/

Miedo en las Alturas

Los seres humanos, nos comportamos de diferentes maneras cuando enfrentamos un momento o una situación que ponga en riesgo inminente nuestra vida.

Recuerdo en una ocasión tuve que realizar un viaje desde Maiquetía en una Cessna-402; recuerdo que había estado lloviendo y que me informaron que si las condiciones meteorológicas continuaban adversas, deberíamos dirigirnos a nuestro aeropuerto alterno en este caso el aeropuerto de Acarigua, Edo. Portuguesa, hasta que pudiésemos entrar a nuestro destino original: el Aeropuerto "Jacinto Lara" de Barquisimeto, Estado Lara.

Alzamos vuelo y todo normal, después del desayuno que me ofrecieron, me dispuse a dormir un poco, confiando en mi entorno; cuando de repente mi aeronave comenzó a saltar en medio de la turbulencia; nos encontrábamos sobre Cabudare, cuando me percaté que algo iba diferente, vi como mi tripulación realizaba maniobras, ambos pilotos coordinaban movimientos en muchos dispositivos, mientras indicaban que necesitaban asistencia de bomberos y que se declaraban en emergencia con la palabra clave: "MAYDAY, MAYDAY , MAYDAY ", rápidamente indicaba la cantidad de almas a bordo, ubicación e intenciones a los controladores de tránsito aéreo del Centro de Aproximación (APP); en medio del caos, en tan solo un segundo el capitán se voltea y me dice: "tranquila, Letty, tranquila ..", logré ver el Obelisco, ubicado al final de la Rotaria de frente, mientras sentía que caíamos. No sé cuanto tiempo pasó desde que declararon la emergencia, solo recuerdo caer en picada y una voz desde el panel de mando indicando que deberíamos subir: "pull up, pull up, terrain, terrain", con ese tono que escuchamos en NatGeo en su programa de catástrofes aéreas.

Yo tenia el cinturón de seguridad desde que despegamos y aún así, sentía que no era suficiente, no grite, tomé varias bocanadas de aire, respirando profundamente y elevé una oración a Dios pidiendo por el consuelo en los corazones de mis seres queridos si pasaba algo; tuve mucho miedo, si, pero debía mantener la calma y no entrar en pánico a fin de que mi tripulación hiciera su trabajo y me llevaran a salvo. Inexplicablemente una paz y tranquilidad se apodero de mi, con una certeza de que todo estaría bien.

Mi avión aterrizo de manera un poco brusca, pero se estabilizo a pocos metros, un camión de bomberos y una ambulancia nos escoltaba a cada lado y en lo que abrieron la compuerta, me llevaron a tierra firme, alejándome prestamente de la aeronave, revisaron mi presión arterial, y demás signos vitales, en lo que pasó el susto, pude salir hacia el hotel, donde fue que reaccioné y el susto se hizo presente.

Llamé mi casa, mi abuela estaba preocupada porque no les había llamado más temprano, en lo que mi papá se enteró, subió a un vuelo comercial y llegó unas pocas horas mas tarde para acompañarme, no se alejo de mi hasta que regresamos a mi hogar .

Afortunadamente, todo salió bien, no hubo consecuencias mayores, en lo sucesivo opté por viajar en vuelo comercial y evitar las oportunidades en las que deberían ir en aeronaves de aviación general privada.

Con el tiempo, volvi a volar en aeronaves mas pequeñas de aviación privada, confiando en el profesionalismo de mi tripulación.

All photographs are taken from personal devices and are my property.

@LeticiaPereira