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Authors: Richard Herman
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world.” She paused. “I’d like to get rid of Rudenkowski.” Lloyd Rudenkowski was the United States ambassador to Poland, a political appointee she had inherited from President Roberts when he died in office.
Parrish coughed for attention. “Because of the Polish renaissance, Warsaw has become a political plum. Rudenkowski’s appointment made megapoints with the Polish American community.”
“Not to mention megacontributions to the party,” Serick muttered. “Thankfully, we have an excellent deputy charge of mission in Warsaw and he can cover for any appointee with an open checkbook and a large bank account.”
“Get me a short list,” Turner said.
“It will be on your desk by this afternoon, Madame President,” Serick replied. He would warn her in a private memo that Rudenkowski had political clout and how his removal could cause problems. They quickly reviewed the three other security issues on the agenda and five minutes later were finished. It was exactly 8:23 A.M. The day had barely started and Madeline Turner was seven minutes ahead of schedule. Parrish buzzed for Dennis to usher in the next group.
“Oh,” Turner said, “I want to speak to General Bender.” Parrish and Dennis exchanged glances.
Williams Gateway, Arizona
The inspector from the FAA’s Flight Standards Office in Phoenix was temporarily in charge of the accident investigation. Until the investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board, or NTSB, arrived, it was his job to secure the scene of the accident and gather evidence. Because there had been two major aircraft accidents over the holiday weekend, the NTSB was slow in arriving and the FAA inspector had progressed to interviewing Pontowski. Bender joined them for the interview, acutely aware of the anguish weighing on Pontowski. They were all air-men and accepted the hazards that went with flying. But Pontowski would have to live with what happened and always ask, “What if?”
After taking an oral statement, the inspector reviewed the four videotapes from the accident. The first one had been taken from the control tower where the air boss had videotaped the entire flight from takeoff to the final, cataclysmic crash. The audio portion recorded all radio transmissions heard or made by the tower. The second video was shot by a WSS cameraman from a platform on the opposite side of the field. And while the audio recorded the reactions of the spectators, the sound was of little use. The last two tapes were from the HUDs of the Marchettis and recorded the flight as Pontowski and Johar Adwan saw it.
But without doubt, the audio portion of Johar’s video was the most important because it recorded Johar’s shout of “Let go the stick!”
After the video had rewound, the FAA inspector glanced at his notes and then at Pontowski. “This is the best-documented accident I’ve ever seen. But did this qualify as an aerial demonstration?”
“It was a demonstration of air combat training,” Pontowski explained. “ACT is not choreographed like a normal aerial demonstration. But it does have rules.” Hehanded the inspector a cassette tape. “I tape-recorded the prebrief. I flew the mission as briefed and we were inside the box.”
They all listened to the tape. “I think it’s pretty obvious what happened,” Bender said.
The FAA inspector nodded in agreement. “That was no time to have someone else voting on the stick.” Again, he looked at Pontowski. “But damn it, you were pressing the envelope.” He held up his hand to shut off discussion. “I know, I know. You had clearance to perform a multiship aerial demonstration in the box. But this was not what we had in mind. You had a lot of confidence in Adwan’s abilities. Perhaps your confidence was misplaced.”
The what-ifs were back, pounding at Pontowski, demanding their price. Slowly, he shook his head, still trying to quiet his demon of responsibility. “Johar Adwan was a good pilot. I flew against
Parrish coughed for attention. “Because of the Polish renaissance, Warsaw has become a political plum. Rudenkowski’s appointment made megapoints with the Polish American community.”
“Not to mention megacontributions to the party,” Serick muttered. “Thankfully, we have an excellent deputy charge of mission in Warsaw and he can cover for any appointee with an open checkbook and a large bank account.”
“Get me a short list,” Turner said.
“It will be on your desk by this afternoon, Madame President,” Serick replied. He would warn her in a private memo that Rudenkowski had political clout and how his removal could cause problems. They quickly reviewed the three other security issues on the agenda and five minutes later were finished. It was exactly 8:23 A.M. The day had barely started and Madeline Turner was seven minutes ahead of schedule. Parrish buzzed for Dennis to usher in the next group.
“Oh,” Turner said, “I want to speak to General Bender.” Parrish and Dennis exchanged glances.
Williams Gateway, Arizona
The inspector from the FAA’s Flight Standards Office in Phoenix was temporarily in charge of the accident investigation. Until the investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board, or NTSB, arrived, it was his job to secure the scene of the accident and gather evidence. Because there had been two major aircraft accidents over the holiday weekend, the NTSB was slow in arriving and the FAA inspector had progressed to interviewing Pontowski. Bender joined them for the interview, acutely aware of the anguish weighing on Pontowski. They were all air-men and accepted the hazards that went with flying. But Pontowski would have to live with what happened and always ask, “What if?”
After taking an oral statement, the inspector reviewed the four videotapes from the accident. The first one had been taken from the control tower where the air boss had videotaped the entire flight from takeoff to the final, cataclysmic crash. The audio portion recorded all radio transmissions heard or made by the tower. The second video was shot by a WSS cameraman from a platform on the opposite side of the field. And while the audio recorded the reactions of the spectators, the sound was of little use. The last two tapes were from the HUDs of the Marchettis and recorded the flight as Pontowski and Johar Adwan saw it.
But without doubt, the audio portion of Johar’s video was the most important because it recorded Johar’s shout of “Let go the stick!”
After the video had rewound, the FAA inspector glanced at his notes and then at Pontowski. “This is the best-documented accident I’ve ever seen. But did this qualify as an aerial demonstration?”
“It was a demonstration of air combat training,” Pontowski explained. “ACT is not choreographed like a normal aerial demonstration. But it does have rules.” Hehanded the inspector a cassette tape. “I tape-recorded the prebrief. I flew the mission as briefed and we were inside the box.”
They all listened to the tape. “I think it’s pretty obvious what happened,” Bender said.
The FAA inspector nodded in agreement. “That was no time to have someone else voting on the stick.” Again, he looked at Pontowski. “But damn it, you were pressing the envelope.” He held up his hand to shut off discussion. “I know, I know. You had clearance to perform a multiship aerial demonstration in the box. But this was not what we had in mind. You had a lot of confidence in Adwan’s abilities. Perhaps your confidence was misplaced.”
The what-ifs were back, pounding at Pontowski, demanding their price. Slowly, he shook his head, still trying to quiet his demon of responsibility. “Johar Adwan was a good pilot. I flew against
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