Day 14: The Change of Plan

Early start (6am), the rush was on to leave considering mainly weather and the busy airspace of Las Vegas that we had to safely navigate out of (obviously with the aid of Tower and Flight Following). Due to the previous experience of a really bumpy journey into Vegas escaping early, near sunrise would ease that.

We got a taxi back to North Las Vegas Airport, lugged the numerous bags through the terminal, airside and then loaded them onto the plane. Untied the aircraft, checked the fuel, added more oil and near the end of the pre-flight checks we noticed a brake fluid leak under the right wheel. Not a good sign so it was back into the terminal to get maintenance on the airfield to check it out. As it was a Saturday most of the maintenance companies on the airfield were closed so nearing the end of the phone-list, the last number I called (typical but thankful) answered. The guy on the other end of the phone was more interested in my accent rather than our task of getting out of Las Vegas within the next half hour. Usually on Saturdays his hangar was also closed but this particular day his partner Josh was working on a Lear-jet trying to get a part fitted for a client. Our luck was in!

So into the pilot terminal mini-bus myself and Daire hopped and over to Josh in the hangar. He was expecting us so after the initial introductions and brief description of the problem we drove with Josh following back to the ramp. Time is now ticking, the sun is rising, the heat is building, aircraft numbers are increasingly roaring down the runway and all three of us are now under the right wing inspecting the fluid leak. Not even to mention that the Dallas (American Football) game that we have tickets to on Sunday and more specifically now might NOT be getting to is at the forefront of our minds. The game that poor Daire has raved on about for months, taught me the rules of, both viewed numerous games, showed me the exact position of our seats in the newly built giant stadium and mercifully hour we might never see!

Josh decided he needed to get the plane over to his hangar where all his tools were. The air-conditioned mini-bus was now nowhere to be seen so onto Josh’s three-wheeled, two-seated run-around we climbed. Josh driving, the plane in tow and me sitting on Daire’s knee, the shame of it!! The air-conditioned, leather seated airbuses with passengers (one to a seat) looking out their window as they cruised down the runway looking at us, I honestly don’t want to think about what we looked like.

Our plane still attached to Josh's run-around, look closely and you can see it!!

A wait ensued while parts of the brake were removed, brake fluid bled and a new part fitted. The full heat of the day was now upon us, only out of the shower about two hours I easily could have jumped back in at that point. Finally Josh announced the plane was ready and we shamefully got the plane back to the ramp the same way we towed it to the hangar. Poor Josh was very kind to have helped us in our hour of need and him up to his eyes working on the Lear-jet. Both myself and Daire were then wrecked from the heat and the decision was then to stay, we had missed the early opportunity on all counts.

The company who we rented the plane from covers any maintenance issues that occur throughout our travels so that was one less problem. Insurance had also been purchased with the football tickets by a sensible thinking Daire so the money can be reclaimed. So other than our disappointment regarding the game nothing was lost!
Unload the plane, tie and chock it, drag the luggage back to the terminal, order another taxi, book another hotel and before we knew it we were checking into the Luxor Hotel on the Vegas Strip.

The only thing that could have cheered us up then was a day of betting and obviously winning! Cathal was delighted that we were staying on another couple of days so to the Black-Jack tables for the three of us.

I ended up down $60 dollars and both the lads were up money.