Flight Deck (FLIGHT series #02)

Flight 20 - Swell

Swell

Swell is a long wave on water that moves continuously without breaking. When ditching an aircraft, the selection of a landing direction which will result in the minimum relative speed between the aircraft and sea swell will reduce impact forces and minimize structural damage.

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Ever since that date sa Las Casas at officially na naming masasabi sa iba na "kami" na nga ni Sage, naging busy naman kaagad kaming dalawa sa mga works namin. For one, the Christmas season is drawing closer and closer.

At my end, it only means more traffic to anticipate, as well as simulang isipin kung kailan ang magiging leave ko, since 'di naman pwede na sa holidays ako mag-leave. At Sage's end, however, mas drastic ang naging pagka-busy niya: One, it is only common na magdagdag ng flights ang airlines for the holidays; and two, he's part of the selected ones to be assigned for a new flight route.

For a pilot, I know na masyadong crucial ang ma-assign sa panibagong route. I have my fair share noong student pa lamang ako at sinasabihan ako ng mga FIs ko that we're going here and there. Sa una, of course, masaya and exciting, since it will be a new destination. Pero kapag paulit-ulit na, you'll certainly be able to be there even with your eyes closed. However, kasabay ng initial excitement is also the worry, because it is another new and foreign territory na 'di ka pa sure. Much more for an airline pilot. The pressure of it that you're heading to a new destination with eager passengers... that is something worthy of crucial studies and preparations.

May times na nakakapagkita pa naman kami ni Sage despite that. We work to meet, ika nga nila. I visit him sa condo niya to find the array of paperworks, and he ensures to have time for me. With his intentions back then no longer hanging between us as some game's timer, we grow comfortable with just having one another present and with kisses.

A month later, after I've settled to a straight four-hour shift and had been idling for my four-hour rest, bigla namang nag-buzz ang phone ko. My heart soars upon finding that it is a notification that I've been waiting for.

By the time na nagising ako kanina ay nakatanggap ako ng message kay Sage that they're to start boarding and preparing for their flight. That's a message I received at roughly four in the morning. And I've replied back to him pagkabasa ko, and maging bago magsimula ang shift ko for today. As expected, wala namang naging reply si Sage.

Sage: Sorry kung ngayon lang nakapag-reply. We've just landed at New York, finished all the post-briefing, and had been taken to the hotel.

Of course... hindi niya naman mababasa ang message ko sa kanya kahit ba na may mga build-in wi-fi na ngayon sa mga eroplano. Work and safety is the utmost priority. Kahit even during his rest period sa flight...

Sage: Good luck with the Manila traffic. Delayed ang takeoff namin kanina ng mga kalahating oras. Perhaps, if it had been your shift, you'll give us the priority for an immediate departure and grant our requested altitude.

In my times ever since na nag-reunite ulit kami ni Sage months ago, wala pang time na nagkakatagpo ang schedules namin na may lipad siya and may shift ako. If ever, it is that I am using my rest hours at the time of them being turned over to the control.

A part of me had been wishing that it will be incredible to hear his voice through the other end of the line. From the initial call and up to the end. However, I am also wishing na hindi. Dahil alam ko na hindi kakayanin ng puso ko na marinig how cool he could even sound.

Well, for one thing, it had been a known fact among us ATCs that we can easily define the airlines of every pilot we talk to kahit na 'di nila sabihin ang callsigns nila. One airline is posh and clear, another usually stammers, another is loud and rush, and there's Malyari Air. The ones we dubbed to be the "eloquent, ethereal and smart". The type of voices over the frequency that make you really wonder how they were trained to sound so professional.