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TEN ROMEO NEWSLETTER

WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP FLIGHT, Report 3

October 14, 1990

Dear Friends:

The last four months have been busy beyond belief!

On June 7th TEN ROMEO once again flew into Sheremetyevo, Moscow, leading the remnants of the "WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP" flight.  On June 8th I met with my Soviet Sport Pilot friends at Chkalov Field, flew a YAK-18T, and stepped into an exciting dream!  (My Soviet friends were planning to fly seven of their civil light aircraft to the USA - more on this later.)  I departed Moscow on June 10th for Helsinki, and on June 11th flew TEN ROMEO into Tallinn.  After flying TEN ROMEO home, I returned to Moscow commercially to deliver an ARNAV R50-i Loran-C "loaner" to my Soviet pilot colleagues to make their flight to the States safer.  Back in the States, I made a quick flight to St. Thomas, USVI, to share in a granddaughter's birthday celebration, returned to Delmar to welcome the USSR artist-exchange team whose US visit we had been planning for a year and a half and then flew to the West coast to work on arrival plans for the Soviet "WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE" flight into Seattle.  A quick return to Delmar to marry a beautiful daughter to a charming young man, and then meet the Kesas at JFK on their second visit to Delmar.  And finally, I've just returned from yet another trip to Moscow to retrieve the Loran-C "loaner".

With this kind of an action program, is it any wonder I'm three reports behind to friends in my "cheering section"?

This report will deal with the "ABS to SVO" fiasco.

My last report of June 1st was completed just prior to departing for the North Atlantic crossing in TEN ROMEO to lead a flight of Beechcraft Bonanzas into Sheremetyevo (SVO), Moscow.

You may recall that I had assembled the most prestigious group of long-range single-engine pilots in the world to form the squadron of eight aircraft which would fly into the Soviet capital.  Among the pilots assembled, there was a total of twelve circumaviations of the earth, more than 200 world speed records earned, one pilot was a retired airline captain with more than 13,000 flight hours, and the group was rife with commercial-instrument ratings.  We were frustrated by no response to our hand-delivered flight plans to the USSR Ministry of Civil Aviation in April and to the unanswered questions every week for two months of, "May we fly Soviet skies?", and "How much will it cost?".  Two of the eight aircraft and crew dropped out in May since advancing Moscow hotel money without any assurance of being able to use the accommodations seemed unwise.

On June 3rd, with perhaps more faith than common sense since we still had no reply from the Soviets, five of us departed our various US locations for Goose Bay.  One aircraft lost an alternator, and returned to home base.  Thus, four aircraft rendezvoused at Goose Bay, with the remaining member of the group to meet us in Helsinki from Germany.

The weather was great, and flying the North Atlantic in formation (loose as it was) was fascinating.  (My last formation flight was 1945, if I remember correctly.)  The Southern tip of Greenland was magnificent in a sun-filled sky, and a bit of time was spent photographing the glacier, ice flows, and an occasional iceberg.  Then on to Reykiavik.

At a relaxed supper in Reykjavik we discussed the next day's flight plan and decided to overnight in Bergen, Norway, rather than fly directly to Helsinki, and this we did.

We arrived in Bergen on June 5th, less than 48 hours from our intended flight into Soviet airspace, and a message from the Soviet Ministry of Civil Aviation was waiting for us!!!

"It will be required that two Soviet navigators accompany your flight from HEL to SVO."  There was no reference to cost.

This was devastating news, and, with no reference to cost, it appeared the Soviets were looking for a blank check of $8,000.00 to $10,000.00 for our use of their airspace.  (My 1987 cost was $4,000.00.)

My co-leader, Frank Haile, is one of the "coolest cats" around.  I've never seen him the least bit agitated.  When he was forced down by Mig-21s over India on his 1989 flight around the world, he handled his military interception (a hair's breadth of being shot down) and incarceration for 10 days with his normal aplomb and sense of humor.  It took half of the US Congress to get him released, but this man does not lose his "cool" easily.

The message from the Soviets upset Frank tremendously.  He was absolutely outraged, as were the rest of us.

I sent a cable to my Soviet colleagues: "The pilots in command of the 'WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP' flight respectfully refuse your offer of two Soviet navigators!  Furthermore, if the cost of flying your skies exceeds $2,000.00, cancel all arrangements.  We must have your reply by tomorrow morning!"

No response was forthcoming the next morning, so my squadron dispersed.  One aircraft and crew flew to Denmark, another to France, and the last to Belgium.  I departed for Helsinki to meet my wife Ruth, and the German contingent of our group, Reinhard Buchaly, his Beech-35, DEEBR, and Tanja.

As I walked into the lobby of my Helsinki hotel with Reinhard, the young lady at the desk said, "I have a call for Harmon".

It was information indicating the "WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP" flight could fly to Moscow the next morning, and the cost for the Soviet navigator would not be more than $2,000.00.

We spent the next three hours calling 45 major hotels in Europe trying to locate our colleagues and call them back to Helsinki.  The effort was futile.

The next morning Reinhard and I requested a formation departure for Moscow, but this was denied by Helsinki air controllers.  Our separation was three miles and two thousand feet, but weather was such that we maintained visual contact for a good part of the flight.

It was an absolute delight to fly Ruth into Moscow for her first visit.  I arranged a breakfast party bringing together more than a dozen Soviet friends to meet Ruth and my flying colleagues.  On June 8th we went to Chkalov Field to meet with Soviet Sport Flying friends.  It was then that we learned of the Soviets' desire to fly seven of their civil light aircraft to America.  They expressed concern about flying Western skies, and I said that should be no problem.  "I'll arrange for you to have an ARNAV R50-i, the best and latest Loran-C, as a "loaner" for your lead aircraft!"  It was also mentioned that Admiral Engen's official invitation for their flight had not been received, and I said I'd see if I could clear that hold up.  (The next report will deal with the Soviet flight.)

Departure from Sheremetyevo was in the morning on June 10th.  The Soviet navigator's fee was a few hundred more than the agreed upon $2,000.00 but we paid it without argument, said our goodbyes, and climbed into our aircraft for take off.

Sheremetyevo Control cleared us for a formation departure with instructions to remain below 200 meters - to stay under incoming flight traffic.

That departure lessened a bit the disappointment and frustration of the failed "ABS to SVO" project.  Twenty-five percent of the aircraft reaching our destination was hardly a great success.  Barreling down the Sheremetyevo runway I wondered how long it had been since any but military aircraft had departed in tight formation.  At "rotation", throttle, prop and mixture stayed to the fire wall as wing tip to wing tip TEN ROMEO and ECHO BRAVO ROMEO dashed for Helsinki at treetop level.  A reasonable consolation prize!

From Helsinki I telephoned Walt Dean who agreed to the Loran-C loan, and Don Engen said he'd move the official invitation to the Soviets immediately.

In the morning on June 11th I departed Helsinki for Tallinn in TEN ROMEO, and, once again, found my "back-up" project more satisfying and enjoyable than the primary flight into Sheremetyevo.  The controllers were delightful to work with, and the reception at the Tallinn terminal was remarkable in the alacrity with which paper work was cleared.  A visit to the controller section resulted in a grand tour.  After becoming acquainted for an hour and a half, I made a request.  "Do you think you could arrange for me to fly Tallinn skies in TEN ROMEO for an orientation flight?"  My controller friends contacted the Soviet military who said yes, and thus TEN ROMEO became the first light aircraft to fly Tallinn skies on a local pleasure flight.

Once home, it was possible to introspect on the "ABS to SVO" project.  Three particular points came to mind.

First, there was a realization that my best Soviet work may be as a solo operator.  This last project generated more stress than any of my previous trips.  My experience in the USSR has taught me that working out mechanical arrangements for housing, travel, entry, etc. is complicated and difficult, requiring me to maintain a flexible schedule allowing adjustment and compensation to meet unexpected roadblocks.  This modus operandi is far more difficult - almost impossible - when attempting to work out arrangements for 16 adults.  This is particularly important when money is involved with a high penalty rate for "no-shows" beyond our control.  I will not ask friends to risk in this way again.

Second, it was disappointing for my contact at the Soviet Ministry of Civil Aviation - Gennady, whom I've known and worked with for three years - to ignore for two months our constant requests for information on our flight plans.  This is markedly unusual, since my linkage with Soviets for such a period ordinarily provides a "bonding" which I have found to be unusually reliable.  Psychologically, this was disappointing.  However, I try not to judge such shortcomings - they may not be personal but simply the mark of how bad things are in the established bureaucracy of the USSR today.

And third, there was disappointment in my inability to arrange an additional linkage with AOPA, one of TEN ROMEO's earliest sponsors.

I seem to have an inner sixth-sense providing direction on important matters, which I do not understand, but to ignore risks project success.

In early spring, I realized getting a flight of eight owner-flown Bonanzas into Moscow would be extremely difficult.  I also suspected that my 32 years of work as an "individual" FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADOR might have run its course within the USSR.  To insure the success of the "WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP" flight, I needed an official linkage to the most prestigious flight group in the USA, the Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association (AOPA).

I approached the leadership of International AOPA requesting status as an official representative, thinking that the prestige of such a linkage might enhance my communication efforts with the Soviets.  Steve, Secretary General of of IAOPA, said, "We have a working relationship with Valery Shelkovnikov, of Moscow which serves our needs adequately."  My request was denied.

With this disappointing turndown, I requested linkage with the American Bonanza Society.  My colleagues immediately appointed me as "ABS Liaison to the USSR Ministry of Civil Aviation".  Had such an appointment come from IAOPA, eight Bonanzas would have been at Sheremetyevo on June 7th, 1990.

Had I made my request to my friend John Baker, President of AOPA, I'd have had the prestige and extra clout of AOPA behind me.  In my perception, my request was simple and easy to the point of not requiring John's attention.  Steve is young and inexperienced, and did not perceive my 37 trips to Moscow, or my love of flying TEN ROMEO, as being valuable to IAOPA in their partnership with ASSOCIATION FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION, USSR.

In my next report I'll chronicle the Soviets' "WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE" flight to Seattle as the completion of our "WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP" flight to Moscow - a beautiful aviation circle of friendship.