Morning arrives and the clock indicates 2:50AM. Rousing from the lounge chairs in the pilot lounge quiet area, I slowly ease to the door, the hall, and the phone. My first action is to dial the company flight following and report in. A few quick questions are answered: how much fuel on board? required? time en route? Alternate airport? This is completed and a thanks given by the flight follower. They are good people, easy to talk with, and helpful. I hang up and ponder my next move. Oh yeah, waking up!

You get just enough sleep during the layover to be painful. Or so said one of my co-workers. I think he is on to something. I have over an hour until departure and that will be enough to wake up. I shuffle off to the rest room, then return and check the weather on the computer screens. My concern is how much icing is reported or forecast for the route home. Radar reports show snow showers between Indianapolis and South Bend. But icing should be light and a good possibility of flying below clouds and staying out of it completely. I'm encouraged.

Next I request a shuttle from the terminal to the feeder ramp and the plane. A call to the shuttle dispatch brings a cheery reply, "I'll send her over.". This completes the routine and I amble to the waiting area.

A brisk northwest wind greets me as I arrive at the airplane. Winds are blasting at 12knots and a light snow begins to fall. The ramp workers have already arrived and have parked a belt loader right up to the plane. I begin untying the wing straps, kick out the wheel chocks, remove pitot airspeed covers, and connect the battery. This takes about 10 minutes and the winter exposure reminds me how very real December weather can feel.

Enid, the ramp load supervisor arrives and presents the planned load. He says it will be light, just about 400 pounds. I give a puzzled look and reply, "what season is it?". I know that It's Christmas time and peak cargo carrying season. But the modest 400 pounds gives me reason to question. Besides, the question makes for free entertainment.

Enid replies, "It's peak holiday season.". We both know it. He adds, "The trucks left earlier and they are packed.".

"Very well", I muse and let it go. I crawl back into the cockpit, turn on the radio power switch, and listen to the local airport automated weather. It looks like a manageable flight in the weather. I complete my writing down the weather and switch to air traffic control clearance delivery. They provide a clearance for instrument flight to the destination. This includes confirming the route, an initial altitude, radio frequency for the radar controller, and a radio beacon four digit code. This takes about a minute if it's quiet.

But it's not a quiet morning and several planes call at once. You have to wait your turn. Pilots are pretty good about this, knowing that you are a part of a larger system. Being ready when called is important. I get the numbers and switch off the radio. Battery only power will start the engine and I want to have as much energy available for a cold morning.

I had left our last conversation with Enid on a light-hearted comment, "....egg McMuffin, extra cheese, no meat, and a medium orange juice.". It's early. It's cold. I could use something like that. I'm on a cold dark cargo ramp and a very early hour. The humor helps. Enid smiled and walked away.

Eric, the de-ice worker arrives in a van and soon gets out. Eric has four years with the company working part time. He is all of 21 years old, has a wife and they are expecting a child soon. Eric works another job fulltime as a diesel mechanic. How he copes with two long hour jobs is beyond me!

Eric wants to know is the plane will need deicing. A light snow started falling since loading and the question needs to be reexamined. I check the wings and am pleased to find no accumulation. The snow is light and powdery and no deicing is likely. We discuss the options. I have other questions about how this works, being that it's my first winter with the company. Deicing fluid is applied in one or two steps. First, a hot mixture of 100% heated type 1 fluid to 180 degrees is applied. This clears the surface contamination. Then a cold type 2 or 4 fluid is applied and it clings to the surface, preventing contamination from forming. This process has a definite time limit and must be referenced in the deicing manual and charts. That is the question for Eric. We look up some numbers and I'm pleased to note that :35 minutes protection is available for this type of condition. Sometime this winter expect to need it. But this morning is not one of them. Eric leaves and I return to the cockpit.

Enid returns shortly, sans egg McMuffin. He does have a question though. "How much can you carry", he asks? I ponder his previous comment about, "it should be a light load (400 pounds)", and compare it with this latest declaration. I reply, "you're fun. I like you. First: "it's a light day....400 pounds.". Now its, "How much can you carry". I think I know where we are going here.

The load analysts have decided to make an A.M.D. This stands for Arbitrary Management Decision. You get used to it in aviation. Enid's question begs a reply and I answer, "about 2,500 pounds". This is over six times the previously expected wait. A few carts later and the ramp workers have packed the plane. It's holiday peak season and I'm reminded of it as I hand the final paperwork to Enid. We say farewells and he takes a position in the ramp to guide the plane out to taxi.

Taxi checklists complete, I contact the tower and report ready for takeoff. A clearance is received and the takeoff checklist is accomplished. Adding takeoff power to the turboprop engine, an acceleration builds and the airspeed indicates an increase. This is a very critical time. Initial power is applied and then a cross check of the engine instruments is made for oil temperature and pressure, and engine power. Then attention goes to the runway and remains there for the duration of e takeoff. A quick glance at the airspeed indicator and a lift off speed of 83 knots is attained. The nose is gently raised.

Over eight thousand pounds of airplane begin to rise into the air. Gusty winds push the nose and it weather vanes into the wind. This is normal and the flight path continues along the runway. Airspeed increases to 120 knots and the climb rate looks good at about 700 feet per minute. A rising altimeter confirms a climb and at 500 feet a turn is made to the north. The radio crackels, "contact departure, good morning". The flight has begun!

A radio frequency switch to the radar controller is made and a clearance received to climb to 7,000. The controller adds, "reports of icing from 7,000 to 9,000 by previous aircraft.". I keep this in mind and reply, "...this might be a slow climb...check for icing". The controller acknowledges.

Snow showers pelt the windshield during the climb out. Anti-icing equipment is already turned on and ready. But little happens and just a trace to light amount is viewed on during the climb. I stop at 5,000, check the navigation radio and note a light tailwind. This is welcome and I remain at the current altitude.

Time passes and after fifty minutes and I'm at the South Bend terminal area. It's 5:10AM and no local air traffic service is yet available. Radar approach control is run from the air route control center in Aurora Illinois.. New weather is received from the Center and the winds are strong from the northwest at 17 knots, gusting to 22. It's winter.

Skies have an obscured layer above but the moon is faintly visible. Ground contact is partially visible until the last 7 miles. A cloud deck at 2,300 feet and slight below makes for a required instrument approach. The course from the east and about 10 miles gets me to the runway. I can see it from four miles away and radio a position to the local airport traffic frequency. "Who's listening?", I wonder.

Someone is listening and a reply is received from the operations vehicles. They are plowing snow! The trucks hold short of the runway while planes land. Everyone plays their part. A runway touchdown and he flight is over. Rolling out on the runway and the plane slows to taxi speeds. One vital radio transmission to the controller to let them know I landed and the next plane can make the approach. One at a time, when the tower is closed.

Cargo is unloaded and the plane closed. Snow streams fly on the ramp and the air is filled with winter wonder. My job is done. It's time to go home and sleep. The moon and stars out. You get some sleep too.

Scott