Contents

1.            Flight 1992

2.            Good Times

3.            Gates of Hell Opened

4.            A Gift of God Revealed

5.            Where Is My Security?

6.            I’m Shot

7.            Watching Life and Death

8.            Terror

9.            Dreams Become Reality

10. Are You Kidding Me?

11. Hired

12. Flight 1992, Continued

13. Now What?

14. Flying the Line

15. A New Normal

16. Panama City

17. Heaven’s Destiny

18. A Change Of Heart 

19. Hope

20. Will Business Ever Change?

21. A Life-Changer

22. NASCAR 101

23. Panama City Failure to Full Ironman

24. Ironman Wisconsin

25. Beginning of the End

26. Full-Time Ministry

27. Life’s Storms

28. Natural Stick

29. Redemption

30. Will I Get to Fly Again?

31. God’s Perfect Plan

32. The Biggest Decision of Your Life

Thirty-Day Action Plan

Flight 1992

“Worldair 1992, turn left heading 270; descend and maintain 8,000.”

“Roger. Out of 9 for 8, Worldair 1992.” 

I was copilot on this flight with Captain Leo Stutz. He and I had been flying together for the month of December. On this day, we had started in Cincinnati around eleven o’clock that morning, then flown to Detroit, Michigan, and then on to Nashville, Tennessee. It was now nighttime, and we were on the last leg of the journey, heading from Nashville into Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Worldair 1992, turn right heading 300; descend and maintain 6,000 feet and contact Indianapolis Approach on 125.6.” 

“Roger. Out of 8 for 6, turning right to 300, Worldair 1992.”

“Worldair 1992, acknowledge Lima, as there has been moderate to severe icing reported on the approach.”

When flying into any airport, pilots use an acronym called ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information System) that gives them the weather, temperature, visibility, wind direction and speed, landing runway information, and any other pertinent facts they need to know for landing. The nonflying pilot will usually work the radio. On this flight into Indianapolis, I was flying and Leo Stutz was operating the radio. Leo was a no-nonsense ex-military fighter pilot, and he had the buzz cut to show it. With him everything was done by the book.

Leo began writing down the information: “Indianapolis weather 22:00 Zulu; temperature 31 degrees, sleet and freezing rain; ceiling 700 feet visibility, ½ mile and fog; winds from 050 at 10 mph; landing runway 5 right; confirm you have Lima.” 

Leo clicked the mike and said, “Indianapolis Approach, Worldair 1992 has Lima.”

“Roger, Worldair 1992. Turn right, heading 360; descend and maintain 3,000 feet.”

“Roger. Worldair 1992 descending to 3,000 feet, turning right to 360.”

As we continued our descent, I spoke to my partner. “What a day, Leo! I can’t wait to get to the hotel tonight and throw back a few beers.”

“I know, Brad,” Leo laughed. “Maybe we can get those same ladies to buy drinks for us like they did the last time we were there.”

“Okay, that sounds great,” I agreed, “but let’s get this thing on the ground and call it a day.”

“Worldair 1992,” said Indianapolis Approach, “maintain 3,000 and turn right heading 020, and intercept the localizer for runway 5 right.”

“Roger. Worldair 1992 maintaining 3,000 feet, turning right 020 to intercept localizer for 5 right,”

“Leo, looks like we are picking up quite a bit of ice,” I commented. “I can feel it in the flight controls. Make sure we get the landing checklist right.”

“Ready, Brad.”

“Yeah, go ahead, Leo.”

“Circuit breakers in, check. Fuel pumps on, check. Landing lights on, check. Anti-ice on, check.”

“Okay, that’s good for now, till we get over the outer marker. Localizer alive; roger, Leo, turning to intercept.” said Brad.

“Brad, look at that windshield wiper,” Leo pointed out to me. Since it is almost impossible to see the wing of an airplane, a pilot has to use other clues to determine how much ice the outer surfaces are picking up. The mechanism that provides the hinge for the wiper blade always accumulates ice, so it is a good clue to outside conditions. Also, a decrease in the aircraft’s speed is a good indicator of ice on the wings.

Within a matter of minutes, the ice on the hinge of the wiper looked to be the size of a baseball. “Brad, I am cycling the boots and the props,” Leo said.

Pow—pow—pow!

“Man, what was that Leo?” I asked, startled and concerned. We had accumulated a great deal of ice on the props, and as the props started to heat, they hurtled the ice against the side of the aircraft, thus producing the jarring sound.

“Keep up the heading and altitude, Brad. I am going to talk to the passengers and tell them what they just heard.”

“Roger, Leo.”

“Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking,” soothed Leo. “Sorry for the loud noise you just heard. That was our props heating up and throwing off the excess ice. We should be on the ground in about seven minutes. Flight attendants, prepare for arrival.”

“Worldair 1992, descend and maintain 2,500 feet; slow to 150 knots. You are four miles from the outer marker. Contact Indianapolis Tower 119.9.”

“Roger, Approach. Worldair descending to 2,500; contacting Tower 119.9. Indianapolis Tower, Worldair 1992 down to 2,500 feet, slowing to 150 knots.”

“Roger. Worldair 1992 cleared to land runway 5 right.”

“Roger. Indianapolis Tower cleared to land runway 5 right.”

“Okay, Brad,” spoke up Leo, “landing checklist: flaps 15 degrees; reduce to 130 knots.”

“Full power, Leo! I need full power,” I yelled frantically.

“Brad, what the hell are you doing?”

 “More power—more power, Leo! I can’t control this damn thing . . .”

………………..

“Ether, it looks like we have Brad Henry in our grasp tonight. In just a few moments, he will be with us to spend eternity in hell.”

“Now Satan, I know you have power, but don’t you have to check with Jesus first?” the evil minion answered.

“Don’t ever say that name in front of me again, Ether!” demanded his master. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes, yes, Master, and please let go of my throat,” pleaded the demon.

“This time I am going to kill Brad and bring some passengers along for the ride. How does that sound, Ether?”

“Sounds good to me, Prince. Brad has always been a womanizer, with his mind fixed on drinking and women. The ice I am putting on this plane will bring them down in just a few seconds. Now tell me again why all the other people on the plane are going to hell tonight too?” questioned Ether.

“Well, there are a few on board tonight who have professed their faith for J, and I can’t touch them,” Satan admitted, decidedly disappointed. “They will experience an earthly death tonight, but sorry to say, they will go to heaven. We have lost those, but we haven’t lost Brad. I have kept him busy with his lustful heart, idolatry of money and excessive drinking. He is still mad at J for taking his father at a young age,” he gloated.

“Yeah, that was a good one, Prince. You made him think that J took his dad when it was really you who killed his father,” Ether admiringly stated.

…………………

It was that time of the day when the angels come to get their orders from Jesus. Addressing them, he said, “As you know, Satan and his demons are trying to destroy those who have not accepted my free gift of salvation. They have no power, but we still have to fight them for the souls hanging in the balance.”

The mighty Gabriel arose and said, “Tonight Satan is trying to destroy one you have destined to inherit salvation on November 29, 1992.”

“Yes, I know Gabriel,” Jesus answered. “I created Brad Henry and have been with him every day of his life. He thinks I am the one who killed his father, and he doesn’t want anything to do with me. But I know his heart, and I will not let Satan have him tonight or any other night for that matter. Brad is mine, but he must suffer many trials because he is a prideful person.”

Jesus continued, “Over the years, I have been very amused at times with Brad’s life. He has failed in so many things so many times you would think he would have asked me for help by now.”

“So why hasn’t he?” Gabriel asked.

Not immediately answering the question, Jesus replied, “I want people to come to me because they love me, not because I force myself upon them. For right now, Gabriel, send angels to hold up that aircraft and bring it back to the ground safely. Then get me Satan.”

“Jesus, the angels have been dispatched,” said Gabriel, acting immediately upon the Savior’s orders. “I, too, am interested in the life of Brad Henry. If I may ask again, why is it taking him so long to make up his mind about you?”

“You know, Gabriel, that a day is like a thousand years to me, and a thousand years is like a day. From the beginning of time, man has been trying to figure me out. He spends countless hours trying to understand what will never be revealed on this side of heaven. I have left a place in each man’s heart that is reserved just for me. They try to put boats, cars, money, lust, power, and other things in that hole, but it is only I, Gabriel, who can fill that empty void.”

“So why don’t you stop Brad’s pain and make him see you for who you are?” the puzzled angel asked.

“All in good time, Gabriel, all in good time.”