Lost - High Plains Flight 1231

I never shared the story of downed flight 1231. It happened at the end of last year, Dec. 31st to be exact. We've needed some time to heal around here and put that doomed flight behind us. It was just to fresh to talk about it any sooner, but I think I can tell you about it now.

It all started with the anticipation of WB's birthday. The girls were excited, my parents were visiting and we were ready for a party. My hubby has his pilots licence, have I told you all that, well he does. He pretty much gave up the whole flying thing about the time the kids were born. It's an expensive hobby to keep up, he just switched to another hobby...photography, which is so much cheaper, not!! Anyway, he hasn't flown for awhile, which will become evident later in the story. Okay, so back to the birthday. The girls and I were in Toys R Us, what better place to look for a gift for Dad right?! We came across the radio controlled plane aisle. The pickings were pretty slim as it was right after Christmas and they had not restocked. But the girls picked out a sleek green and black Fast Lane R/C. It was a small chunk of change, but I knew it would be worth it. I imagined the hours of fun they would have flying it with their Dad. He could even teach them how to fly, from the ground that is. Yes, it would be such a beautiful bonding experience.

The girls couldn't wait to give it to him. They were so excited for him to open it and when the time finally came they almost jumped out of their skin as he unwrapped it. He was surprised by their gift, but loved it. They couldn't fly it that day because it was too windy so the next day, his actual birthday is when the flight was scheduled to take off. Em and her Dad went outside for their first flight. What happened after that is sketchy. Em has a version, WB has a version, and those of us watching from inside have some of our own ideas.

Here's the gist of it: It was still a little too windy. WB being a little rough around the edges in having not flown in awhile didn't take into account wind speed, air pressure, maximum lift-off, x=y, or whatever is done before a flight. From inside it looked like a good take off and then things went terribly wrong. The next thing we saw was WB and Em running for the canyon. When they came back empty handed we knew there was trouble.

First search party

After several search parties scoured the canyon it was determined High Plains Flight 1231 was lost.

Getting more organized, the search party pairs off.

Apparently, it was still too windy and when WB realized he was not able to get the plane back he cut the engine thinking it would just drop into the canyon. Unfortunately, it must of caught a current of wind that carried it far, far away, further than any of our search parties fared to venture. So that is the story of the fated flight and every now and then we look wistfully off to the canyon expecting to suddenly see the plane either on the hillside or stuck in some bovine creatures horn.

But so far no luck!