"Customs 001, you are cleared for landing on runway 2 (that's the one on the right.)"
Back in the days when I was a young US Customs agent (1970-3), I was assigned to the Air Enforcement Group at Terminal Island (Los Angeles). Our mission was to interdict drug smuggling by private aircraft usually from Mexico.
On one occasion, we were conducting aerial surveillance on a known drug smuggler pilot who had rented a plane for the day to scout out a dry lake bed. (What that means for you Cleveland Browns fans is we were following the suspect in our own Customs aircraft.)
So on this day, we were following the suspect plane around the desert areas of Southern California until we lost surveillance. Since it was close to lunch time, our pilot suggested we stop in Las Vegas for lunch, which sounded like a grand idea. As we neared Vegas, we were flying over the canyons of the Colorado River when suddenly, the engine stopped. Immediately, the pilot reached for the reserve gas lever (or whatever it was-I'm not a pilot) and got the engine back on. It all happened so fast, there was really no time for me to pee in my pants. Happily, we landed at Vegas and headed to Caesars Palace for brunch.
All you modern-day agents, don't try this today.
3 comments:
Vegas? I thought those sorts of stories were supposed to stay there.
Unless of course, the airplane troubles occured outside city limits, in which case, carry on.
Didn't you see the picture of the Colorado River?
Just being silly, Gary - but thanks for the geography lesson.
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