Nalls Aviation - Home of the Sea Harrier

Notice the new, newspaper format.  We’ll try to keep the information flowing as the project continues, keep pictures coming, adding video to the website, and keeping everyone in the loop.  As always, if you’re not interested in receiving these updates, please let me know and I’ll delete you from the list.  You’re always free to access the website on your own.

Obtaining a permit to tow the airplane from the base back to the airport has been one of the most frustrating experiences of this entire project.  First, I needed a BOND to guarantee the State of Maryland that I would not damage the road system.  Apparently the reputation of the Harrier precedes us. This seems simple enough, but my aviation insurance agent, Cannon Aviation Insurance, had to act on my behalf to procure this from a bonding company.  The paperwork was enormous although the amount of the bond was relatively small, compared to the costs of the plane, etc.  It has literally taken hours and hours, notarized signatures, financial statements, resumes, and background checks in order to become bonded.  They even needed to know when I graduated High School!  I’ve had security clearance background checks that were not this thorough. To further complicate matters, we were dealing across 3 time zones and the government workers on the east coast leave for the day promptly at 4:30 pm.  In practice, I only had a few useful hours per day to get any work complete, plus the Thanksgiving Holiday to boot.  Now that I am bonded, I could apply for the permit.

Second, the permit itself was actually straightforward, although no one in the entire State of Maryland has ever done this.  Another aviation “first” sort of.  Airplanes have been moved on roads, but as we were going through the permit process, most of the blocks were N/A or defied explanation.  Imagine putting “towing a fighter jet down the road” into a small box.  The agent was actually very patient and sincerely wanted to make this happen, which helps tremendously.  The airplane was actually classified as a SUPER LOAD, but since houses have been moved on roads, an airplane should be relatively simple.   Should be…

The permit required me to have 2 escorts.  This was the easy part.  Fortunately, the phone book has a section full of escort services and for once, they all happen to be very good looking.  Plus they don’t mind working at night.  I don’t understand what they know about towing aircraft, since most of them were named “Peaches” or “Bambi,” but a law is a law.  Some of them were so attractive the airplane might have followed them on its own.  Maybe that’s why they were required.  So if two were required, 3 or 4 should have been better, but my wife intervened with a different definition of “escort.”  Darn.  Could have had some fun with the remaining 50% of my estate.

The actual move took place just before midnight on Wednesday the 28 of November.  Our permit granted us access to the state roads beginning at 12:01 am on Thursday.  Everyone on the Navy Team couldn’t have been better.  Everyone who helped from the moment I declared an emergency -- from the crash crew, to the base police, to the line workers, to the gate guards - - everyone was absolutely spectacular.  They are to be commended for a job well done under very unusual circumstances.  Thank you for all your work!

The move actually went off without any significant hitches.  We decided to have some fun with this, so Santa Claus rode in the cockpit.  After all, he has significant experience with night flying.  Just for information, most Harrier pilots log their night time before it gets dark or while they are on the ground, so Santa was much better qualified for the actual move.

As the mini-parade left the Naval Base and moved toward the airport as a jaunty clip, we passed a bar.  No kidding – I saw, I mean Santa saw, a patron leave the bar just as the parade was passing.  He paused, looked directly at me in the cockpit.  I waved and said, “Ho, Ho, Ho!”   He promptly turned around and went back inside.  No doubt his story to the other patrons was met with disbelief.  He had either had too much, or not enough!
 
There is a very narrow stretch of road, just outside the airport, but out EXPERT ground crew navigated that stretch with apparent ease.  I am extremely impressed, as were the other onlookers.  They actually made it look easy, although at points we were moving at a snail’s pace with wing walkers and flashlights checking the outriggers against the concrete curbs or the road’s edge. The clearances were tight, but we demonstrated it could be done.  34 minutes from gate to gate with no scratches, dents, or dings!

To finalize, the airplane is back on its home turf now and we can properly assess the actual damage, the cause of the original hydraulic failure, and the best way forward.  We have a whole list of “lessons learned” that we aim to implement to improve our process and enhance safety.  As with  most everything, we continue to improve with each little “setback.”

As soon as we can predict when we should make it back in the air, I’ll let you know.  But at this point, it looks like just about…..
 
2 weeks.

Happy Holidays!

Art Nalls