KAHLIA AKASHA

He must remember that he had no oxygen mask on so he must not go above eighteen thousand or he could lose consciousness; if the pressurised cockpit failed, he would die a slow asphyxiated death. He levelled off at sixteen thousand even though an exited voice in his head said “Climb!”, “Climb!”. He did a speed test, still at max throttle: his rate of speed increased breathtakingly! She was a quick little thing with 4,500 shp pushing her along in the turbulent free sky.

A flight path over Lancashire to the Yorkshire border, a stunning black airplane well worth a second glance. Red stars on her wings, tail and fuselage from another time, yet living history right here, part of her history. Top speed coming up. An indicated air speed of five hundred and ninety miles an hour, Mach 0.85, level flight; just think, with one quick push of the stick and she could go supersonic given enough height. A feeling of freedom, a rush of clear air and a vista of blue and perfect view, hills, fields and towns below.

At Kahlia Akasha’s maximum height of fifty thousand feet she could reach six hundred and thirty miles an hour due to the high thin air. At sea level this became five hundred and forty five miles an hour. For five minutes he kept this speed, then stick full forward with his right hand and a vertical dive. He screamed with pure joy as the g-forces took hold and briefly lifted him out of his seat as level became the vertical. Down, down, down, horizon shifting crazily, ground coming up, details swam into focus, positive g-load taking hold pressing him into the seat, hard. Three g’s as they screamed downwards, seconds left to pull up as details below come into view – a copse of trees, a small lake and farm buildings. Pull up!

Down to three thousand now, a ground height of 1,200 here. Stick way back, a madman’s pull, make the flight computer work. What a rush! Seven g’s coming on, pushing his head down and blurring my vision to red, grey and almost black. Scream, shaking his head, he can beat this, he must beat it or oblivion will take them – we will avoid the ground and fly, fly, fly. And we do, yes we do.

KAHLIA AKASHA - JOY OF FLIGHT

KAHLIA AKASHA - ISFAHAN NUCLEAR STRIKE

KAHLIA AKASHA - FINAL FLIGHT

A series of short stories by Nick Armbrister