Confession Corner

Everyone has a story. This is especially true if you have been associated with aviation in any way. In this case, anyway, means as a pilot, flight crew member, aircraft passenger, witness, etc. Hopefully, after individuals read this request and give the subject some thought, they will start to recall a number of interesting and/or humorous events.

Whether Confession Corner survives or not depends on the response to this plea requesting your contributions. You do not have to be a professional writer or have a Ph.D.

The AAHS is interested in short stories concerning aviation, not whether or not your grammar, spelling, etc., is correct. Let AAHS staff members worry about those problems. If successful, Confession Corner should be a learning, interesting and enjoyable segment of the AAHS Journal.

Like you, I am no professional writer, but will kick off the program by submitting what I considered my three most hairy landings. I expect to read your stories in future issues of Confession Corner articles. If I can do it – anybody can.

Sidney M. Yahn (USAF, Ret.)

T-33 Cross-Country Flight
In 1955, while flying alone early one evening in a Lockheed T-33 over the state of Montana, my right wing-tip fuel tank would not feed. A malfunction of the tip tank release mechanism was realized when attempts to jettison the tanks manually and electrically were unsuccessful. It was impossible to maintain lateral control below 150 kts. Add to this the fact that it was snowing hard and starting to get dark. I was over rugged terrain, so ejecting was not seriously considered, but . . .