Two hundred airplanes were planning to depart from a small airport at the exact same time: midnight. Most were jets. There was one ground power unit available for the entire lot. One of the field’s two runways was closed. This gave us something to think about. In fact, we had all day to contemplate the intricacies of Part 135 flying, duty hour limitations and cold coffee.
What was the occasion, you ask? Florida State was playing Notre Dame in Tallahassee, Florida, on Oct. 18. RJ Bruland and I were to take six Seminole fans back home to Kissimmee, Florida, after the game. Another crew was to take them to Tallahassee midafternoon before the game. The game was scheduled for 8 p.m., according to ESPN. We and the other crew were to wait for the outcome of the contest to come out and then fly everybody home. The other crew, which was scheduled to rest at a day room in a Tallahassee hotel, was destined for Trenton, New Jersey. It looked like a late night for all of us.
