 Suspense and The producer of radio's outstanding theater of thrills the master of mystery and adventure William M. Robeson Take a deep breath and let it out slowly and once more No, this is not a Caprice. It is a thoughtful precaution Fill your lungs well now For you will be holding your breath for the next 30 minutes as you live through the long night With Frank Lovejoy a tale well calculated to keep you in United 404 this is Rockford Tower maintain present altitude until further advised over Delta 318 this is Rockford radio go ahead Delta 318 Control tower 90 feet up in the sky over Rockford Field waiting to go on the night watch And you'll listen to the babble of voices that fill the crowded room in an endless series of requests Request for altitude change request for landing permission request for the weather Here is the nine o'clock weather low straightest clouds over the entire Mississippi Valley spreading out over the central states Visibility two miles ceiling 2,200 feet and lowering steadily smoke smoke haze and fog and a ceiling getting lower every minute You look out through the tinted glass windows into the misty night and you think of the strangers overhead in and above the clouds and You wonder if they too feel the hush as the long night begins You wonder if the strangers with a throb of engines and a harsh rasp of many voices in their ears can feel the stillness You look around the tower room you look and you listen to the voices And you're glad every time a ship touches down safely on the long light lines Okay, brother Ken, you can have it for me. It's been a long day traffic been heavy and started sort of slow But it's building up. I got three converging on the outer marker and two inbound on the range It's all here on the board for you. Yeah, okay, we're beginning to stack up over Chicago, but that's their worry Yeah, and they can have it. Yeah. Well, happy landings. Yeah, it's a long time Hello TWA 70 this is Rockford. We have straightest cloud ceiling of 2,000 visibility under two miles smoke haze and fog on the ground Five inbound inside the 20 mile range one conveyor and two DC sevens outbound on the red 70 requesting change of flight plan to land your field instead of Roger TWA I'll notify Chicago and clear you in give us a call when you pass the Milburn Hills Rockford out If Chicago a call Mike tell them their flight 70 is terminating here Hello Beachcraft and nine one four five seven this is Rockford town I've been homing on your range and apparently my automatic direction finder isn't working right. I think I'm lost Stand by four five seven Check the flight file. Will you Mike see if he's on it? Rockford if you are please give me a call. This is Rockford. We're reading you fine beach hold on a second Find anything on a mic? No, there's nothing here Ken. No flight plan. Okay Hello Beachcraft and nine one four five seven this is Rockford tower. What seems to be the trouble with your idea? I don't know exactly Rockford. I'm not too familiar with this equipment But I don't think it's working right because I've been changing from one range to another just like I was told to him They ought to have been somewhere over Minneapolis long ago, and I'm not All right Beachcraft will work something out for you. Where are you flying from? Indianapolis headed on a direct flight to Minneapolis That's right Rockford. I set my automatic direction finder just exactly the way I was told to when they installed it Did you make any visual checks against what your ADF showed? I'm sorry. I didn't get that Did you check your course when you passed over the airways rain stations by looking at visual ground objects like Signs on the top of oil tanks telling you what city you were over anything like that No, I'm afraid I didn't I thought my ADF was working, so I didn't think about anything else Okay, now. What was your last known position last? Well I'm trying to think I Guess the last time I positively knew where I was was when I departed Indianapolis. What time was that about? 530 maybe 545 530 Verify that time that would be more than three hours enroute. You should be well out of my range Yeah, I know but I've been circling for more than an hour Trying to make the ADF work and looking for Rockford. What is your remaining fuel supply? Well, I guess there's no use kidding myself. I think I've got about 45 minutes Maybe at the very best an hour Well, here is the situation the weather here is solid overcast at 600 visibility one mile in smoke and haze Do you see any towns rivers highways that you can identify? Beachcraft did you say you were on top? At what altitude 457 take a good look around you are there any breaks in the overcast Can you see any holes any thin spots in the area at all? Are you an instrument pilot? I mean are you checked out on instruments? Do do you have instrument training? You look at the clock 904 you look at the clock and mentally give yourself 45 minutes 45 minutes to find him bring him in and get him on the ground You check the latest weather chart, and you don't like what you see Your mouth feels dry. You reach for a cigarette as you punch the mic button and do the next thing that must be done Rockford Tower to all planes working this frequency. We have an emergency repeat. We have an emergency Please maintain radio silence on this frequency until further notice out a Rockford Tower to Beachcraft and 91457 Come in 457. Okay, Rockford Tell me how did you get on top? I'm straight out to five thousand and later while I was trying to get the ADF working I found myself on top It just happened. Yes. Are you familiar with range orientation? No, I don't know anything about that either. I'm just a businessman with a new airplane I know only enough about the radio to tune in the stations. I Know I'm lost though and need help these gas tanks aren't getting any forward. Yes. I know 457. I understand Sure you understand, but he doesn't he knows he's lost and he needs help he understands that But he doesn't know what the odds are on getting him straightened out and over the field and then getting him down through that solid layer of clouds You fight down a sudden urge to push the microphone button and scream at him To tell him that nobody forced him into an airplane. He hardly knew how to fly Nobody forced him to take off on a long night cross-country and weather suitable only for experienced professionals But you know, there's no time for hindsight. There's hardly any time for hope So you push the black button and you try to sound calm Hello 457. This is Rockford Tower. Now listen to me carefully. Are you reading me? Okay? Yeah, hello Rockford. I'm hearing you fine loud and clear. All right now I'm going to try to get a fix on you, but Before I do I want you to know what the situation is I'm sure I can find you. I'm reasonably sure I can get you over the airport before you're out of fuel I am not sure though that we can get you on the ground. Do you understand? No, no, I don't understand. I've lost them about gas and I don't understand why we're wasting time talking about it You get me over an airport and then we'll worry about getting on the ground. All right, but you understand this It's my job to help find you. It's my job to help you find the airport and I'll do everything I can to get you on the ground But flying that airplane through those clouds will be the hardest thing you've ever done in your life Do you understand that? Okay, I understand What are we going to do? Now we're going to orient you by radio and bring you in over the Rockford Airport. I Will tell you what must be done, but you have got to do it. I can't fly your airplane for you. Do you understand? Yeah, okay, Rockford. I understand You know the standard procedures for range orientation you run over every step of them a million times for just this kind of emergency That's one of the reasons you're up here in this modern Tower of Babel on these long nights But you've got two strikes against you on this one Time you read the clock at 9.07 and a fool in an airplane I'm Mike. Yeah, I can get your cargo control center on the horn I have some to set up an alert of all facilities within a hundred miles Are you better get him to clear all altitudes in the area below six thousand feet? Okay, we'll do you know I don't know whether to try to get him down through the clouds now and then try to bring him in or Whether to get him over us on top and then let him down where we won't lose radio contact if he gets too low Well, it's souped up all across the valley Ken you might get him down through it But if he's too far out he'd have no chance of getting here under the ceiling. Yeah, yeah And if I don't get him started it's something he'll be out of fuel anyway, and it won't matter I'm gonna bring him in on top. Okay. I'll check whether very closely Ken if I hear of any breaks. I'll give it to you Good. Thank you Hello four five seven. This is Rockford Tower Yeah, okay Rockford I'm going to speak very distinctly and if you don't understand any part of what I tell you come in and break me off It's vital that you understand me. Is that clear? Yeah, I understand. Okay Now I want you to listen very closely to my range signal put everything else out of your mind listen and describe Exactly what you hear Is that the range? That's right. What does it sound like? Okay, four five seven now. Is it loud or soft? Okay, that's the end quadrant Now I want you to tune to the Madison, Wisconsin range and tell me what you hear Okay, wait a minute I've got the Madison range. What does it say? It's just like the other only backwards Did I did I that's right? I Can hardly hear it, but it's there. All right. Yeah, okay four five seven. That's the a quadrant Now I want you to try the aurea and then Chicago Rockford Madison the aurea Chicago four corners to check for Four radio sounds that you hope he's reading correctly You finish the check and he comes through without a bobble and you know you have him fixed You know at least his direction from you You take a deep breath and for the first time you feel a tiny flicker of hope that you're going to find your stranger and get him in All right But you're a long way from home. You'll light another cigarette and push the black microphone button hard Now listen carefully four five seven. I'm going to run a check procedure on you I want you to take up a northeast heading Turn your volume down as low as you can and still receive my range signal At the very moment you detect the change in signal strength either higher or lower advise me Hello four five seven can you hear me? Do you hear me Beachcraft four five seven? I read you now. I lost you for a second, but I hear your range signal now Did you get all of my last transmission? I think I can do it my gauges indicate empty tanks. There's some gas left. I know but I have no idea how much Do you know where I am? I'm quite sure of your direction from me, and I believe I know how far out you are within say 20 miles If what you've told me is correct. I estimate you have 30 minutes fuel remaining I believe your gauges are indicating normally now try to concentrate on doing just what I've told you to do I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful and I Realize you can't afford mistakes But I can't last much longer. I'm not trying to hurry you, but the gauges say empty and my son is getting sick You didn't say anything about having any passengers aboard how many are there of you Just my son and me is the air off is there turbulence? No, no, but you said your son is getting sick Yes, you see he's only nine and he's getting scared. That's what's making him sick You don't say anything for a long minute You just stare out into the miserable night and your thoughts are not nice You think of your own kid and you thank God he's home safely in bed And you know now if you didn't know it before that you've got to bring these strangers home You reach for the microphone button, but before you push it the voice is You didn't answer I'm reading you four five seven I heard everything you said now listen to me carefully You should be approaching my west course close into the station. I Want you to listen closely and describe any change in your signal? I won't call you you call me when you hear anything change Okay, we go as much louder now, and I'm getting more of a continuous tone in my earphones Although I can still hear that other signal alright four five seven. That's fine. That's good now listen carefully Turn your volume down a little more And when you no longer hear that other signal and when the continuous tone is loud and clear And when you hear nothing but the continuous tone At that time I want you to turn right to a heading of nine three degrees magnetic. Is that clear? I Yeah, I think so you think so you've got to know so When you hear nothing but a tone when there's nothing but a loud buzz in your ears I want you to turn right to nine three degrees on your compass. Do you understand me? Yes, I understand Turn right to 90 to nine three degrees on the compass when I hear a loud tone. That's correct The tone is strong now. I don't hear the other signal Nothing, but the tone shall I yes turn right turn to nine three degrees and advise Advise when on course when on nine three degrees advise Of course now on ninety three. All right good Target control center has everything cleared on the six thousand there monitoring the calls to okay, Mike. Thanks a lot. What's the time? 940 straight up 940 that's 12 minutes to make it in Hello four five seven You're approaching the range now. You're almost over the station the range is about two miles from where I'm sitting The signal you hear will continue to increase in volume until you cross the range At that time it will fade out quickly for a moment. You may hear nothing then it will increase again rapidly Now at the very instant your signal fades I want you to make an immediate left turn to a heading of four or five degrees Magnetic take that heading and advise understand Mike get on the phone and alert the local police and fire departments Tell them what we've got and to be on the lookout for a fast move Get all the lights on on the field the runway markers when we get him down through this He won't have any time to spend looking for the field. Okay, we'll do that is if we get him down through it You'll add another cigarette you watch the clock on the desk You try to keep your mind clear to think ahead to think of everything that can possibly happen And the waiting is worse than anything yet You keep reaching for that microphone wanting to call him to ask him why he doesn't tell you he's over the range And you know he hasn't called you because he isn't over the range yet And you wait and you wait And then it comes loud and clear Roger four five seven you're doing fine now come left to four five Straight and level hold it until I tell you different. I'll call you back. I think you got him Ken Well, if he's where he ought to be we should hear him in about 20 seconds I'm going out the platform and listen call me if he calls in okay You stand on the steel grating of that tower platform and you try to hear over the sounds from the field below You strain your ears for a sound that should come to you out of the southwest And you've never wanted to hear anything so much in your life And then you hold your breath you stop breathing to hear better And it's there A single engine singing a quiet sweet sound and approaching directly on course You flick your burning cigarette out of the black space and stumble back into the tower room You grab the mic and you almost shout into it Four five seven four five seven. This is rockford. You're over the field. I hear you clearly Start a 360 turn immediately and orbit in your present area Beginning of 360 For god's sake tell me what to do this engine is ready to quit You snap a look at the clock 946 5 maybe 6 minutes more if you're lucky 6 minutes At the outside to get him lined up properly for a straight in approach to talk him down through 4 000 feet of solid clouds 6 minutes to bring off a miracle You'll waste 15 precious seconds debating the best way to do it All along up to now you've planned it this way A good steady full-scale power approach knows up a little flaps down just enough power on exactly right Your mind has told you that this was the ticket the only answer With a good steadier plain no turbulence to speak of well trimmed and hands off he might just make it he might But suddenly you're not sure Maybe if he could pull his power slower down trimmer slow and steady a touch of flaps that might be the answer That might do it It would save precious gas if he missed his approach or he goofed up in the clouds He could get back on top for another try maybe You push the microphone button hard and try to sound calm 457 I hear you plainly. You're circling the airport. There isn't time to talk this out You'll have to do exactly what I tell you the first time and do it right. There simply isn't time enough Oh, wait a minute. Do you have shoots? Do you have parachutes aboard? No no parachutes All right, uh 457 we'll have to do it this way now listen to what I have to say you don't have to talk just listen Come around to a due west heading due west As you do start slowing her down Slow her down and trim her up for a power approach a normal power approach. Do you understand? Don't talk to me bring her around head west with the power on Slow her down flaps down to approach position trimmer up make her steady Advise when you're headed west and slowed down 10 15 20 Where is 25? 457 are you there 457? I'm trying to get her steady I'm trying to do what you told me. All right 457. Don't talk advice went on course I'm on 270 now slowing down I know you don't know all we can do is try down to 80 now Flaps down and power on Roger continue trimming her trimmer down good Adjust your power and trimmer until she's descending at a steady 500 feet per minute. That's 500 per minute Trimmer good. Do you understand? Trimmer so good that she will let down at 500 feet per minute with your hands off You get that with your hands off I understand Now 457 You're going to bring her around very slowly and precisely to an east heading You're going to handle her very gently so she won't fall off on you flying so slow You hear me Yes, I hear you Let her continue to settle at 500 feet a minute Just bring her around slowly to the east recover and then take your hands off the controls She won't fly with my hands off. She will fly. She'll fly better than you can now listen to me When you are eastbound hands off She will descend slowly into the clouds after you're in the clouds do not touch the controls I don't think I then don't think do as I tell you Now when you get in the clouds everything will change for you You will think the airplane is all wrong that it's doing everything that it shouldn't do If you leave it alone, it will start a slow spiral to the left But I don't think it'll be enough to do any harm until you've broken out under the ceiling Now whatever it does you will think it's going to the right or up or down or even spinning But it won't be doing any of those things unless you make it do them Now don't touch it Now are you eastbound? I'm eastbound. Yes Take your hands off the controls. But I take your hands off now Okay Hands are off Now let her have it let her fly herself Ken the ceiling's on the 600 feet that doesn't give him much time to recover and get his bearings when he breaks out But it's all we can do. It's all anybody can do You sit there waiting only too aware of what can be happening in the cabin of beachcraft 457 Sweating out each second of time with a terrified pilot in his deathly scared kid You wonder if this man this stranger and yet no longer a stranger Could keep his fantasies under control for that long letdown The lonely long letdown through total darkness with nothing but a great fear for a companion A minute goes by and another and then Get off those controls cut the throttle Well, she's going to stall give her the throttle slowly keep your hands off except the throttle She'll climb back out on top if you keep your hands off her Two minutes wasted more than two minutes because he couldn't believe what you told him you had him and then you lost it And now if the teacup of gas still in his tanks holds out if he gets back on top You still have it to do all over again You begin to feel the long night closing in on you He's almost calm when he calls you back this time you can almost hear his sigh of relief Hello rockford I'm back on top now good Maybe we have time for one more try now. Let's try it with the power off this time You may lose your engine before you can get no use rockford It's just no use I can't do it I was fine until I got into those clouds I just couldn't sit there and do nothing I just couldn't I know I can't do it again Listen, there's time. There's time for another try Forget it The engine just quit That's it rockford. Well, you can still do it. Forget it You're wasting your time I just want to say Hello four five seven Hello Hello beach. Hello four five seven He can't hear you his hands floors to the mic Yeah You better hit the crash button Roger A rockford tower to all planes awaiting landing instructions The emergency is over Normal radio procedure is now in effect Rockford Over and out In which frank lovejoy starred in the long night adapted by sam pierce from the atlantic monthly story by lowell d blanton Listen Listen again next week when radio is outstanding theater of thrills brings you another tale well calculated to keep you in Suspense suspense is produced and directed in hollywood by william n robson Included in tonight's cast were stacey harris byron kane court falconberg sam pierce and jack crucian The original musical score was composed and conducted by paul barron Sound patterns by ray kemper and bill james With jack benny and his gang back on the air each sunday. There's just no excuse for a frown Later on today and every sunday get in on the fun on the lighthearted jack benny show It's always a joy to hear Stay tuned for five minutes of cbs news to be followed over most of these same stations by indictment