A few months after my promotion, the colonel sent for me. He was in his office with the flight operations director and the senior pilot from our squadron.
"Josie, I'm sure you know that the Air Force has approved the design and are checking the performance of a new jet fighter trainer aircraft?"
"Yes, sir, there has been a lot of talk and speculation about it."
"They have selected you as a highly competent and mid-level experienced fast jet pilot. We want you and a less experienced but competent, fast jet pilot to join the aircraft introduction team. The trainer introduction team has accepted my proposal to put you forward with Lieutenant Amy Johnson as your number two, because you are both highly competent, are in the same flight, and are used to working together."
"One reason for this multilevel approach to developing the aircraft is that the test pilots, whilst hugely experienced, sometimes will do things automatically, that a less experienced pilot would not have picked up, and that's where you and Amy come in. How do you feel about that?"
"The second reason is your handling of the high altitude engine failure emergency in the front-line fighter. The third reason is that with the simulator software being updated, we want you, as a mid career, but experienced pilot to fly the aircraft, and when they update the simulator software, often because of your input, how well does it correspond to 'real life?'"
"Sir, that's great. I'm sure we can handle it."
"Yes, so am I, and Major Smithson has agreed with us."
"Sir, please, where does the action take place?"
"OK. Any early version of the simulator software is ready to give to pilots converting to the aircraft and learning on it. You can do that here.
"Sir, this is going to be tough, but very interesting."
"Yes, that's exactly what we think. I know I haven't directly answered the question about where it will take place. They have chosen an air base only two hundred miles away as the prime one for carrying out all this work. There's going to be a ground school about the technicalities of the aircraft that lasts about three weeks. There is online learning these days, but you will have to spend time on aircraft taking a detailed look at it. They are going to get you involved in the hands-on maintenance, so you get to see how it works. It's a new departure from our traditional methods."
"One aim of the flying is to check the actual performance and handling versus simulator software. That's where they need you, and Amy, the most. A very detailed flight recorder is being fitted to most of the project aircraft. They will show it to you. It's surprisingly small."
"Sir, life will not be boring. But please, have you spoken with Amy?"
"No, and we are going to talk to her next. We told her to be ready for a talk about an hour ago. Josie, have you heard enough for now?"
"Yes, sir, and thank you for considering us."
"OK Josie, let's see how it goes with Amy."
We stood up.
I braced, saluted, turned about and marched out.
As I went out into the corridor, Amy was standing there looking a little surprised to see me. I winked and said, "This will be fine."
Two hours later, I met a very pleased Amy.
"You accepted?"
"Yes."
The Colonel called an end-of-day parade and told the squadron what was happening. He talked about the trainer introduction and development program, and that the fast jet trainer program had selected me with Amy, what an honour it was for the squadron, etc. Lieutenant Jefferson would be a temporary flight commander until the work with the introduction team was over.
The work started. I wasn't so impressed with some of the simulator programmes. After my engine failure at altitude experience, the trainer being a single-engine aircraft; I wondered if they had adequately thought through the total loss of power at altitude. I brought this up in a considered manner at a meeting and there was an awkward silence.
"Test pilots are still working on that one."
The program was exhausting, and there was a mountain of work. Air Force personnel were under deliberate pressure for extended periods to simulate the effects of a shooting war. You can't blame them, but it took it out of you. An actual war would be worse than that. After two months of solid work on the program, they gave me a ten-day 'break' of three full weekdays off and the rest working at my regular base. Otis got a week at the base over the same time slot.
I hadn't been eating properly, but I had exercised. My bodily functions were sub-par, and I felt a little bloated.
I went to our base doctor, and it was still the same gal, Janet, who had run the tests on me.
"There's nothing like a big dose of castor oil (CO) followed by an enema of sufficient volume. It's best to use normal saline for the enema warmed to 39C and I can give you all the kit. It's old-fashioned and unpleasant, but it's so predictable and it works so well. When will you do it?"
"Tomorrow morning on an empty stomach. Otis will be home, as I want someone there in case I don't feel too good."
"Good luck with it. Don't do it more often than once a month. I'm sure that's not all you will do!"
"Naughty!"
That evening, I outlined to Otis what I wanted to do. My enjoyment of sex wasn't as good as usual, and it was critical to fix that. The next day was Saturday.
