These questions cycled through her head as the aircraft grew closer.
“We better get below, ma’am,” the chief said to her.
“Yes,” Macho replied, trying to process the news that Trench was in extremis. Despite the fact she considered him her mortal enemy, she wanted to stay and watch — not to watch the train wreck, but to provide support, to see him make it for herself. She didn’t want this, but stepped to the deck edge and down a ladder, taking another look at Trench as the formation drew closer. Unable to force herself to go below, she disobeyed and stayed in the starboard bow catwalk forward of the foul line — and waited.
* * *
Through habit, the controller called to Trench one last time; “Three-zero-two, on and on, three-quarter mile—”
“You’re on and on, Trench! Workin’ twenty-six knots, clear deck!” From the LSO platform, Rat jumped on the radio to reassure the pilot that he “had” him now, even though the ship’s equipment was still flying Trench down to the deck.
In the cockpit, Trench could sense the ship’s wake below and a mass of gray ahead of him. The ride was smooth despite the jerky movement of the throttles. Next to him, Annie slid further away and leveled off at 200 feet. Rat was in control now.
“About a half-mile, Trench. You’re on and on.”
“Roger,” Trench answered. Knowing he was seconds from touchdown — or ejection — his breathing had become rapid and clipped.
“On glideslope… onnn glideslope,” Rat continued with his comforting calls.
Trench then felt the throttles under his hand stop moving. Panicked, he keyed the mike for help. “Manual throttles!”
This call electrified the LSOs and, behind him, Rat heard Coach call to him. “He’s settling!” Rat was on top of it and transmitted.
“Roger, manual. You are in-close, a little power.”
Nobody involved with the evolution had experienced this before. With five seconds to touchdown, Trench now had to manually manipulate his throttles, requiring a delicate touch even with pilots who could see. The ship had his flight controls, but now Trench had to add and retract power through the throttles from calls Rat gave him. Trench responded to Rat by adding a shot of power. Rat fought to remain calm as Trench was now getting too fast.
“Easy with it, you’re fast…. On glideslope, fast, approaching the ramp.”
Approaching the ship’s flight deck ramp, the flight controls could not keep up with the erratic throttle movements. With a routine advisory cockpit tone and the stick seeming dead in his hand, Trench knew he had both controls, elevating his fear.