We are go for launch 15-03-09

Today's the day we are going to see the space shuttle launch after the earlier delay due to the shuttle having a fuel leak.

I arrived at the airport planning on being a passenger and was going to let one of the other guys fly. Upon arriving I found out that the guys had done the weight and balance and to carry enough fuel to get to Melbourne (Just south of Orlando) and back without having to refuel would mean that they could only carry 3 people.

This meant that Steve and Myself wouldn't be able to go which was disappointing. Speaking to the guy on reception he said they had a plane spare (N2236B) and I could take it. Fortunately I had brought most of my stuff with me but Steve had never flown a PA28 so I had to fly. Within about 10 minutes Steve and I had planned what we were going to do and set off to check the aircraft. With so little time to prep Steve and I divided up the tasks of managing the aircraft (I flew and had him support me by looking up radio frequencies and verifying my position fixes etc).

All went well and the flight took 1hr 30Min's and we arrived at Melbourne, Fl. The guys had hired 2 cars for the 12 of us and the first 3 guys didn't want to wait so took their car and shot off. This meant that 8 of us had to fit into a little Mazda 2 (3 in the front, 3 in the back and 2 in the boot). We made it to our viewing point (a little bemused and squashed) after sitting in an hour of traffic jumped out and waited.

"Whats that over there!" I herd one of the guys shout, I looked and it was as if a giant explosion had gone off and the sky to the North East glowed as if looking at a flame through fog. The light rose and the ground trembled, higher and higher the shuttle climbed as we saw the booster rockets drop off and the shuttle carry on into space. Overall it took less than 2 minutes but was impressive to watch first hand and it is supposed to be one of the last of these shuttle launches I was so glad to have seen it.

We all piled into the Mazda and headed back to the airport, I took off from Melbourne around 9:10pm (Eastern Time) and headed back to Naples. As I have mentioned in the past I really enjoy night flying as its so calm and quiet plus this time the flight was for pleasure and I had no instructor telling me what to do. Half way back I was flying through the everglades which is mostly swamp and at night is pitch black (not somewhere you want an engine failure as you can't see whats beneath you) I noticed the engine was running a little rough so went through the normal rough running drill and it seemed to clear.

I carried on and approached Naples Airport (which had closed for the night) I got the weather and nominated landing on runway 05. The landing was perfect and smooth (even if I do say so myself and even Steve commented on how nice it was). Rolling down the runway towards our exit and the ramp suddenly the engine cuts out! Its totally dead! I run though the engine restart checks but there is no life in the aircraft anymore.

I broadcast to all aircraft and services in the area that we have had an engine failure and are blocking runway 05. We managed to push the aircraft off to the nearest taxi way which we thought would have been the safer than blocking a runway at night and then the emergency services arrive.

Steve and I spent the next hour filling out witness statements and on the phone to the Air Center owner etc before we were allowed to go home. Time for bed as I'm flying again tomorrow at 10AM EST. At least I wont be flying N2236B that's for sure!