A Hound Dog in Memphis
July 27-28, 1993
Well, I suppose from the title, you're expecting this to be another Memphis story, and to have something to do with Elvis Presley. And you'd be about two-thirds right. Memphis was a regular stop on what we called the "Round the Horn" trip - which consisted of a week-long trip to four or five destinations having company facilities, along with a full load of bean counters or engineers going to subject those facilities to their particular kind of scrutiny. Anyway, on the leg into Memphis one of our engine computers decided to call it quits, and without an MEL exception for that particular piece of equipment, this Round the Horn trip was done as a passenger trip. But even that wasn't the end of trouble for that day. After checking into the hotel, sweaty and exhausted from dealing with the situation, I really needed a hot shower. Only to discover the shower head was missing, and I had to shower under a solid stream of water from the pipe. At least the water was hot. I thought of calling this story "Heartbreak Hotel".
Having to stay the night and await a ferry permit, we decided to visit Graceland, since I'd never been there. Graceland these days is a real tourist trap. Back when Elvis and his Mom and Dad lived there, it was more rural. Now it's in the middle of a dense residential area. Not too far from the airport, so I don't know why I'd never been there. Across the street from the Graceland property is where Elvis' two airplanes are parked (see below). For another admission fee, you can see the inside of his airplanes. The one on the left is a Convair 880, and the one on the right, in the background, is a Lockheed Jetstar (early model with the turbojet engines). The interior of the Jetstar is about what you'd expect Elvis-style furnishings to be. He called the Convair "Lisa Marie" and the Jetstar he called "Hound Dog".
Anyway, we got the ferry authorization and deadheaded the airplane home with the engine in manual mode. Flies just fine that way, thanks for asking.
12-19-2022
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References for Non-Pilots:
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