Pilot of Many Talents

Words and music by Bobby Angel

“Safety briefing, manifest, extinguisher’s on the wall. Seatbelts are fastened,” and then in he made his call. By the look on his face I could tell that he missed me as we poured back some shots of Six Romeo Whiskey. His Man Card was long, but he’d never boast. He didn’t like to spread too much butter on that toast. “Don’t need no Garmin or iPhone tool.” He got where he was going using visual rules. Heard him before I saw him there, taller than the pine trees, five hundred feet in the air. “Gather what you got, get ready for the ride.” Next thing I knew we were flying 5 Miles downstream through crystal blue sky

He wasn’t a mercenary, nor was he cheap to rent, but trust me when I say he was worth every cent

He was a pilot of many talents

“Driving on asphalt is slow as molasses. I know a shortcut, I’ll meet you at Oasis.” Safe and sound and fashionably late. He landed soft as a feather using Auto-Rotate. He said pigs aren’t a problem, panthers took care of that. Don’t mean there ain’t a IHOG breathing down myback. When will we return, said he couldn’t say. He works in a different space and time where there’s 8 weeks in a day. “See them tractor trailers, they really look like ants, an that ORV trail remind me of a giant pair of corduroy pants.” “A flock of Ivory Bills!” Then we heard a thump … Don’t worry about that, it’s just a hydro flight getting bumped.

Some people said he had a sixth sense, but it was the 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, and tenth

That made him  a pilot with many talents

Somebody shouted, “We got fire in the hills.” Don’t worry about that, I know a man named Bill. We’ll raise him on the radio or put a pie on the ledge. “Did you know that botanologically sawgrass is a sedge?” Fire spread quick, everyone ran for cover.“ This thing is rapidly turning into one big mother!” “Get me some more buckets, top ‘em up high. If you ever saw the movie you’d know Bambi wasn’t a girl but a guy.” It was mutiny in the swamp when he said that he’d retire. It was 105 heat index but I swear he didn’t even perspire. Young bucks all around him were getting ready to fade. “You gotta pump a lot of iron if you don’t stand in the shade.”

Pacing back and forth, General’s in his tent, smiling at his order that only one man be sent

He was a pilot of many talents

He won’t eat no Twinkie, says raisins are healthier fare. Once he was tied down by some skunk apes and he didn’t even scare. Then up from the pond apple came a python snake he fended it off with a chocolate Hostess Cup Cake. Then it got away, it slithered ‘round the bend. He followed it waste deep until bitter end. But he didn’t give up, then Plan B rang like a Bell as he checked into the second floor at Two Bravo Hotel. Didn’t believe in legends, “That’s a bunch of baloney,” until he was rescued by midgets on a herd of tiny ponies. They took him to their hideout where they light a lamp. “I always wondered about this place, I thought it was a trespass camp.”

Could go either way, it was a mission in the balance. Braver than the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

He was a pilot of many talents

Some people knew him as the Eye in the Sky, but we all knew him just as one laid back guy. He’d go up and over, more than I ever deserved. His favorite type of jam was saw palmetto preserves. How many flight hours? He wouldn’t fathom a guess. Gators can’t remember but we we’ll never forget. “You do what you do, I’d even do it for nada. Now I’m sitting in Islamorada sipping on a pina colada.” He was very magnamonious, he’d never pick a side, or at least he’d never show his hand when he took you for a ride. He knew if he did, it would probably cause a skism. “Let’s leave it that I like to work with all the people in every division.”

Sometimes I thank God for all the angels he sent, but there was one who was more equal than all the rest

He was a pilot of many talents