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<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><strong style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><u style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red">THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS</span></u></strong><u style="font-family:arial,helvetica"></u></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red">T’was the night before Christmas all over the place,<br>
When we were confronted by the old flying ace.<br>
There was icing reported and turbulent air,<br>
He said, "File me a flight plan, I gotta get there".</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:rgb(83,129,53)">Outside sat his aircraft already at the gate,<br>
And the old man walked out to his T-28.<br>
"Bad weather's no problem," he silently mumbled,<br>
The prop came to life, and that big Wright rumbled.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red"> He eased in the throttle, the roar shook the ground,<br>
He taxied on out and turned it around.<br>
He went through the run-up and seemed satisfied,<br>
Then he said to himself, "Tonight I'm in for a ride."</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red"> </span></b><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:rgb(83,129,53)">So he lined it up straight as he poured on the coal,<br>
The airspeed came up as he started to roll.<br>
Up off the runway, he sucked up the gear,<br>
And that mighty 1820 was all you could hear.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red"> He screamed overhead with a deafening cracks,<br>
Blue flames flying from each of six stacks.<br>
"He pulled up the nose and started to climb,<br>
No ice on that airframe, it didn't have time.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red"> </span></b><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:rgb(83,129,53)">On top of the weather with the levers all set,<br>
He looked up above him and saw a Bizjet.<br>
"With jet fuel and turbines there just ain't no class,<br>
Give me pistons, and props and <i style="font-family:arial,helvetica">lots </i>of avgas!"</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red">Now he was approaching where he wanted to go.<br>
But the weather had covered the runway with ice and snow.<br>
How will he land it? We just have to guess, <br>
Because the only way in was a full I-L-S.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:rgb(83,129,53)">Then over the outer marker, he started his run,<br>
The ceiling was zero, visibility...none.<br>
Still going two hundred and he felt the need,<br>
For an overhead break to drop his speed.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:red">Over the numbers he zoomed, along like a flash,<br>
Pulled into his break, we all knew he would crash.<br>
Oh, why do they do it on this kind of night??<br>
Then over the threshold, we saw his landing light.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,helvetica" align="center"><b style="font-family:arial,helvetica"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica;color:rgb(83,129,53)">“I'm on a short final with all three down,”<br>
Hope there is enough runway, the T28 doesn’t do well on a go-round.<br>
Then he tied down that Trojan, and they all heard him say, <br>
"Next year, I'm stickin' with my reindeer and sleigh…". <br>
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<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica">Merry Christmas and Best wishes to all T-28ers.
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