FID: Cleared for Takeoff

What would “Flight into Darkness” be without a flight into darkness? So it looks like the story is going to have a few scenes with an airplane in it. What better airplane to use than the one I am most familiar with and spent many, many, many hours flying—the Boeing 767.

This is going to be a "crash" course in how to fly a Boeing 767 commercial jet... I'm going to teach you just enough to make reading “Flight into Darkness” more interesting.

Boeing 767


Boeing 767

Most of you have probably been a passenger on a B-767 or B-757, but just in case you haven’t, the picture above is a Boeing 767. It is a twin-engine, two-pilot, wide-body jet airliner that has been in service since 1982 and is in currently in service with over 40 airlines.

There are 3 basic variants of the 767, differing in fuselage length (767-200; 767-300; 767-400) and 6 different models (767-200; 767-200ER; 767-300; 767-300ER; 767-300F; 767-400ER) of the basic design (not including military designs). Pilot certification for the B-767 type rating authorizes a pilot to fly all variants and models, including the B-757 and its different variants and models. Pilots working for airlines that operate both B-757s and B-767s might show up for work and be assigned to fly any of the numerous models of either jet.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

 In the novel, there will be a scene(s) at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The location of LAX is west of Los Angeles, on the Pacific coast. The primary direction for takeoffs (and landings), due to the prevailing winds and noise abatement, is west over the Pacific.



LAX Airport - overhead view

There are two sets of parallel runways, one set on the north side of the terminal area and one to the south side. The runways are named in relation to the compass and in the direction that takeoffs are being made. On the south side of the terminal, facing west, the runways are 25L and 25R (corresponding to 250 degrees on the compass and “L” for left and “R” for right). On the north side of the terminal area, the west-facing runways are 24L and 24R.



LAX runway diagram

Aircraft departing LAX are assigned a departure runway based on their destination. For example, destinations to the west (i.e., Hawaii, Japan, etc.) or north-northeast (San Francisco, Seattle, etc.) will normally use the runways on the north side of the airfield. Aircraft departing LAX for destinations to the south (San Diego, Mexico, Central America, etc.) and southeast (Miami, Dallas, New York, etc.) will normally use the runways on the south side of the airfield. In addition, departing aircraft use the inside runways (runways closest to the center of the airfield) 25R and 24L.

In the novel, the runway that will be used at LAX is 25R. At the end of this post, you will have the opportunity to make an actual takeoff from runway 25R at LAX. It is a daytime takeoff. In the novel, it is takeoff "into the darkness".



Runway 25R - LAX

Flight Management System (FMS)


Boeing 767 Cockpit

A comment a pilot often hears from passengers who glance into the cockpit: “I hope you know what all those buttons, switches, dials and gauges do.” To the untrained eye, it does look like a mess, but, in reality, everything is very organized and orderly, and the pilots “do” know what every button, switch, dial, and gauge does.



Flight Management Computer (FMS) - CPU

I want to introduce you to a specialized computer that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that a flight engineer or navigator is no longer needed. You will read about this computer in the novel. As a side note, the 9/11 hijackers used these computers to route the planes to their targets by simply entering the latitude and longitude.

The primary function of this computer is in-flight management of the flight plan. It is called a Flight Management System (FMS) and is controlled from the cockpit using a Control Display Unit (CDU) which incorporates a small screen and keyboard. Using various sensors to determine the aircraft’s position, the FMS can guide the aircraft’s autopilot along the flight plan. In the photo below, there are two CPUs located on the forward portion of the console by the pilots knees.



B-767 Cockpit Console

The flight plan is generally determined on the ground, before departure, by one of the airline's dispatchers. It is then typed into the FMS by the pilot, or selected from a saved library of common routes (Company Routes), or downloaded via a datalink with the airline dispatch center.



B-767 Cockpit - Loading/Checking Flight Plan

During preflight, other information relevant to managing the flight plan is entered by the pilots. This can include performance information such as gross weight, fuel weight, and center of gravity. It will also include departure and cruise altitudes. The pilot can use the FMS to modify the flight plan in flight for a variety of reasons.

Military Intercept

It has been standard operating procedures for decades to immediately intercept off-course planes that do not respond to communications from air traffic controllers.



Military Fighters Intercepting a Boeing 767

When the Air Force "scrambles" a fighter plane to intercept a target, they usually reach the plane in question in minutes. The military fighter(s) will then fly next to the non-responsive plane, and rock their wings—a way to say "follow me" to a nearby airport. An example when this might be necessary is if the plane has lost its radio equipment. If the intercepted plane refuses to respond (not good), there is a graduated series of actions the Air Force can use—firing tracer bullets in front of the plane, even shooting it down if it is a threat.

F-16 -- Fresno, AFB - California Air National Guard

This is analogous to police pulling motorists over. Every driver in the US knows that when a police car behind them turns on their lights or siren, they are supposed to pull over, just like every pilot knows that when an Air Force fighter pulls beside them, they are supposed to follow their orders.

The video below is without sound. It will give you an idea of what it might look like if you were a passenger in a commercial airliner and happend to look out your window and see that your flight had been intercepted by F-16s. Normally, the F-16s would first assume a position where the pilots could see them.

The airspace over the northeastern US is among the busiest on the planet. It is home to the nation's political, military and financial headquarters, the largest population concentrations, and key strategic facilities. A jumbo jet in this area suddenly changing direction and altitude, and refusing to respond to air traffic controllers would be as dangerous as a truck on a busy rush-hour freeway driving the wrong way at full speed. When planes go off course in this busy environment, instant reactions make the difference between life and death—which is why NORAD (North American Air Defense) practices these kinds of scenarios, and instantly scrambles fighters when there is any hint of a problem. About 26 bases around the country have fighters armed and ready to scramble on 10 minutes notice.

F-16 - Fresno, AFB

After 9/11, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) increased cooperation. They set up hotlines between command centers while NORAD increased its fighter coverage and installed radar to watch airspace over the continent.

Now you know everything you need to know to grab the controls of a B-767 and blast off on your “Flight into Darkness”. This 6 minute flight is very authentic. The camera view is from the copilot seat.

FTP: Fictional Reality

Grounded in a sense of reality, "Flight to Paradise" takes readers on a journey that blends the real world with the imagined. In this post, I will take you to some of the places and events that give life to the story.

The Hotel del Coronado - San Diego, California

This grand hotel is the setting for several scenes in the novel. One scene in particular takes place on the wide beach in front of the hotel. In this scene, Ryan Mitchell and Rex Dean engage two girls: Emily Anderson and Kate Morgan. In the following video clip learn more about the Hotel del Coronado and Kate Morgan.

F-14 Tomcats – Air Combat

In Chapter 5, Ryan and Rex are Navy pilots aboard the USS Nimitz. The date is August 19, 1983. Ryan and Rex are flying a combat air patrol mission over the Gulf of Sidra when they encounter two Libyan, Soviet built Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters. One of the Fitters fired a heat-seeking missile. After evading the missile, Ryan and Rex return fire using AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, shooting down both Libyan fighters.

There were two actual events in the Gulf of Sidra that inspired this scene. The first was in 1981 and the second was in 1989. The 1981 incident would have been more in line with the dates in the novel.

Actual footage from the F-14 dog fight over the Gulf of Sidra - 1989

First Gulf of Sidra Incident in 1981

The Gulf of Sidra incident was a naval engagement in which two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter attack aircraft were shot down by two American F-14 Tomcats from the USS Nimitz. The first Gulf of Sidra incident took place off the Libyan coast on August 19, 1981, during the Cold War. At the time, Republican President Ronald Reagan was in Office, and Omar Kadafi was ruling Lybia.

Libya had claimed a 12 mile extension zone of its territorial waters in the Gulf of Sidra, declaring the territorial waters of the gulf as their own. This prompted US naval forces to conduct Freedom of Navigation operations in the area, the so-called "line of death". These operations intensified when Ronald Reagan came to office on January 20, 1981. In August 1981, he authorized the deployment of a large naval force, led by USS Forrestal and Nimitz, off the Libyan coast.

The Libyan Air Force responded by deploying a high number of interceptors and fighter-bombers. Early on the morning of August 18, when the US exercise began, at least three MiG-25 ‘Foxbats’ approached the US carrier groups, but were escorted. The situation was tense, but neither side fired any weapons, even in at least two cases when MiG-25s tried to breach through the American fighters by flying high and fast.

On August 19, 1981, two F-14 fighters were flying combat air patrol to cover aircraft engaged in a missile exercise. An E-2B Hawkeye from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron VAW-124 made radar contact with two Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters aircraft which had left Okba Ben Nafi Air Base near Tripoli. The two F-14s were ordered to intercept. Only a few seconds before the crossing, one of the Libyan fighters fired an AA-2 "Atoll" missile at one of the F-14s, but missed. Then the two Sukhois flew past the Americans and tried to escape.

According to the rules of engagement, the Tomcats were cleared to return, which mandated self defense on the initiation of hostile action. The Americans pilots fired AIM-9L Sidewinders, shooting down the two Libyan aircraft.

Rosecrans National Park – Point Loma – San Diego, California

In Chapter 14, Ryan Mitchell visits Point Loma with a “mission” in mind to win the heart of the girl of his dreams. Ryan plans a visit to three strategic sites: Rosecrans National Cemetery; the Old Light House; and the statue of J.R. Cabrillo.

Point Loma - San Diego, California

If you are interested is seeing more of the "real" sites from the novel, visit the author's website:  http://www.coebooks.com/PhotoJournal.htm 

FID: Man in the Moon

Man in the Moon

“In the beginning…”

“And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years…’ For God made two great lights—the greater light (sun) to govern the day and the lesser light (Moon) to govern the night.” Genesis 1: 14-19

The Facts:

• If the Moon were placed on the surface of the continental United States, it would extend from San Francisco to Cleveland (2,600 miles).
• The Moon is 250,000 miles from earth: Based on speed and time, it would take a commercial jet 625 hours or 26 days to travel to the Moon (of course it’s impossible); it took the Apollo astronauts two days.
• Light reflected off of the Moon’s surface (from the sun) travels to Earth in 1.3 seconds.
• We always see the same side of the Moon, because it is rotating at exactly the same rate it is moving around the earth: 29.5 earth days.
• Each year, the Moon steals some of Earth's rotational energy, and uses it to propel itself approximately 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) higher in its orbit—away from Earth. Meanwhile, Earth's rotation rate is slowing down; our days are getting longer and longer.
• The temperature on the Moon reaches 243° F at midday on the lunar equator. During the night, the temperature falls to -261° F.
• On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 took Neil Armstrong to the Moon where he left his boot print in two inches of Moon dust.

I was 15 years old watching the “…small step for (“a”) man, one giant leap for mankind”. Note: You might not be aware that Neil flubbed his one liner. What he meant to say was, “…a man…”.

The Inspiring Moon

Since the dawn of time, humans have been inspired by the mysteries of the Moon, passed on from parent to child, and friend to friend through storytelling, plays and poetry (Wordsworth, Dickinson, and Shakespeare were Moon-obsessed), rhymes & lullabies, songs, novels, and movies.

• Plays and Poems: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (more uses of the word “Moon” than any other play, and the only instance of “Moonbeams”); “The Freedom of the Moon”; “Under the Harvest Moon”; “Full Moon”; “The Moon”, and more.
• Songs: “By The Light of the Silvery Moon”; “Moon River”; “Fly Me to the Moon”; “Bad Moon Rising”; “Moonshadow”; “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, and more.
• Novels: “From the Earth to the Moon”; “Moon Tiger”; “New Moon”; “Moonlight Bay”; and more.
• Movies: “Moonstruck”; “Paper Moon”; “Moonraker”; and more.
• Nursery rhymes and children’s books: “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon”; “Goodnight Moon”; “I See the Moon”, and more.

The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

Nursery Rhymes & Lullabies

The first nursery rhymes can be traced back to the fourteenth century. During a time when people were not always allowed to express themselves freely, for fear of persecution, many nursery rhymes were encoded with secret messages. Gossiping, criticizing the government, or even talking about current events were often punishable by death. In order to communicate at will, clever rhymes were constructed and passed around to parody public figures and events. Let me give you a few examples:

Humpty Dumpty – “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the King’s Horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.”

Humpty was not egg that fell off a wall and smashed to bits, but the name of a huge cannon mounted atop a high wall-like church tower at St. Mary’s Church (June 15, 1648) during the English Civil War (1642-1651). During the Siege of Colchester (July 14-15, 1648), the tower was hit by enemy cannon fire and Humpty suffered a great fall. There was no fixing the cannon or the tower.

Ring Around The Rosie – “Ring around the rosy, A pocketful of posies ‘Ashes, Ashes’ We all fall down!”

This little tune dates back to the great plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague). The symptoms of bubonic plague included a rosy red ring-shaped rash, which inspired the first line. It was believed that the disease was carried by bad smells, so people frequently carried pockets full of fresh herbs, or “posies”. The “ashes, ashes” line is believed to refer to the cremation of the bodies of those who died from the plague.

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary – “Mary Mary quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, and pretty maids in a row.”

The rhyme is a reference to Bloody Mary (Queen Mary I, eldest daughter of Henry VIII and only surviving child of Catherine of Aragon—Tudor dynasty). She was given the title “Bloody Mary” for her having almost 300 religious dissenters burned at the stake. The garden mentioned in the rhyme refers to growing cemeteries, as she filled them with Protestants. Silver bells and cockle shells were instruments of torture, and the “maiden” was a device used to behead people.

I See the Moon – “I see the Moon / And the Moon sees me /The Moon sees somebody / I want to see / God bless the Moon / And God bless me /And God bless the somebody / I want to see…”

My wife brought this popular nursery rhyme (or traditional folk lullaby) to my attention as one of her favorites as a young girl. It is often used as a goodnight prayer for children at the end of the day. Some books include illustrations of cherubic children gazing out the window at the Moon, enhancing the peacefulness that is projected by the verse.

Fear is as powerful a compulsion as truth and may indeed be the driving force behind this nursery rhyme that teaches an awareness of the Moon and the prayer for blessings from God. In a previous post, I make reference to the Disney movie “Monsters Inc.”. This movie is nothing more than a modern-day attempt to use a similar technique to ease the fearful minds of young children in respect to bad dreams (see my post on this blog titled – Monsters in the Closet).

In ancient times, people believed that there were many evil beings that were free to roam when the Moon was full. This nursery rhyme may have been taught to children to offer them protection and used as a ward against the evil creatures that only walked by the light of the Moon.

Shakespeare’s works even mention the many attributes and legends surrounding the heavenly bodies. In “Othello, the Moor of Venice”, Othello blames the Moon for the madness that is around him “It is the very error of the Moon; / She comes more nearer earth than she was wont, / And makes men mad.”

Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon – This bestselling American children’s book written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd was published in 1947. It is about a child saying goodnight to everything around: “Goodnight room. Goodnight Moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the Moon…” (Notice the mentions of the Moon).

Nighttime is a scary time for young children. Fear is one of the earliest emotions. Fear of the dark and of separation from parents is a double fear that keeps many children awake. This highly acclaimed example of a bedtime story is an example of our continuing attempt to help our children deal with their fear of the dark.

The Measure of Time

The calendar has a powerful hold on our lives and our imaginations. It has a rich and fascinating history, interwoven with the lives of remarkable men. It is mankind's attempt to choreograph the eternal dance of the Sun, Moon and Earth.

My research has led me to study the Astronomical, Lunar, Egyptian, Chinese, Jewish, Islamic, Julian, and Gregorian calendars—as though I were unraveling a ball of twisted yarn. The journey has uncovered some amazing discoveries that have provided me with historical coincidences—relative to the storyline of my novel—resulting in some interesting twist that I think will add to the mystery and suspense of the story.

The Moon was the first universal measurer of time. The lives of our ancestors were governed by the cycle of night and day, the waxing and waning of the Moon and the passage of the seasons. Since people were mostly farmers, hunters, and shepherds, they learned to plant, fish, harvest, hunt, and make predictions, all by the light of the Moon.

Phases of the Moon

Gregorian Calendar (Christian Calendar)

For story purposes, let me first review our current Gregorian calendar (thanks to Aloysius Lilius, who proposed it, and Pope Gregory XIII, who adopted it). The "Christian calendar'' is the term traditionally used to designate the calendar commonly in use, although it originated in pre-Christian Rome. The Christian calendar has years of 365 or 366 days. It is divided into 12 months that have no relationship to the motion of the moon. In parallel with this system, the concept of weeks groups the days in sets of 7. Two main versions of the Christian calendar have existed in recent times: The Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar. The difference between them lies in the way they approximate the length of the tropical year and their rules for calculating Easter.

The Gregorian reform of the calendar had three parts.

First, in order to restore the Spring Equinox to March 21st, the date set by the Council of Nicaea, ten days were to be omitted from the calendar in October 1582. Thursday October 4th was followed by Friday October 15th. The cycle of days of the week was not interrupted, but October 5th to 14th did not exist in the year 1582.

Second, in order to bring the average length of the calendar year into closer agreement with the length of the tropical year, three leap years were to be omitted in every four centuries. Every centurial year which was not divisible by 400 would not be a leap year.

This was a clever ploy. The next centurial year was 1600, only eighteen years away, and it would be leap year in the new calendar as well as the old. Nobody living through Gregory's calendar reform would ever need to worry about the revised rule for leap years.

Nonetheless, it had the effect of making 400 years equivalent to 146097 days, giving an average calendar year of 365.2425 days, just 26.8 seconds longer than the tropical year. This discrepancy would amount to one day in 3200 years. No further reform of the calendar would be needed until the 49th Century A.D.!

Third, as the new leap year rule meant that the days of the week would no longer repeat every 28 years, the 532-year cycle of Victorius could no longer be used to construct tables of the dates of Easter. A new method for computing Easter had to be devised, and it required a set of arcane corrections to allow for the fact that ratio of the length of the calendar year to that of the lunar month had also changed. The dates of Easter in the new calendar would now repeat in a cycle which was 5,700,000 years long.

In summary… Gregory’s new calendar dropped 10 days to bring the calendar back into synchronization with the seasons. Although the changeover from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar was approved in 1582, it did not actually take place in Great Britain (including what is now the USA) until 1752. The exact change-over was made on September 2, 1752, with the next day being September 14, 1752.

Today, the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendar is 13 days. So, how did we go from the original 10 days, to 11, and 12, and now 13? We started by dropping 10 days, then one additional day for every year that was not a leap year: 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, etc. Therefore, in 1700 we dropped 11; in 1800, 12; in 1900, 13; and in 2100, we will drop another day, making the total difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendar, 14 days.

The Gregorian calendar has 97 leap years every 400 years: Every year divisible by 4 or 400 is a leap year. However, every year divisible by 100 is not a leap year. So, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, and 2200 are not leap years. But 1600, 2000, and 2400 are leap years. It sounds complicated, but the regular procession of leap-years is interrupted only three times in 400 years.

Islamic Calendar (Muslim Calendar)

There is one calendar which is central to the lives of a fifth of the world's people. It is a calendar of great simplicity, yet one whose observance has taxed the expertise of astronomers and mathematicians for over a thousand years. It is the Islamic calendar, and it is based solely upon the phases of the Moon.

The Islamic year contains twelve lunar months. It is roughly 355 days long, and moves around the seasons in a cycle of about 33 years. Each year, in the Islamic calendar, the seasons begin 10 or 11 days later than in the previous year. The beginning of the month is marked by the sighting of the new Crescent Moon by a reliable witness. It is not enough to calculate the moment of astronomical New Moon. The Crescent itself must be seen in the evening sky.

Over the centuries, Muslim scholars and astronomers have attempted to establish rules to predict when the Crescent Moon is likely to be visible. Such rules include criteria based upon the age of the Moon, the height of the Moon at sunset, and the length of time between sunset and Moonset, or combinations of these.

Computers (websites) have been enlisted in the continuing search for a reliable rule, and national observatories and almanac offices are routinely asked to adjudicate in cases of disagreement. The question is especially important at the beginning and end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

The Muslim year is shorter than the Gregorian year by about 11 days.

The Crescent Moon and Star

Under a Crescent Moon

On May 29, 1453, under a Crescent Moon, the great Christian city of Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and to Islam.


Turkish Flag

The Crescent Moon and star is an internationally-recognized symbol of the faith of Islam. The symbol is featured on the flags of several Muslim countries. The Christians have the cross, the Jews have the Star of David, and the Muslims have the Crescent Moon.

It wasn't until the Ottoman Empire that the crescent moon and star became affiliated with the Muslim world. When the Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, they adopted the city's existing flag and symbol. Legend holds that the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman, had a dream in which the Crescent Moon stretched from one end of the earth to the other. Taking this as a good omen, he chose to keep the Crescent and make it the symbol of his dynasty. There is speculation that the five points on the star represent the five pillars of Islam, but this is pure conjecture.

For hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire ruled over the Muslim world. After centuries of battle with Christian Europe, it is understandable how the symbols of this empire became linked in people's minds with the faith of Islam as a whole.


TIME: OUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET

Regardless of how we mark it and measure it, TIME is our most valuable asset. I leave you with one of my favorite reminders.

FID: Whirling - Round and round we go.

Perhaps you remember the 1969 hit song sung by the Atlanta-born Tommy Roe: “Dizzy”? It went to the top of the charts in 1969 (I was 15 years old). If you managed to miss it due to being too young or too old, let me introduce you to “Dizzy”. This was our music—the really good stuff.

“What does a crazy little tune from the ‘60s have to do with your novel, “Flight into Darkness”?” To be honest, nothing, other than it popped into my head while doing research.

Have you ever ridden on a carousel or a merry-go-round? How about one of those crazy rides at the fair or carnival: the tilt-a-whirl or scrambler? As a child (or adult), did you ever spin around as fast as you could until you lost control and crashed to the ground, dizzy and nauseous, looking up at the sky watching it spin like top. Or was that just me? 

Did you ever consider which direction was best (clockwise or counterclockwise) before you decided to spin yourself dizzy? You might have never noticed but most of the powered mechanical contraptions at the fairs and carnivals spin counterclockwise. Why? Could it have anything to do with the Earth’s rotation around the sun or the Earth’s rotation around its own axis (both rotate counterclockwise)? For what it’s worth, while doing research on “whirling”, I found this: “Clockwise turning tends to have an outward-flowing feeling, a sensation of ‘yang’, while counterclockwise spinning has a ‘yin’ flavor, one of inward channeling.” So, if you decide to spin go for the yin.

What is Whirling?

The best way to introduce you to whirling is to first introduce you to the inventor/creator of the “experience”: Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (1207-1273 C.E.). Known to the English-speaking world simply as Rumi, he was a mystical thirteenth century Persian Sufi poet (Sufism is the mystical practice of Islam).

Rumi wrote over 65,000 verses of intoxicated poetry on the Sufi path of love and spiritual understanding. Over the last century, Rumi’s poetry has spread from the Islamic world into the Western world. He has become one of the most popular and best-selling poets in America.

As the story goes…

One day, Rumi was overcome with grief and devastated by the loss of a dear friend. While wandering the streets of Konya (Turkey), he became engaged by the rhythmic beat of a goldsmith’s hammer, and began spontaneously singing and whirling.

As the intensity of his dancing mounted, Rumi would burst forth with lyrics about the divine and the cosmos, lyrics that his disciples would immediately write down. Rumi expressed how his whirling was part of the universal cosmic dance that was begun and sustained by the divine music of love. Much of his intoxicated and spontaneous poetry was borne through the ecstasy of his dance.

Sufi Whirling

Through his whirling and dancing to the sounds of a longing reed and an insistent drum, Rumi attempted to transcend his body and rational consciousness. He wrote that to dance was to tear one’s heart to pieces and to give up one’s soul: “Dance where you can break yourself to pieces and totally abandon your world passions”.

Rumi later founded the order of the Mevlevi, the "whirling" dervishes, and created the "Sema," their "turning," sacred dance. In the Mevlevi tradition, Sema represents a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to "Perfect." In this journey, the seeker symbolically turns towards the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego, finds the truth, and arrives at the "Perfect"; then returns from this spiritual journey with greater maturity.

Summary

We spin ourselves dizzy for many reasons—sometimes on purpose; sometimes not. Rumi introduced whirling as a spiritual experience; a method of cleansing and centering of the inner self; a path to healing, possibly after a devastating loss, as he personally experienced.

I have only scratched the surface when it comes to whirling and the mystical side of Islam. The technique of Sufi whirling has a rich history filled with meaning and symbolism. Once the technique and tolerance for spinning reaches an advanced stage, whirling can go on for hours. For the purposes of my novel, I think what I’ve covered should do the trick.

Round and round we go…

Even if you decide that whirling is not for you, you might be interested to know that you are whirling as you read this blog.

The circumference of the Earth at the equator is 25,000 miles. The Earth rotates in about 24 hours. Therefore, if you were to hang above the surface of the Earth at the equator without moving, you would see 25,000 miles pass by in 24 hours, at a speed of 25000/24 or just over 1000 miles per hour. In addition, the Earth is moving around the Sun at about 67,000 miles per hour—counterclockwise. Hang on!

FID: NEVER FORGET

“Flight into Darkness”

Chapter 1

July 17, 2002

Captain Ryan Mitchell checked the time—10:59 P.M. It was all happening too fast; as if he’d been beamed from beneath the covers of his bed, transported to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and dropped into the cockpit of a commercial jet waiting for takeoff: another routine red-eye to New York (JFK)—another anniversary he would have to spend alone. (Opening paragraph of “Flight into Darkness” – rough draft).

Captain Ryan Mitchell checked the time--10:59 P.M.

In the sequel, “Flight into Darkness”, the time is advanced by approximately fifteen years. The fast-moving suspense/thriller promises to keep you on the edge of your seat, thrusting you into a story that will touch the deepest part of your soul—attempting to answer the question: “How do we live in the midst of an evil world?”

“Beyond sin, beyond death, I am the thing that darkness fears. You’ll never see me, but I am everywhere: every being, every thought, every drop of hate. My name is Evil.” (unknown)

Today, collectively as a nation, we are reminded of that tragic day: September 11, 2001—better known as 9/11 (nine-eleven). It was a day that stripped the mask off the face of Evil for all to see, making it impossible for us to simply live out our lives, obliviously and hopelessly depending on a “system” to keep us safe. It was a wakeup call to the fact that we live in an evil world.

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” (Albert Einstein)

How do we explain:

September 11, 2001: Nineteen hijackers (terrorists) took control of four commercial airliners and flew them into the Twin Towers in New York, into the Pentagon, and crashed in an open field, killing almost 3,000.

Twin Towers - New York

Pentagon - Washington, D.C.

December 2004: Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 100 feet (30 meters) high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

August 2005: Hurricane Katrina flooded 80% of New Orleans wreaking havoc on life and property.

Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans

August 2005: Pakistan and Kashmir was struck by an earthquake claiming the lives of 74,698.

Earthquake - Pakistan and Kashmir

The list is endless…

Questions: If there is a God, and if He is a good, wise and supremely powerful God, then why is there such a thing as evil? We hear of child abuse, ethnic cleansing, AIDS, torture and terrorism, and rightfully we are shocked, but should we be surprised?

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” (Deuteronomy 30:15)

We cry out for answers to the elusive questions listed above, begging for an end to the pains associated with evil, as we often overlook the fact that the line between good and evil is not simply a line between “us” and “them” but a line that has run through every individual and every society for all of time.

Nine years ago, as an airline pilot working for the largest airline in the world, my life (directly affected by the aftermath of 9/11) veered down an unexpected fork in the road—the beginning of a life-changing journey. Personal and professional challenges were relentless.

Captain Mike Coe - 2001

"What often appears to destroy us is what eventually defines us and takes us to a better place."

FID was inspired by my reality and is a reflection of my nine-year journey. Bolstered by the theme that fear and faith are diametrically opposed, I have instructed my fictional story characters to give you the performance of their lives as they battle impossible situations while being overwhelmed by fear and Evil. Perhaps their story will offer new insights into the question: “How do we live in the midst of an evil world?”

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me…” Psalm 23:4 (NRS)

Sometimes we have a choice:

Taken from dialogue spoken by Morpheus in "The Matrix" (In Greek mythology, Morpheus was the god of dreams.)

"You take the Blue Pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the Red Pill, you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. I'm only offering you the TRUTH... nothing more."

"The Matrix" (sound track) meets "The Lion King" (video) 

FID: Ottoman Sultan Suleiman "The Magnificent"

Thanks to the villain in “Flight into Darkness”, Samael Janus, I must take you on another trip into the pages of the history books. This time, I look at another great figure from the early Ottoman Empire (16th century)—Sultan Suleiman I, known as “The Magnificent” (1494-1566).

Sultan Suleiman I "The Magnificent"
History of Suleiman (Part 2) - 9:57 min

Suleiman I was the great grandson of Mehmet II (see earlier post) and began his reign of the Ottoman Empire after his father and grandfather, 39 years after Mehmet II. Understanding these two key figures (Mehmet and Suleiman) will give you a better appreciation for the character, Samael Janus, and his motive in “Flight into Darkness”.

Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Suleiman presided over the Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire, representing the pinnacle of the Ottoman Turks' cultural achievement in the realm of architecture, literature, art, theology and philosophy. Today the skyline of the Bosphorus, and of many cities in modern Turkey and the former Ottoman provinces, are still adorned with the architectural works from that time. One of these, the Süleymaniye Mosque, is the final resting place of Suleiman and Roxelana (his wife): they are buried in separate domed mausoleums attached to the mosque.

Coffin of Suleiman I

An early description of Suleiman, a few weeks following his accession: “He is twenty-five years of age, tall, but wiry, and of a delicate complexion. His neck is a little too long, his face thin, and his nose aquiline. He has a shade of a moustache and a small beard; nevertheless he has a pleasant mien, though his skin tends to pallor. He is said to be a wise Lord, fond of study, and all men hope for good from his rule."

Suleiman also became renowned for sponsoring a series of monumental architectural developments within his empire. The Sultan sought to turn Constantinople into the center of Islamic civilization by a series of projects, including bridges, mosques, palaces and various charitable and social establishments. Suleiman also restored the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (the holiest site in Islam, following Mecca and Medina) and the Jerusalem city walls (which are the current walls of the Old City of Jerusalem), renovated the Kaaba in Mecca, and constructed a complex in Damascus.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Why is there a dome over a rock?

The significance of “the rock”, better known as The Foundation Stone and Pierced Stone, stems from the religious beliefs regarding the rock at its heart. According to Islamic tradition, the rock is the spot from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven accompanied by the angel Gabriel. Further, Muhammad was taken here by Gabriel to pray with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Christ. An important distinction is that this is to Islam what the Transfiguration of Jesus is to Christians, a fulfillment of scripture. After Muhammad's return, he called all that would believe him to join with him and be Muslim. It was at this juncture that Islam came into existence.

The Rock, The Foundation Stone, Pierced Stone

The rock is located towards the centre of the Temple Mount, an artificial platform built by Herod the Great on top of vaults over a hill, generally believed to be Mount Moriah. The rock constitutes the peak of this now hidden hill, which is also the highest in early biblical Jerusalem, looming over the City of David, and hence the rock is one of the highest points of the Old City.

Western Wall - Wailing Wall

This is the holiest site in Judaism. The most propitious site for Jewish prayer is the spot that is nearest the Foundation Stone. Because Muslim authorities refused to permit Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, the custom developed of praying near the Western Wall (also the Wailing Wall or the Kotel), since it was the site nearest to the Foundation Stone, or on the Mount of Olives facing the site of the Temple. Between 1948 and 1967, when Jordanian authorities refused permission to Jews to enter the Old City of Jerusalem, Jews made pilgrimages to rooftops on Mount Zion and prayed towards the site of the ancient Holy of Holies.

Western Wall with Dome of the Rock in distance

Jews all over the world pray towards the Foundation Stone. According to the sages of the Talmud (a central text of mainstream Judaism, in the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history) it was from this rock that the world was created, itself being the first part of the Earth to come into existence. In the words of the Zohar: “The world was not created until God took a stone called Even haShetiya and threw it into the depths where it was fixed from above till below, and from it the world expanded. It is the centre point of the world and on this spot stood the Holy of Holies”.

Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount where Solomon's Temple stood

According to the Talmud, it was close to here, on the site of the altar, that God gathered the earth that was formed into Adam. It was on this rock that Adam—and later Cain, Abel, and Noah—offered sacrifices to God. Jewish sources identify this rock as the place mentioned in the Bible where Abraham fulfilled God's test to see if he would be willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. The mountain is identified as Moriah in Genesis 22. It is also identified as the rock upon which Jacob dreamt about angels ascending and descending on a ladder and consequently consecrating and offering a sacrifice upon.

When, according to the Bible, King David purchased a threshing floor owned by Araunah the Jebusite, it is believed that it was upon this rock that he offered the sacrifice mentioned in the verse. He wanted to construct a permanent temple there, but as his hands were "bloodied," he was forbidden to do so himself. The task was left to his son Solomon, who completed the Temple in c. 950 BCE.

Summary

Suleiman I "The Magnificent" reigned during the height of the Ottoman Empire. He is responsible for having sealed the East Gate (The Golden Gate) in the Old City walls around Jerusalem. The Golden Gate is the gate that leads into the area of the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock is now located (see a previous post on Golden Gates).

The East Gate (Golden Gate) - Dome of the Rock