KEEPING 'EM FLYING Airworthiness for pilots BY WILLIAM E. DUBOIS ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN UELAND I t was a routine takeoff until I rotated. Suddenly my seat slid all the way back. My feet left the rudder pedals. The Cessna pitched up violently as the yoke was dragged into the back of the airplane with me. The stall horn blaring, I frantically pushed the yoke forward. With the airplane wallowing above the runway, I struggled to get back in the front of cockpit, reaching wildly for the glareshield to pull myself forward. No dice, it was out of reach. I popped the seat belt and scrambled out of the pilot's seat. Awkwardly half kneeing, half sitting on the floor, I clawed my way forward. Looking up at the attitude indicator, I grabbed the yoke again and got the airplane in level, if hardly coordinated, flight. 38 FLIGHT TRAINING MARCH 2019