University of Virginia Library

Denied Clearance

While taking off, the plane ran into the
grass but managed to clear the oncoming trees.
Once in the air the guerrillas began a discussion
of what to do with the plane. Cairo had denied
them clearance saying that they would shoot
them out of the air before allowing them to
land.

"They couldn't decide whether to attempt a
landing in Cairo, to fly somewhere else, or to
blow up the plane in the air," mused Mr.
Cochrane, "but of course it wasn't very funny
at the time.