Time was up, but they talked her down.

In April of 2012, Helen and John Collins of Wisconsin were flying home from Florida in their twin-engine Cessna when John, 81, had a heart attack at the controls. He took off his seat belt to breathe better, then collapsed as he got out of his seat.

Eighty-year-old Helen alerted Cherryland Airport, setting off a frenzied scramble as crews rolled out emergency vehicles and shut down the area.

Meantime, Helen was at 762 metres (2,500 ft), going 260 kph (160 mph) and fighting to keep the plane steady. In the control tower, veteran flight instructor Cathy Vuksanovic was on the radio, calm and patient.

At the same time, the instructor’s husband, Robert, rushed to a small plane to meet Helen’s Cessna, to show her she wasn’t alone, and to make sure he had a good handle on things as he guided her, mid-flight. While Robert was on his way, Cathy kept Helen focused and engaged.

But as recordings reveal, their exchanges got more urgent as the Cessna started to sputter while circling the airport. “I think I’m going to run out of fuel on my right tank,” Helen said, without a trace of panic. “Somebody better get here in a hurry.”

Soon after, the right engine conked out, so the plane kept pulling to the left. And though Helen had spent hundreds of hours in the air with her husband, she never got her license. She did have take-off and landing lessons, at........

© Sarnia Observer