>> Art's a nut. He owns a Harrier.
That explains it right there.
>> I worry because it's kind of like a ticking time bomb.
You don't know when the engine's going to quit.
>> Narrator: After 18 months, the Harrier is finally flight-worthy.
As Art takes it for a test spin,
a camera crew films this historical moment from a smaller plane.
>> Art Nalls: We're finally flying.
It's a 40-year-old airplane.
I'm watching everything.
So I was a little bit nervous.
The plane was flying absolutely perfectly.
Everything was just going right according to plan.
All the temperatures were right.
All the RPMs were right.
And all of a sudden I got a red master caution light.
I looked down and I had an amber light from a hydraulic pressure.
>> Narrator: The plane's main hydraulic system is failing.
Art will soon lose control of the brakes and steering.
Then, just when he thinks it can't get any worse,
Art notices the landing gear is stuck.
Look at that!
>> Art Nalls: We had a catastrophic hydraulic failure
that caused us to have to declare an emergency.
I didn't know if the airplane would hover.
I didn't know what my skills were,
and I've got about 15 minutes of fuel on board
to figure all this out.
>> Narrator: Art gets the plane to hover and attempts slowly
to lower his new multimillion-dollar investment to the ground.
>> Art Nalls: I brought the airplane into a hover
and the nose landing gear collapsed.
[Sirens] I was concerned initially
that I might have broken my back.
It was such a violent fall.
I wiggled my toes so I said, "OK, I'm OK."
I'm not on fire.
[I'm OK.]
>> Art Nalls: The low point was looking at the airplane laying over on one side,
the nose a bit crumpled.
And it looked like this is gonna be a big mess we've got to clean up.
But ... we didn't get anybody hurt,
nobody got killed, and the airplane looked to be repairable.
The next couple of days we got the whole team back here
and I said, "We could quit right now or we can get it airborne again.
What we've already demonstrated
is not only can the airplane do it,
but we as a crew can do it.”
>> Narrator: Art’s crew agreed to keep pushing forward
for the next six months
and get this plane flying again.
After bringing the Harrier back to life,
they spend the next 10 years
flying over 50 air shows throughout the U.S.
Today they are like a family
and call themselves Team SHAR,
short for Sea Harrier.
And with the combined experience of over 150 years,
these guys know a thing or two about planes.
>> Pete Weiskopf: Hold up.
I got a leak on the hose.
>> Narrator: Pete Weiskopf is the chief mechanic
and has been working on these planes for years.
He's Art's go-to guy.
>> Art Nalls: Pete has a lot of experience.
He really does.
He's also a pilot.
>> Pete Weiskopf: I'm triple retired.
I did 21 years with the Navy
and did 28 years as a engineer contractor,
and now I'm Social Security. 76 00:03:18,841 --> 00:03:20,568 So I'm on three retirements.
>> Pat Hatfield-Nalls: Pete is a bit of a curmudgeon but a lovable one.
He's kind of like your uncle.
He's very, very dependable.
He's been with us ever since
Art got his very first plane and bought his very first hangar here.
So he's a very dedicated individual.
>> Narrator: Rich Gill is the crew chief.
He handles all the maintenance
and makes sure the planes are safe to fly.
>> Rich Gill: I take care of the planes.
I clean up after everything.
I make sure everything's going good.
>> Narrator: In addition to maintaining the Harrier,
Rich is also in charge or Art's other plane, the L-39.
>> Rich Gill: What I like most about working on these two airplanes
is the black jet, the L-39, is just sexy.
We call it the little black party dress that all the ladies have.
And the Harrier, of course, it's the only one in civilian hands flying,
and, you know, it's just unique.
Sam, you got that?
>> Sam Morgan: OK, I'm closing it. >> All right.
>> Sam Morgan: A clean plane is a happy plane.
>> Narrator: Art's team takes its newest member under their wing.
>> Sam Morgan: Any chance I get on the weekend,
I'm up here working on the Harrier and having a blast.
My other friends are either playing video games
or doing something stupid.
I'm out here maintaining a Harrier,
so that's quite the achievement.
[Laughs]
Whoop, coming down.
>> Pat Hatfield-Nalls: Sam is new to our team.
He's a recent graduate from high school.
His passion for the plane and for us is without words.
I mean, he truly loves us and loves the aircraft.
>> Narrator: In less than two weeks,
the team has their first air show of the season.
>> Art Nalls: It sure would mean a lot to us
to be at the Sun ’n Fun air show,
which is spring break for pilots.
>> Everything aviation is here.
You're kind of like drinking out of a fire hydrant.
>> Art Nalls: People come from all over the nation
to go to that air show.
It's the first one of the season,
and all eyeballs would be on us.
Things go south in the sky,
I need to make sure everything is working
exactly as it's supposed to.
>> Narrator: On the next episode of “Badass Pilot,”
the Harrier is ready to fly.
But Team SHAR still has to make sure
they can pass the strict FAA inspection.
>> Art Nalls: We're inspected by the FAA several times a year.
Most importantly, their job is to protect the people
on the ground from experimental jets like this
and the crazy nuts who fly them.
Have a question? Leave it in the comments section.
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