Abstract
Downwind Turn tells the story of Eli, a former Army helicopter crew chief now working in the civilian aerospace world. After a routine test flight, he finds himself unsettled by memories he thought he had buried. When an old friend from his deployment days shows up unexpectedly, their conversation brings long-suppressed emotions to the surface. Set against the backdrop of flight lines and desert heat, the story explores the quiet weight of trauma, the bonds forged in war, and the moment when holding on starts to hurt more than letting go.
Bio
My name is Isaiah Kronemeyer. I'm a former Army helicopter crew chief and now work as a flight test technician in Arizona. I'm currently studying Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle and have found writing to be a way to process experiences that are hard to explain out loud. Much of my writing stem from my background in aviation, but I'm more interested in the people than the machines. When I'm not working around helicopters, I'm usually writing about the ones who fly them or thinking about what comes after the flight ends.
Recommended Citation
Kronemeyer, Isaiah
(2025)
"Downwind Turn,"
Night Flight: Online Literary Journal: Vol. 6
, Article 8.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/night-flight/vol6/iss1/8