I invite all flying ranchers and coyote hunters (and anyone else so experienced) to join me and contribute to a Forum Tuesday the 26th at 8:30 AM in the #2 GAMA forum building at Oshkosh. I will be telling stories about my 40 years of landing off airport at ranches in Western Nebraska, Eastern Wyoming and Western South Dakota, as a livestock nutritionist and earlier as a livestock auction operator. It's titled "Flying ranch to ranch" or "pulling barbed wire with 180 horse Cessna 170B". I would like this event to be just like a bunch of pilots trading stories about off airport operations and the related tips, so bring your stories, close calls and good tips, lets make it fun. We will be talking about how I go about looking over my prospective landing sites, what I look for etc. Also about the one time out of hundreds of "off airport" landings, where everything went wrong and I ended up pulling barbed wire. It's easy to get out of a high wing with a wing walk on the under side, but remember to hold your hand above your head when you unlatch the seat belt.

Everyone who just wants to listen and learn, please join us, lets have a crowd, it will be eye opening, funny and educational. There are pilots out there who have a lot of good stories to share. I know it is early, but it will be worth it to get up and be there. It will be difficult to tell a good story without barley pop to oil the jaw, but we will just have to deal with it. <grin>

Karl Storjohann
Chadron, NE
308 432-5351 evenings
[email protected]

This sounds very interesting. Not sure I will be there by then, but if I am - I will make a point of checking it out.

It's hard to believe that there are not any members here who have landed "off airport" on a regular basis, but I have not had anyone contact me. Ranchers do this every time they fly to check the windmills, cattle etc. Coyote hunters have to land to pickup the coyote. Let me hear from you if you plan to be present.

I wish I could be there, I love those kinds of stories. I don't get there until Thursday. I could tell you some stories, but who would be listening?? That maybe why no one is jumping up to spill their beans??

Karl,

I hope to be there. I grew up in Atkinson, Nb east of Chadron on Highway 20. I land off airport quite a bit, but am sure can't hold a candle to you.

Pat

I also grew up in Atkinson and attended grade school there, but went to Curtis for high school, before it became a votech school. My father was a partner in the Atkinson Livestock Market with Ernie Weller and Joe Kokesh from 1946 to 1954, when he purchased Chamberlain Livestock Sales in South Dakota. My great grand father homesteaded North of O'Neill at Phoenix. Small world right?
I go back to Atkinson for class reunions sometimes, just to see how my old girl friends look. There may be an big age difference between us, so you would not remember our name. I graduated from high school in 1955 and started flying 9 years later.
You be sure to come up to me and tell me who you are. Then add to what ever I leave out. This goes for anyone.

We will not talk about anything dangerous or things the FAA would frown on.

Karl,

It IS a small world. I remember Ernie Weller. I graduated high school in 1971 and moved to Atkinson in about 1958 or 1959 from a ranch up on the Niobrara River near Lynch, Nb. I flew over it a couple of years ago, but it appeared that all the buildings are long gone. Will be sure an look you up at Oshkosh.

Pat