$92,000 things must have picked up since I left ....but we were 6 months a year. Lots of wrinkles on that Beaver. Gump probably made that with tips But he was sweeping frost when we were in Hawaii

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/jobs/20 ... obs/3.html


































gump probably made that

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/jobs/20 ... obs/3.html

That Beaver has as many wrinkles as me, but she's still a lot better looking.

NIOSH was in AK about ten years ago, on a study of work related deaths in aviation there. I helped them with some of their research, and received a copy of the final report. It was sobering, largely because it was very well done, and not in the least sensationalized.

At the time, that study moved flying professionally in AK ahead of crab fishing in the Bering Sea as the most dangerous job in the US. As noted, its gotten a LOT safer in the last fifteen years or so, and Capstone and the WX Cameras (thanks to Jim Buckingham for those) have played a big role in that improvement.

Still a tough world out there, though.

And, Don....those brisk - 40 pre flights led to some of the best flights ever.....

MTV

+1 on the -40 flights being the best!

Gump

“And, Don....those brisk - 40 pre flights led to some of the best flights ever..... “
MTV

Ahhhh Mike….
Let me think about the -40 flights I have experienced. As I recall there was not many classified as best flights . Flying out of Bettles back in the mid 70’s…. -40 was fairly common in the winter. At that time company cutoff was -60  (I changed that before I left to -40) Office in FAI didn’t like it but they could not get anyone to base in BTT in the winter so I won .
Times -40 were not good
1. Early morning freight hauls to Anatuvik….-40 or -50. Leave before daylight. No oil pressure in 207 for 15 minutes after take off. (Oil line went thru nose storage compartment…no heat)
2. Can’t cycle prop before takeoff it would go full pitch and stay there  if u did. (no engine covers over prop in those days)
3. Had to set flaps to take off night before because flap motor would not work till u got into warmer temps… Inversion….they would come up by themselves when warmed up.
4. Vinyl seat covers would crack when u jumped in cockpit and don’t touch the control wheel without gloves or u would frost bite fingers. (no interior heaters in those days)
5. Took FAA maint 2 folks to fix Chandlar beacon. Told them we had to be air 30 min before sunset. An hour after sunset they got done, temps down -45 then. After TO on skis started smelling a strong fuel smell and rough running engine…then it would smooth out and no fuel smell. This was off and on for 30 minutes. Finley got to Cold Foot and landed. Broken fuel injector would vibrate in and out, spaying raw fuel on engine. Cold temps caused it to brake on takeoff on rough lake. And cold temps probably kept us from turning into a roman candle.
6. Dumped oil on taxiway at FAI with cub at -35 blew prop seal 
7. Came way to close to frostbiting nose and fingers unloading freight numerous times. At -40.
8. Only good time was walking down the runway at Bettles with my girlfriend at night -72 Got to VOR she said what is that. I told her it was an escape capsule. All we had to do is get in and punch the button and it would land in the parking lot at LA Mex in Anchorage. She said oh …… I think she believed me 

See Don... The FUN times!!!!!

And, some of the thickest, smoothest air, and the most beautiful light and scenery a pilot can ever see.

Gump

Don, did you get my email a few weeks ago?

So where's all the respect for farmers and loggers?

Seems when you loose your nerve as a logger, u can take up a safe lower risk job as a cop

Seeing as its the roofers and pilots among us that really put their life's on the line each day

Interesting thought blu. I was chatting with my insurance the other day about disability insurance. Farmer has the highest premium of all tje other occupations, flying included. Mind you, probly not Alaska flying.

Don,

Yep, that shit happens. The smart ass kid in Fort Yukon who handed me the fuel nozzle ( -54 at the time, and yes our cutoff was -40, but I'd been north and needed gas...) kid didn't tell me the fuel leaked REAL bad at the base, so sprayed gas all over my (gloved) hand.. Frostbite happens fast with gas assist. I really wanted to shoot the little bastard as he laughed at me jerking my glove off, soaked in gasoline. But there were witnesses.

But, I try to recall the better times as Gump described....nothing like a northern sunset in winter, trees aall snow covered.....

And, we used covers on Everything, and interior heaters, etc.....when there was electricity, that is.....when there wasn't, -40 wasn't as fun....

MTV

There are a bunch of issues in Alaska, but the accident rate should not be as high as it has been. I saw and did some really stupid stuff there. You can run out of hands and toes to count all the wreaked aircraft while flying through a "VFR" pass there. I would say the biggest testament to the risk, much of which is simply operator, equipment, pilot related; 1999 I had to pull all my lease aircraft out of there, operators couldn't get hull coverage.

You guys make the old times come back from somewhere I put them long ago. I still have crusty spots on both ears I got from propping a 185 at Prudoe, it was -50 and the wind was blowing, battery was weak, I didn't dare prop it with my parka on. It didn't take but a few minutes for the engine to fire but my ears to turn white.

Arrested a felon at Cold Foot and before I could get to the strip the temp dropped to -62. If I stayed at the camp. I would have to stay up all night to watch the guy as they had no holding facility. I never herd an 88 inch prop bellow so loud as that day, before or since. 2500 feet up the temp was a balmy -40. So you kick back and get out the Hawaiian shirt and head to FAI.

I got the same ailment as some of you old guys. The older I get the better I was!

And you thought flying for the majors was safe.....