Just because.

This pic surfaced on Facebook last night on one of the Kotzebue forums. Me and my most favorite of Sleds, N9943M, unloading stuffs in Selawik AK 2002 or 2003.

Just wish Hoser the Wonder Dog was in the shot. Looks cold, so he was probably smart, and stayed parked on his seat where it was warm.

Gump

Gump,

As I get a bit older I often say I'd like to have my memory back.

After seeing that picture, and the picture you posted last month of your plane parked at the restaurant, I think I might want your memories back instead.

Great picture.

Very cool photo, Gump! Also the gas powered dog pulling the wood & rawhide sled.

How many years did you do that gig? I'll bet it provided a lot of experience....


Enjoyed!

NVflyer....Dave

Hey Dave.

Didn't we talk a while back about Soldier Meadows?

First went up in '79 to work in Barrow, then 23 years off and on in Barrow, Deadhorse, Kotz, Bethel, and Aniak for a bunch of different outfits. I'd stay a few years, get distracted with something down south and leave to do other career stuff, but eventually always headed back north. Usually to Kotz.

I was there past the tail end of the real bush pilot days, and would never consider myself one of their equals. Not even close. I had it easy during my time comparatively speaking. But, I had some great old timer friends and mentors like Bud Helmericks who kept me from being too dumb, and really taught me to fit in with the people of the north. Got a shitload of hard flying hours in the books, and proud to say never damaged an airplane or hurt a passenger through it all.

I have Hosers's ashes to spread in a couple special spots up there, and a few folk I want to see before I kick the bucket, so hopefully I get up there at least one more time.

Gump

Good stuff Gump. What other planes did you fly up there? What was your most challenging route?

I flew myself up for the first time in my old Super Cub. A no-radio '51 PA-18 with an O-235. A few years later up in my C180 to start a job in a C206. From there it was up the ladder into C207's and got as fancy as right seat in the Casa 212 (a job I hated. I am not a crew kinda guy). But, I always went back to what I knew and loved most, flying Sleds. Like a buddy of mine used to tell me all the time... 10K hours in a Sled, and $2 will get you a cup of coffee at Denny's. IF you use your senior discount.

So true.

Worse route.....???? Hell, flying anywhere was beautiful if the weather was good. And then same spot was trying to kill you when the weather was down, with whiteout conditions and icing being absolutely miserable.

The most consistently bad places to fly, and really try and kill you dead airports. The LRRS strips. Cape Lisburne was the one I had a thing with. There were times I'd be halfway in there, absolutely terrified, and I would build up enough adrenaline that my foot would shake for ten minutes after I landed, never before though. Called it sewing machine foot.

Fuck, I hated that place. But, when by some miracle it was a nice flight in there. It was one of the most spectacular places on the planet.

Gump

Things you liked....and things you didn't like about the sled?

Amazing load hauler. Ungodly tough. Most of my old Sleds are still flying, now with 30-40,000 hours on the airframes. The vast majority of those hours on mud puddle strips with baby pilots. One of the best crosswind airplanes on the planet. A good driver can work 45+ KTS direct on ice/snow/gravel all day long. Every A&P in AK knows them intimately and can work on them.

Downside.... Cold, no ice protection, antique avionics. Some people say that being slow is a bad thing about a Sled. But, if you're a pilot paid by the flight hour, slow is good!

To me, I had one of the best views out the window in Alaska. And for 1000+ hours a year I got paid quite well to sit and look out that window.

Gump

Good times flying a sled

I think the Sleds are so damn cool. Gump ur my hero. When I get my 180, lets go up there and have a look around.

If they weren't so shitty at higher DA's (and for a Sled, higher DA means anything over 500 ft MSL) I would buy one in a heartbeat for my family truckster here in the vast desert wastelands of Nevada.

GumpAir wrote:If they weren't so shitty at higher DA's (and for a Sled, higher DA means anything over 500 ft MSL) I would buy one in a heartbeat for my family truckster here in the vast desert wastelands of Nevada.

Is that the issue? Poor performance?

I've had my eye out for the right 182 but someone else just suggested I take a good look at a 206 instead.

I've been reading this forum pretty regular for a year now and I haven't seen much print devoted to the 205/6/7.

Why do most people suggest a 182 as a backcountry tricycle instead of a 206?

Price out a 182 vs a 206. O-470 vs IO-520. 12 GPH mogas vs 16 GPH 100LL.

A C205 is a fixed gear C210. C206 a C182 on steroids. A C207 is an elongated C206 with plugs fore and aft to lengthen the fuselage. Similar, but very different airplanes.

The problem with the C207 and DA I alluded to above is that the service ceiling on the C207 is 13,000 feet. It quickly runs out of steam the higher you climb. Normally aspirated that is, the turbo versions are another beast entirely.

I flew them at sea level airstrips in cool to extremely cold temps. Arctic Alaska. In over 10K hours in them, I had one at 9,000 MSL once. Once. The vast, vast majority of my time in them is under 2,500 feet, and most of that under 1,000 feet.

Gump

Hoser!

That said.

What is a sled? I have been to 7500' Maybe higher. Cruised the mighty A-36, -32 to 12-13K. Those Cessna just bum above 10k. Fly a Robbie 206 with a hotrod -550 and BIG MAC. That thing rips and scary rips, Take it to 3k and load it in the mountains and rips not so much. My 180 at 2500' works out of 7-800" at gross 2950lbs. At 4k not so much.

The mighty C207, the only thing that would be better is a way to carry a 4x8.

P.S. you know what a VSI is right?

The exact amount of revenue left behind indicator. Self calibrating too.

VSI. The exact amount of revenue left behind indicator. Self calibrating too.

No shit. The get out and push meter. Or, the fire it up to get the nosewheel on the ground and guess how many tons of right rudder it was going to take on climbout because your ramper couldn't add the weights and overloaded you by 6-700 pounds meter.

You gotta admit Mike. The lowly Sled was a revenue generator. That little airplane could make serious money with a good pilot and mechanic combo, and lots of triple-mailer bypass to haul.

Gump

Great photos!.....I bet you you have quite the stories Gump. I've heard that the ones with the normally aspirated 520's were doggy, especially when loaded, but I don't have any experience with them with that engine. Certainly don't have the time and experience with them that you do!

This is a picture of my Dad's 207, used privately, he bought it out of Alaska about 10-15?? years ago. Used to be a Mark Air plane. He had it repainted, put a IO-550 in it, sportsman stol, and vg's. Works pretty well, he loves it. Has about 14,000hrs on it.





This one was a real gem. Our family used to own this one, was a 77, our family had bough it in 79 with 250 hrs on it. Was turbocharged originally, but when the engine was due for overhaul/replacement, they elected to put a IO550 in it as they didnt use it in high elevation and didn't want the turbo maintance anymore. The stc work for the 550 was done on this plane, it was the first 207 to have a 550 in it. Family sold it about 8-10 years ago, had about 2900hrs on it when it was sold. All privately used, very well cared for bird with no damage whatsoever. Privately used its whole life until it was sold. Really miss that plane, 207's are such solid flying birds. This is parked in front of my old house with my nephew and his friend.

Amazing to see Sleds with those kind of low hours on them. There just aren't many non-working C207s.

For a family camper they are wonderful. Tons of space for spouses, kids, dogs, and a huge amount of gear. And they have more than enough room to sleep in when need to, when you stack the seats out of the way with that long, flat floor.

Doggy with the IO-520 when loaded heavy.... Not really. To me, one of the strong points of the Sled is that it's behavior doesn't really change from running it empty or up at gross weight. It's certainly not a STOL airplane where you can semi-play with the Cubs and 185s like you can in a C206. But, it feels the same no matter what, the important thing being that you operate it inside the envelope you know works for you.

I don't think there's a single engine airplane out there with a wider CG. Load fully aft, with the nosewheel three feet in the air until you start the engine, or the forward end. Once you're in the air and moving, and set the trim, it's business, and feel, as usual.

Gump

Howdy Gump,

This has been a great thread, I've enjoyed the stories and insight on the years of flying up north for pay. I also got a smile out of the VSI analogy.
I still have a C-150 in my collection of flying machines, wonderful little plane, a joy to fly. The VSI in it has 500, 1000, 1500, 2000. On a hot summer day getting off the ground at Stead, 5000 msl.... I'm like, right..lucky to see the needle leave the zero peg, still a joy to fly! Keeps you remembering how and where to find lift.

Yep, we've shared some conversation about Soldier Meadow. I drop in there fairly regularly. Keep a Toyota FJ60 and a shack of an old trailer there full time. Makes it easy to go out and chase the chuckers, explore around the hills, stop at the hot springs, spend the night.



We've also shared some conservation about Hilton's Nine Mile Ranch. I stopped in there one day when weather shut down a trip home from Saline Valley. Had some great laughs out of the places that thread went.... as I recall,you have some history in that country with a gnome named Sparkles...?



Anyway, look forward to crossing paths in this great Northern Nevada playground we have out our doors.

NVflyer...Dave

Oh yeah, I forgot about you guys landing at the Nine Mile strip. Snarkle Barbegazie the Gnome and I have had some most worthy adventures out there.

Just BS'd my way through a new medical, and got an annual done on the beater, so hopefully see you out there.

Gump

What a great thread. Loving the discussion and thanks all for sharing. simply out of curiosity, I've wanted to test out a 207 to compare it to my 206.

Brett