I don't know about you, but now that I'm on social security I'm having a hard time remembering the difference in the real stuff and the shit we told down at the Pondue or the Bottom Of the Trough...

Bandits....

I worked for the king of bandits in Barrow and Kotz. You know him too. Not a great experience, even though it got me back up there flying again.

I'll take legit and by the book any day of the week, as long as there's room for improving and improvising here and there as needed to get the job done.

Gump

DonC wrote:
Saw Hank Rust talking to an FAA inspector once...FAA guy asked how do u determine WB ? Hank said I draw a line on float heel. FAA guy said what do u do if u go over line. Hank thought for a bit and said I draw a new line...

This is so awesome!

GumpAir wrote:I don't know about you, but now that I'm on social security I'm having a hard time remembering the difference in the real stuff and the shit we told down at the Pondue or the Bottom Of the Trough...

BOT never been there

It doesn't get any better than this thread!...What is the most unusual cargo you guys put in a sled? The fact that you could take off with 62 cases and land with 82 cases really interests me...

Mastadon tusks.

A guy from Deering AK found two perfectly preserved tusks about 10 feet long each. These two rich brothers from Texas found out about them, bought them, and chartered me to fly the tusks up to Kotzebue for shipping south.

The tusks barely fit in the airplane. I had to take the pilot door off, stuff each tusk in the rear doors, out the pilot side, and swing it around to the tip touching co-pilot side windshield and base at the rear bulkhead.

I don't know what those tusks were worth, but I was scared shitless they would break while I was flying them.

This keeps getting better!

CFOT wrote::shock: This keeps getting better!

What else?

Flew 207's around the Southwest hauling tourist, river runners and cargo late eighties, early nineties.
Best friend Blaine always talked of taking a ride in the nose baggage compartment. One day on a layover at Goulding's, he produced a set of ski googles and said "lets do it!". We loaded him legs first, head sticking out. Loaded two other guys in the back seats and away we went. Only in the air for three minutes or, just a quick 260/80 back to the runway. Blaine was laughing so hard, his spit was washing up onto the pax window. I was laughing so hard, I was crying. What a blast! He couldn't move his head for a couple of days from the sore neck muscles.

flynbeekeeper wrote:Flew 207's around the Southwest hauling tourist, river runners and cargo late eighties, early nineties.
Best friend Blaine always talked of taking a ride in the nose baggage compartment. One day on a layover at Goulding's, he produced a set of ski googles and said "lets do it!". We loaded him legs first, head sticking out. Loaded two other guys in the back seats and away we went. Only in the air for three minutes or, just a quick 260/80 back to the runway. Blaine was laughing so hard, his spit was washing up onto the pax window. I was laughing so hard, I was crying. What a blast! He couldn't move his head for a couple of days from the sore neck muscles.

That's hilarious!!

Let's hear some "dumb and scared" stories

Gump,

War stories are like wine. They are supposed to get better with age.

Keep them coming,

Contact

GumpAir wrote:Bandits....

I worked for the king of bandits in Barrow and Kotz. You know him too. Not a great experience, even though it got me back up there flying again.

Found this last night while trying to find the names of the mastodon tusk guys. A flying outfit I worked for a loooooong time ago. There is nothing exaggerated in this story.

https://books.google.com/books?id=GTHUA ... ot&f=false

It starts at page 165.

Gump

Hard rain, tall wet grass, Short strip, Kinda Heavy, Willows just taller than the wings, So far in there you might as well turn it around and drive out, green stuff all over, pocket knife peeling green bark off prop??

Hydraulic cylinder, logging company, yes it weighs this much, back home, unloaded it, no it does not weigh that much by 800 lbs , when it was rebuilt, pulled it apart, hauled in 2 loads!!

Everyone complains there is nothing in there!! just those 2 150 HP outboards there's lots more room!! Finally traded it for another 206

I flew frozen red salmon into Nanwalek for the USDA school lunch program. A couple of weeks later I had the lady in charge of the USDA school lunch program for the area on my plane and I asked her, why are we flying frozen salmon to Nanwalek, (a native village on Kachemak bay with a huge red run). She replied that USDA had to make sure that it was processed correctly so the kids could eat it........

While doing my penance in Bettles, AK for crimes against nature I don't recall but probably deserved
Got a call from Bureau of Indian Affairs wanting me to fly to Anaktuvak and take 5 female residents somewhere they could pick berries as was their custom in the past Of course I agreed not sure how far they would let me go. Dropped the ladies off about 100 miles to the east and waited for them to return. After about 3 hours they all returned laughing and joking and good spirits. Didn't notice too many berries. Retuned to ANK dropped the ladies off and returned to BTT. Billed BIA $1800 for charter and standby rate.

A couple weeks later BIA called and wanted me to take 8 Anaktuvak hunters to a lake just east of village for a caribou hunt as was their custom in the past. I told them the area was closed for caribou hunting. They assured me it was all legal do to their native heritage. Not a problem gassed up the Otter and headed for ANK. picked up the hunting party and dropped them off on lake. Returned to BTT and informed the Fish Cop (who is a member here Goldfinch) that I just dropped off some hunters at BIA’s direction in a closed area. Chip made some calls, many I would expect. Bia called and had me pick them up and return to ANK.

Two days later BIA Called and wanted me pick them up and take them to an open area for caribou hunting. I asked them where and they said they didn’t care just get them in and open area. Hmmmm looked at wall map in lodge and saw a lake 270 miles east on the Canadian border. Seemed like a good area  Picked up the hunters in ANK and flew them to Schrader Lake right at the border with Canada. Dropped them off and said I would return in 7 days for return flight.

When I returned all the hunters were in a really good mood and ready to go home. Their hunt consisted of one Sheep and about 50# of lake trout. Sheep season was closed. Dropped hunters in ANK and returned to BTT. Total bill just for hunt was just over $18,000.00 Our tax $$ at work…..

Parked next to this turbo mountain buggy yesterday, check out the mud flaps [emoji12]

Those "mud flaps" are sold by Aero Twin of Anchorage and are a common mod on Alaska working planes. The "decoration" on these is a nice tacky touch....gotta love it.

MTV

The tails on those poor old Sleds take a real beating. They live on gravel and mud, and they fly more hours (used to) than anything else up there. And they sit low. Flying heavy Sleds is pretty much the same sight picture out the windshield as a conventional gear airplane while taxiing... No forward view over that big nose stuck high in the air, and tail dragging just off the ground.

No matter how careful you are, sooner or later the wrong big rock gets kicked up and dents the shit out of the leading edge.

Gump

I am probably wrong BUT; were a few 206 chopped and stretched even longer than 207 length? I think I heard of 208 long before the Caravan came along. I flew 206 long enough to know how but not get good.