Anyone see the new Kitplanes article on flying the backcountry in a Kitfox? Good write up, and I'll all for John McBean and the brand, good on them. BUT the off hand comment by CFI Paul Leadabrand, who is hooked up somewhat with McBean, that it is "impossible" due to the dry snow really set me off. For an educator, Paul needs to be educated on the subject it would seem. I am eager to hear the horror story he must have to have such a simplistic response to the subject! What follows is a email I fired off the Kitplanes editor Paul Dye. I feel better now.


Hello Paul,
A long time subscriber here, and I have to tell you the rag is better then ever, and you being editor can only help. I am very interested to see how your excursion into the low and slow type aircraft as opposed to the go fasts you've had in the past, works out, you are going to have fun!

Enough of that, the reason for this email is the statement by Paul Leadabrand in the article "Backcountry Fox", "Airplanes just end to sink in, making operations IMPOSSIBLE". My emphasis on the impossible part, that's what set me off....not, challenging or requiring careful evaluation on the days snow conditions before committing to a landing, but IMPOSSIBLE!.

I guess Paul missed my article on Idaho ski flying in the March 2011 KITPLANES. Since then I have accrued close to 200 hrs of Idaho ski flying, (over 1500 hrs TT on the RANS S-7S now) almost all of it off airport, in the mountains (up to 9500'), and most of it on slopes, some quite steep. Paul L. I'm sure is a great guy, he certainly sounds qualified for his job title, but he is out of his depth on the ski flying issue. I also really like the way John McBean has managed the venerable KITFOX marque, being a past owner builder (650 HRS TT., 325 in one year, in a Kitfox 1, 120DD) and of course I am always proud and protective of Idaho's fine aviation heritage as per kit planes and experimental aviation. All the more reason to make sure Paul L.'s comment is if not discredited, qualified, by others with what would seem to be more experience in the subject, that subject being Idaho ski flying. I also plan to communicate with him on the subject, I want to hear the story as to why he says it's impossible. While there is no question that being in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong equipment, and making poor choices as to when to commit to a landing on snow, can quickly change the joy of ski flight to a nightmare (guess how I know?), that holds true anywhere, there is nothing special about the Idaho snow. BTW, I'm also a longtime winter sports (snowboarder) participant, and feel I have a pretty good handle on snow conditions in general. As mentioned, some days it's great, other days not so great, terrible even! That's all part of the challenge and what makes it so rewarding when accomplished safely.

I hope you can see fit to print a small disclaimer as to the unsuitability of Idaho to ski flying, I purposely made this letter overly long so you won't use it as is, but feel free to print a summation of my thoughts on the subject in the next issue.

Thanks Paul, and keep up the good work at Kitplanes.


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Great Write up Tom...I am all about innovation and new horizons with what we do. Crap happens to even the best of us. If it wasn't for pushing the boundaries we would all still be launching gliders off sand dunes.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2014/10/i ... at_12.html

I had to chuckle when I read the first post in this thread, but now that I've read the second post I guess it's time to chime in. If you've read the first post you'll know that the OP asserts that Paul Leadabrand, a flight school operator featured in the recent edition of Kitplanes, claims ski flying is "impossible" in Idaho. He goes on to include a copy of a letter he's written to Paul Dye, editor of Kitplanes magazine, asking that Mr. Dye set the record straight. Unfortunately, as evidenced by the image below, I think the OP has either misread the article, or as is often the case, a keyword was omitted or something written was taken out of context.


Yep, Paul Leadabrand's Kitfox on skis in Idaho. The tracks are all his and there were many others long since melted away.

Having met Paul Dye, I'm sure he'll set the record straight in Kitplanes. For those who don't read Kitplanes, I think the image above should correct the OP's misunderstanding.

I was a bit more concerned when I saw the second post with a link to a page describing a recent accident involving one of Paul Leadabrand's Kitfoxes. Although I'm not clear on the second poster's intention, some may assume that Paul Leadabrand was instructing or present when the accident occurred. That is not the case.

My big concern is that someone might come away from this thread with the wrong impression of Paul Leadabrand's judgement or qualifications. In my 40 plus years of flying, I've yet to fly with an instructor better equipped, or more capable of teaching safe stick and rudder skills. He does this with an infectious enthusiasm for the sport that benefits us all. For what it's worth, Paul is a friend as well and I've never known him to do things he deems "impossible."

Providing ski, backcountry and tailwheel endorsements all carries greater risk for the few instructors and flight schools that offer it. I'm sure we all realize that it's an occupation driven by passion over profit. I, for one, am happy there are folks out their doing their best to further our collective skills and safety in the backcountry and would encourage anyone interested to contact Paul at Stick-Rudder.com for a quality experience.

Easy now Offroute, the picture you posted makes it all the more puzzling that in the article referenced, Paul Dye writes this: "I asked about ski operations, and Leadabrand pointed out that unlike the wet snow I was used to in the Midwest, their snow is very dry and powdery, providing no flotation for skis. Airplanes just tend to sink in, making operations impossible." Nothing taken out of context at all, that is exactly how it was printed. It appears that Paul Dye may have credited the word impossible to Paul, it may not have come out of Paul's mouth, see his response below.

Paul Dye responded to my email: "Thanks for your note - we will probably publish an edited version of it in the next available magazine slot. The fault is as much mine as Paul Leadabrand's….I know better than to use words that are "absolutes" like "impossible" - there are always exceptions to every rule, and special conditions that work or don't work. I grew up flying on skis in Minnesota, and know well that sometimes the conditions are good, and sometimes, well - not."



I certainly have no ax to grind with Paul, it sounds like a great service he offers. We need all the TD instructors we can get! Knowing NOW he's a ski pilot, I'd venture a guess he winced when HE read that quote, obviously something got left on the editing floor, and I responded in what seemed, with the available information, (the direct quote in the magazine) with incredibility. Here's the happy ending, Paul D. can print an addendum in the next KP's, allowing Paul L. to correct the misconception that he thinks ski flying is impossible in Idaho, and I will be proven correct also as I know it is possible, a win win! Thanks for posting that picture and letting others also know that he doesn't think it's impossible.