Backcountry Pilot

[a64pilot offline]

Split from here.-Z
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Is there any kind of a memorial type of thing we can pitch in and contribute to?

[qmdv offline]

Well I think he should kept as a member of the org so that future folks can read his posts.

How about put a little ditty in the links section and for those that were able to have klnown him, we could each right a little note.

Tim

[OregonMaule offline]

Hi friends, I’m just thinking out loud. Maybe one of those nice picnic tables at JC with a memorial plaque. Regards…Rob

[Quail offline]

Rob;
A plaque and table is an excellent idea! You will have my second following a BCP discussion. I suggest that perhaps a modest sum of $5 to $10 from those who wish, will go a long ways. There is a shop here in Gresham, OR that can make a nice plague quite reasonable. Perhaps another poster might have a source for a table (or other suitable gift) to Johnson Creek in Berk's memory? I will get a quote on a plaque and post it soon.

[Zona offline]

I'm in on the plaque Bob. You know the first time I went to JC, they had just pulled someone out of the same area, going to the same place. People told me about it over dinner. How can we hand down this info to new pilots flying in that area going the same direction?

Not sure it would help, but I knew about the pass from that dinner on.

[Quail offline]

Zona:
That is a super idea!!! The shop I mentioned has a lady who can can make a plague with a map or diagram that illustrates that "False Pass." I will get a quote tomorrow and let everyone know. I PM'ed Zane to get the Plaque it's own topic. We could consider some sort of a mount or perhaps ask if we could mount it on the building, or as Rob suggested, a table.
Other members of BCP please let us know what you think.

[a64pilot offline]

I'm in, let me know a suggested donation and where to send the check. I've never met any of you guy's, but I like the idea of trying to find a way to educate others so that they may not follow that pass. Kinda the idea of if you only save one, it was worth it.
I never met Berk except on this forum, but I think he would be pleased.

[LowAndSlow offline]

I like the idea of a plaque as well. I think the map is a fine idea, but more importantly, I think some how it should convey the importance of sharing your flight plan with someone else. The part that bugs me the most about this accident is that nobody even started looking for the aiplane for two days, and poor Suzanne spent 3 days wondering if she'd be rescued.

I wonder if a voluntary sign in/sign out book at Johnson Cr would be a good idea. If nobody was there to talk to, you could write down your flight plan and when you expected to be back. When you arrived, you could check your name off.

Just thinking out loud as well.

John

[punkin170b offline]

I'm in.

Great ideas, fellas. I agree wholeheartedly with the spirit of the memorial. I think others can certainly learn from the accident, however I suggest we keep the plaque verbiage short and sweet and not "preach" too much. We should be sensitive to his friends and family at the same time. At the bottom of the memorial, we could say somthing like "Dedicated in memory of... by the members of BackCountryPilot.org". That way if people want to read this story, Berk's posts, or research why this unfortunate event happened and how to avoid it, they can do so by perusing the website.

M

[Zzz]

Thirded on what Matt said.

I vote for a heavy brass plate or something that we can affix to a permanent something-or-other. A tree? One of those boulders? Picnic table?

Something like:

"Dedicated to the memory of Berkley Snow who perished in a crash June 14, 2007 near Johnson Creek. He will long be remembered by his friends who took value from his sacrifice."

Edit: I changed it to remove reference to BCP, which was kinda cheesy.

[punkin170b offline]

I love the picnic table idea. Something useful - and people can't help but read what is engraved on a plaque centered in the middle.

Anybody got a Beaver we can use to haul it up there?

M

[n2485q offline]

We should really think this through....JC is unattended most of the year....Brass/bronze has a tremendous scrap value..picnic tables rot with time or burn....and somehow, some rug rat spilling Koolaid all over it has no appeal to me..

I'd be more inclined to favor the idea of something similar to the memorials at Smiley Creek.....foot stones in a rock garden of native perrenials...close to the showers for visibility and ease of maintenance

Just a simple memorial...without an ad for a website or acknowledgement of contributors...selfless giving
And, then maybe something for the wall of the pavillion warning others of the "pass" so that his passing might save another's life.

Stones at Smiley Creek are small enough to be flown in in a 182/206 and a few bags of concrete hauled in from Cascade by the caretaker to anchor the stones.....a weekend memorial/work party to put it together....

Won't rot, burn or get stolen.....

Just my two cents worth

[punkin170b offline]

All good and valid points, Bill.

Maybe we can put 3 or 4 viable ideas on a survey and let everybody vote. Do yall think that those who were personal friends on the site might be given a little extra voting weight, since they knew him best?

M

[skywagon88h offline]

Is anyone familar with his family situation? Did he leave kids or is his widow going to be put in financial difficulty because of the accident? Maybe it would be a better use of our money to assist his family at a really tough time?

Thoughts?

[OregonMaule offline]

Hi y’all, very good thought’s by all. After we get all our ideas out, and some time has passed, one of you who know Suzie might ask which one she likes. Just thinking out loud. Maybe a park bench with the plaque that could be put away in the off season. Fly safe my friends. Rob

[Quail offline]

BCP Members:
I talked to the Trophy maker lady I mentioned here in Gresham. She has metal plaques, but for outdoor use she recommended a heavy PVC material that she guaranteed would out last anything else. It has a gold surface and the letters will be cut and then show as black. She can do graphic off a photo or drawing. The material looks very nice and would be MUCH less expensive than a bronze casting and also not likely to be stolen. An 8x10 inch would be $16, the max size she has 12x24 inches is $56. The letters cost 20 cents each and graphics if wanted (airplane, diagram, photo?) not much extra. So the big size with the inscription and a graphic is in the $100 range. Once we decide what to say and a graphic (if desired) we can do jpg or even an email and she will lazer engrave it.
Lets try and get this done... and have a dedication sometime this summer. Several suggestions have been made. Zane, can you write up the options and make one of those vote things?

[pif_sonic offline]

I’m good with a plaque or a rock memorial. I also like the idea of a fly-in to JC to place it there. I’m sure we cold get a great turn out. I did not know Berk but I am sure he would want all of us on the forum to continue to fly. What a better why than to fly to JC in remembrance of him. What ever the $ amount we agree on, I’m in, just let me know where to send it.

[Grassstrippilot offline]

I think the idea of the Smiley Creek style memorial is a great idea, as well as the fly-in work party/dedication and the informative info to be posted for other flyers to become educated on the local area.

[mtv offline]

Okay, let's think about this.....

I'm with Low and Slow on this deal. One of the big issues here was flight planning, as in none. As he noted, a passenger could also easily have perished, and imagine the anguish she suffered, both from the loss of her husband, from her injuries AND from the wait, for......what?

Why not some sort of sheltered pylon, small, so it can be flown in, with a notebook in it, made from Rite In Rain paper, and a supply of pencils,

WITH a plaque attached to the front, which explains the circumstances briefly and simply asks pilots to write a short note as to their intentions.

You could also put a map of the false canyon inside it, perhaps on a PVC plaque as well.

This will take some maintenance, as in replacement of books, etc., but this could not only memorialize Berk, but maybe save someone else's life down the road.

A picnic table??? Personally, I hope nobody ever suggests naming a picnic table after me.

Let's try to do something with this, beyond just saying that Berk went west from here.

If I were to perish in an aircraft accident, I'd sure hope someone would try to learn from it, and prevent others from going down the same road.

MTV

[Zzz]

I like where you guys are taking this... I also think that trying to institute a checkout/checkin system at JC is a nice idea, but it's a Pandoras Box of headaches and would most likely be ignored by most. It falls into the category of more procedures and forced interaction with people. Who's going to monitor it or check it nightly and then actually act on an overdue plane? Most people I think would shy away from any kind of written registration, even if it is a good idea.

Perhaps a "10 Commandments of the Backcountry" kinda thing? A basic list of rules of thumb to live by. They could easily fit on a laptop-sized brass plate or even an engraved piece of stainless with a dedication to our buddy followed by:

1. Fly early in the morning and in the evening.
2. Tell others of your intended destination and route.
3. Don't fly up canyon below ridgetop altitude.
4. Yada yada yada. 5678910...

That's something useful, commemorative, and requires no maintenance.