Kurt is a good dude, and the grandson of Minnesotan and Alaska flying pioneer Noel Wien. I've known the guy for a few years and still learned a lot about him in this interview:

Just watched the podcast. Good job, Kurt! There is so much history in Kurt's family that it's incredible.

When I was flying pretty much daily out of Fairbanks, I used to think about Noel Wien's experiences in the very country where he experienced them. He was one TOUGH gentleman!

You all need to get a copy of the book they talked about, here: https://amzn.to/3xqcgRL

The story that Kurt refers to in the podcast is just one of the fantastic episodes in the book. I built a cabin on a lake about 110 miles southwest of Fairbanks. Nearby, there is a hill named "Wien's Lookout" on some maps. I wondered what that was about, until I read the book......what a story! After that, as I flew back and forth to the cabin, I always imagined what it must have been like to walk that 40 or so miles into Nenana DURING BREAKUP. I spent enough time wandering around in that country on foot to realize just how ugly that was.

Get the book folks, and read it. Amazing man, and, having met Noel Wien's children and their children, they are all salt of the Earth, and wonderful folks.

Thanks for the tip, Kurt and Zane!

MTV

Nice interview! And what Mike said about Noel and the entire Wien family. The flying they accomplished with equipment they had in that environment can't really be imagined. They were the first ones to try so they didn't know it really couldn't be done I guess. Many of the pioneer aviator pilots are remembered as the result of a travesty, Wien just accomplished his missions year after year and built and industry and an airline.

One year at the awards ceremony for Valdez Richard Wien came and gave a slide presentation on his Dad. The stories and pictures were stunning. Noel was actually quite a photographer and captured many great moments. Noel was very reserved but he must have had an idea he was doing something special and captured it with a camera. I kind of laugh at many of the things people do with an airplane now that they think are worthy of a gopro. Imagine flying across the wilderness and having to set down knowing there were no other planes to come to the rescue. Or look at his plane hanging in the Fairbanks terminal and imagine landing on sandbars with that. Bushwheels indeed.

I bought a ride with my son in that Tri Motor at Oshkosh one year. I asked the pilot if he realized he was sitting in the same seat as Noel Wien had previously, I don't think he knew who Wien was.

Hopefully one day FAI is renamed to "Fairbanks Wien International" before they put some politicians name on it. I know the library on the site of old Week's Field is named after them but for what that family has done for Alaska aviation I couldn't think of a more fitting tribute.

Thank you Kurt for keeping your family's story alive. Every time I see you comment and lend some expertise on here I think "That is Noel Wien's freaking grandson." How cool is that!

Interesting and amazing!

jprax wrote:Nice interview! And what Mike said about Noel and the entire Wien family. The flying they accomplished with equipment they had in that environment can't really be imagined. They were the first ones to try so they didn't know it really couldn't be done I guess. Many of the pioneer aviator pilots are remembered as the result of a travesty, Wien just accomplished his missions year after year and built and industry and an airline.

One year at the awards ceremony for Valdez Richard Wien came and gave a slide presentation on his Dad. The stories and pictures were stunning. Noel was actually quite a photographer and captured many great moments. Noel was very reserved but he must have had an idea he was doing something special and captured it with a camera. I kind of laugh at many of the things people do with an airplane now that they think are worthy of a gopro. Imagine flying across the wilderness and having to set down knowing there were no other planes to come to the rescue. Or look at his plane hanging in the Fairbanks terminal and imagine landing on sandbars with that. Bushwheels indeed.

I bought a ride with my son in that Tri Motor at Oshkosh one year. I asked the pilot if he realized he was sitting in the same seat as Noel Wien had previously, I don't think he knew who Wien was.

Hopefully one day FAI is renamed to "Fairbanks Wien International" before they put some politicians name on it. I know the library on the site of old Week's Field is named after them but for what that family has done for Alaska aviation I couldn't think of a more fitting tribute.

Thank you Kurt for keeping your family's story alive. Every time I see you comment and lend some expertise on here I think "That is Noel Wien's freaking grandson." How cool is that!

All of this ^. Yes. Well said, Joe.

Thank you for the kind words guys, I am glad you enjoyed it. I wish we had more time, we barely scratched the surface.

Kurt

That was very interesting. I really enjoyed it. I finished reading "Flying To Extremes" by Dominique Prinet right before watching the interview. There are a lot of similarities between the two.

tcj wrote:That was very interesting. I really enjoyed it. I finished reading "Flying To Extremes" by Dominique Prinet right before watching the interview. There are a lot of similarities between the two.

Then you need to read “Pioneer Bush Pilot”. Then imagine doing all those things, in much less reliable aircraft, and with NO other planes/pilots to come rescue you.

And, BTW, no airports, as Kurt noted. I flew past Wickersham Dome literally hundreds of times and never did figure out where Noel landed that Hisso Standard to supply the mine there.

An amazing story of true adventure. And Kurt, being just as self effacing as his grandfather, didn’t mention the HE too worked airplanes in Alaska, before hiring on with American.

MTV

MTV

Kurt,

Amazing is all I can say!

Well done!

JC

Wow, neat interview, Kurt! Your family has such an amazing story.

Mike, I’m about 4 chapters in. Thanks for the recommendation! It’s been a great read.