Flying in Alaska is a Little Different
By Robert Mark on January 15th, 2010
It’s nice to be the editor of an aviation blog like Jetwhine.com because I’m lucky enough to connect with people from all parts of the globe, folks I would never have a chance to meet in my everyday life. A few weeks back, Josh Saul sent me a note about his blog, wondering if I might go take a look. I look at every blog anyone sends me to, but honestly few are worth very much, I’ve found. Josh’s is different and pleasantly so.
Josh is the editor of Bush Pilots at the Alaska Dispatch. His is a blog you’re going to want to spend a little time with because airplanes in Alaska mean something totally different than they do down here in the Lower 48. Bush Pilot is full of original stories and video from pilots in the 49th state. The still photography is astounding and the videos are creative and insightful if not doggone funny. Take a look at this one with a Beaver taking off from a truck. Only in Alaska. Or this interesting arrival into Seward. Have any white-knuckled tales or pictures from your Alaska flying? Email Josh at jsaul(at)alaskadispatch.com. Tell the folks at the Alaska Dispatch that the folks down in the nice warm Midwest said hi while you’re there.
Rob Mark, editor
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January 17th, 2010 at 2:52 am
[…] an interesting note and speaking of winter flying, Robert Mark, the editor of Jetwine, has recently noted the Bush Pilots blog at the Alaska Dispatch. The blog includes a fascinating collection of stories […]
January 18th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Rob,
When I still had hair, and the shooting had died down in SE Asia, I spent some winter months flying out of NAS Adak in the Aleutians. Our P3s certainly weren’t bush planes, but the flying was both fascinating and a little scary upon occasion. To this day, I’ve never experienced anything like the wx flying that was routine there. (even got a Flying Mag, “I Learned About Flying From That” out of it.) Rapidly changing wx, fog simultaneous with 50+ knot winds and GCAs to the runway that always had a xwind, alternates 1000 miles distant, approach plates annotated, “successful go around unlikely”.My favorite mission was to pick up NOAH ice observers in EDF and fly them clockwise around the coastline to Pt Barrow …. at an altitude of a few hundred feet. The view was unparalleled.
January 18th, 2010 at 10:38 am
My first boss had spent his early years in Canada (later with Air America) on the McKenzie river flying Beavers on skis and floats. I was consumed with stories about Alaskan flying, ‘Weldy’ Phipps and the other stars of the North were there as the light went out.
I was set on making my way there but life has its wicked jokes – I ended up in the desert and the Far East.
Something deep down wants to go North and do it still.
Great post Rob, excellent targeting.
January 18th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Thanks for your note Norman. I too have a story much like yours about going North.
A buddy called me up in the 70s when I was still working for FAA and asked me to go with him to Alaska to fly Twin Otters as they built the pipeline.
I was too chicken to give up the stable living. Besides, I remembered reading the Call of the Wild!
Always wondered how my life would have changed if I’d gone. Jim still lives up there and flies as a true freight dog.