What I did over my summer vacation
Being a bush pilot isn't all that is is cracked up to be. This was the toughest season in four years. Bad weather, slow business, mechanical problems made this year a drag. I left early this year at the end of August to spend time with the family rather than staring at idle seaplanes at the dock. Still all things considered it beats flying a bus for a living. Everyday there are a new set of obsticles that never seem to be the standard FAA 50' This year I found my personal minimums, it was the same old story of "GET THERE I'TIS" I had a guide, father,G'pa and 2 young boys out on what was suposed to be a day fishing trip, after 6 hours the weather started getting horrible. Despite better judgement I decided to set out for the fishing party early knowing that they were not prepared for a night in the alaskan wildness in a brutal storm that was brewing. Iceberg my trusty right hand pilot offered to fly a second plane simutaniously to get these folks out faster. After being spun around three time while trying to taxi down wind in 25kt+ winds I managed to have enough room to depart safely. Once airborne I knew that I was in for a wild ride!!! Up and down drafts contiunious moderate turbulance, I had extreme dificulty keeping my headset on my head. I relayed my situation to Iceberg and he wisely chose to return to the dock. I was already up and underway and not looking forward to landing in the same conditions I had just left so I continued to see if possibly the winds were better at my destination and hopfully return to better winds in about an hour. My destination is a 4000' lake at about 2000' msl not to bad till you try a depart a loaded 206. I accuratly reconized the hazzardious situation which I had created and upon arrival chose to depart with only the father and 2 small boys. I couldn' turn down wind and was forced to sail the entire length of the lake backwards which only took about 20 minutes thanks to the strong winds. My passengers had little idea of the perel I had placed them and of course were very anxious to leave pressuring me the whole time while sailing to take off NOW, WHY NOT... despite there badgering and my impluse to drop them off in the center of the lake and return solo, I tortured them with a long painful sail and wicked flight that I would wish upon anyone. The winds had not improved in fact they were worse. I had to fly slow well below Va and endure some of the worst turbulence I've ever experienced for what seemed like 2 hours. Once back at home base I spent the better part of a 1/2 hour looking at the water and other factors to try a plan the best way to arrive dry! It looked like somebody had turned five blenders up to obliderate with no constant wind direction. I determend that my best shot was the middle of the lake which is totally out of the norm, but hey so was this weather. I had to antisipate wind gusts from numerus directions begining my approach with an intense downdraft to a tailwind and finally touching down into the wind near the center of the lake and I had to do it now!! the winds never stayed constant so when I saw the varibles line up I took it and it worked out nicely all things considered and of course my passengers never had a clue as to what had just transpired. It still took over 45 minutes to taxi to the dock, at some points we were actually more going backwards than forward. The guide and grandfather had to spend the night on a cold and windy lake. They weren't very happy with me when I showed up next day. You think that they would be happy I didn't show up to kill them in some NTSB report. Later this same day the Super Cubs were fliped while tied to the dock. This is trip going to the top of the list of things that I will never do again! Fly safe Dean:) Use your expert piloting knowledge to avoid using you expert piloting skill.
posted by Dean Sibley at 3:50 PM
1 comments
