The last few day's here have been absolutely beautiful! The only thing missing would be warm temp's.
With the weather being the best it has been all winter it gave us a chance to fly a lot to get caught up on moving freight and passengers. It also gave me a chance to get back to the type of flying I love to do....Low and fast!!!
Friday and Saturday were so nice that when I was flying leg's empty I would take her down and fly map of the earth. Low-T and my self did a lot of sight seeing and caribou spotting during these flight's.
For those of you who have never experienced flying like this, it is truly exhilarating. When we are at altitude ie. cruising at 10,000 feet and doing 200mph you don't get to enjoy the sense of speed but if your flying at 200mph at let's say 500 feet you get the full sense of that type of speed and it doesn't get any better than that for me.
Low-T and I have been flying a lot together over the last few week's. It feel's like we are finally getting a nitch for flying with each other being able to think and react for the other.
This make's it feel less like work and more enjoyable for the both of us.
With the amount of flying that we did on Friday and Saturday enabled us to have today off. This is fantastic! I haven't had a day off to were I could sleep in since I started my rotation on the first. We typically work 15-20 days on with 10-15 off, we live in an airline provided apartment witch is located above the maintenance hanger/ terminal. So we literally live at work during this time.
I used my day off today just laying around and cooking dinner witch might seam mundane to most but for us it's like a vacation as we don't often have time to really cook. Today I decided to make spaghetti witch is like a delicacy out here due to the high cost of supply's.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
A Sport Similar to Cage fighting
The past few day's have been nothing short of bad weather day's. So what do we do on bad weather day's? Well we fly of-course! We have made numerous flights up and down the Peninsula as well as the Chig's in blizzard conditions. Some flights turned back never making it to their destination...they were the smart one's, and others continued with reckless dissregard...That would be Captain Hero and myself. Now if you haven't gathered by previous stories that the Chig's can be a rough and dangerous place on a good day going into there during a blizzard is just adding fuel to the fire.
If you were to consider Bush flying through these mountain ranges along the Alaskan Peninsula and Aleutian Island's a sport it would be similar to cage fighting. Some day's you can jump into that ring and come out victorious without a scratch and others you come out feeling like you went 12 rounds as Chuck Liddell's personal punching bag. Most people do not understand the effects flying let alone flying in turbulence has on the body and how exhausting it can be. As only a small percent of the flying public every encounter turbulence for an extended period of time and an even smaller percent ever experience mountain wave or sever turbulence.We encounter it almost daily. I do understand that our passengers have to encounter it with us but here is where it differs for the pilot's... the passengers only have to encounter it once (getting to their destination) us pilot's have to go through it on the way back too! We are like a walking Doublemint add! "double the pleasure double the fun"
Now you might ask well why did you fly in it then. Well let's take yesterday for example. My self and Captain Hero were dispatched out on good weather but while en-route the weather at the destination got bad and dispatched called us in the air to tell us to turn around and come home. When your flying with Captain Hero you don't turn around (this is why we call him Hero) he will flat out ignore dispatch and go anyway. Now most level headed Captain's would turn back at that point or at least ask the co-pilot if he is comfortable continuing. Captain Hero is the complete opposite He goes and the co-pilot is along for the ride weather he or she like's it or not and no matter what the co-pilot has to say about it. (this is why we don't like flying with him).
Now don't get me wrong I'm not afraid of flying in bad weather I mean I did take a job as a pilot in one of the most dangerous place's in the world to fly solely to become the best of the best but I have limits. I don't feel that I should risk my life or the lives of the passengers by flying through mountain passes in 0 visabilaty with heavy blowing snow and white-out conditions to get grandma to a village to see the grand kid's or airlift in the villages week supply of soda. That being said there are thing's that I would risk it for no questions asked like a person especially a small child in need of emergency medical care or rescuing people from a downed aircraft basically nothing short of saving a life. The rest can wait until tomorrow.
My Room mate Dan got rotated back home last night and I'm not pleased. In Dan's place they brought in an out of base pilot to replace him. This guy is about the most anti-social person I have ever meet. I don't want to even try to hang out with this guy. I know I'm an ass but this guy is really annoying! So beside captain Low-T and the Phoenix I have no one to hang out with. If you have never spent time in Bush Alaska it get's very boring very quick!
This morning with the sub-in pilot following me like a lost puppy I head down to Op's and decide to break the new guy in by getting him assigned to captain Hero. Today was supposed to be a busy day as we had a lot of freight to move to the Chig's so captain Hero and the new guy would take a plane full of passengers and mail while captain Low-T and I flew a load of Hazmat down there. we get the plane's loaded, look at the weather and once again it's bad. the high winds down there today were blowing the snow around causing ground blizzards. Captain Low-T and I decide to stay and wait for the weather to improve while captian Hero and the new guy get in the plane and take off.
As the hours tic by and the weather not improving we start getting creative in keeping ourselves occupied with out knowing we are even doing it. It started when Low-T started singing "Got Moves Like Jagger" out load in the middle of the Op's room! Now let me set the picture for you. Captain Low-T is a middle age white guy and he is wearing this purple monstrosity of a coat that I have been teasing him about for day's. hahaha it crack's me up just thinking about it! On top of that he wears glasses (the big aviator one's) now I'm not making fun of him for wearing glasses because he can't help that, but combined with the purple jacket he looks like some sort of rendition of Elton John singing in the highest pitch he can muster. A few songs and many games of Angry Bird's later we some how wined up with a foot ball in the maintenance hanger. And the shenanigans begin! By this point Low-T and I have been playing all day like little kid's stopping every now and then to look at the weather, talk about how bad we feel for not going, chuckle and go back to playing. Keep in mind Low-T and myself have flow in the worst weather you could think of the last couple of week's so we are the last Bush pilot's motivated to do anything today. Our Chief arrived from Anchorage mid morning and the General was also here today and I guess they had already figured this out or just thought our playing had gone on long enough that there was no getting us back today so they just let us continue. We pilot's are like big kid's leave us alone long enough and anything is bound to happen.The Chief or the General could have tried to put a stop to this nonsense at any time but it would have been like pulling a kid out of Chucky Cheese...you could do it but we would go kicking and screaming! We went largely ignored by them and some how slowly corrupted the entire work force and had everyone involved in our shenanigans. I don't know how it happened it just did, I don't know if they all just saw how much fun we where having and joined in but I certainly didn't hold a recruiting convention.
By this time captain Hero and the new guy had already come back picked up another load and were off again...Sucker's!
The Chief finally asked us why we were not flying when he walked into to see we had all of Operations completely shut down due to an Angry Birds competition being conducted on about five different devices. Low-T and I looked at each other shrugged our shoulders and walked out to avoid the question. as we walked out Low-T looked at me and said " I ain't leaving till they kick me out" LOL right on Low-T right on!
My day finally end's with me curled up on a couch taking a nap to recuperate from a hard day of playing.
If you were to consider Bush flying through these mountain ranges along the Alaskan Peninsula and Aleutian Island's a sport it would be similar to cage fighting. Some day's you can jump into that ring and come out victorious without a scratch and others you come out feeling like you went 12 rounds as Chuck Liddell's personal punching bag. Most people do not understand the effects flying let alone flying in turbulence has on the body and how exhausting it can be. As only a small percent of the flying public every encounter turbulence for an extended period of time and an even smaller percent ever experience mountain wave or sever turbulence.We encounter it almost daily. I do understand that our passengers have to encounter it with us but here is where it differs for the pilot's... the passengers only have to encounter it once (getting to their destination) us pilot's have to go through it on the way back too! We are like a walking Doublemint add! "double the pleasure double the fun"
Now you might ask well why did you fly in it then. Well let's take yesterday for example. My self and Captain Hero were dispatched out on good weather but while en-route the weather at the destination got bad and dispatched called us in the air to tell us to turn around and come home. When your flying with Captain Hero you don't turn around (this is why we call him Hero) he will flat out ignore dispatch and go anyway. Now most level headed Captain's would turn back at that point or at least ask the co-pilot if he is comfortable continuing. Captain Hero is the complete opposite He goes and the co-pilot is along for the ride weather he or she like's it or not and no matter what the co-pilot has to say about it. (this is why we don't like flying with him).
Now don't get me wrong I'm not afraid of flying in bad weather I mean I did take a job as a pilot in one of the most dangerous place's in the world to fly solely to become the best of the best but I have limits. I don't feel that I should risk my life or the lives of the passengers by flying through mountain passes in 0 visabilaty with heavy blowing snow and white-out conditions to get grandma to a village to see the grand kid's or airlift in the villages week supply of soda. That being said there are thing's that I would risk it for no questions asked like a person especially a small child in need of emergency medical care or rescuing people from a downed aircraft basically nothing short of saving a life. The rest can wait until tomorrow.
My Room mate Dan got rotated back home last night and I'm not pleased. In Dan's place they brought in an out of base pilot to replace him. This guy is about the most anti-social person I have ever meet. I don't want to even try to hang out with this guy. I know I'm an ass but this guy is really annoying! So beside captain Low-T and the Phoenix I have no one to hang out with. If you have never spent time in Bush Alaska it get's very boring very quick!
This morning with the sub-in pilot following me like a lost puppy I head down to Op's and decide to break the new guy in by getting him assigned to captain Hero. Today was supposed to be a busy day as we had a lot of freight to move to the Chig's so captain Hero and the new guy would take a plane full of passengers and mail while captain Low-T and I flew a load of Hazmat down there. we get the plane's loaded, look at the weather and once again it's bad. the high winds down there today were blowing the snow around causing ground blizzards. Captain Low-T and I decide to stay and wait for the weather to improve while captian Hero and the new guy get in the plane and take off.
As the hours tic by and the weather not improving we start getting creative in keeping ourselves occupied with out knowing we are even doing it. It started when Low-T started singing "Got Moves Like Jagger" out load in the middle of the Op's room! Now let me set the picture for you. Captain Low-T is a middle age white guy and he is wearing this purple monstrosity of a coat that I have been teasing him about for day's. hahaha it crack's me up just thinking about it! On top of that he wears glasses (the big aviator one's) now I'm not making fun of him for wearing glasses because he can't help that, but combined with the purple jacket he looks like some sort of rendition of Elton John singing in the highest pitch he can muster. A few songs and many games of Angry Bird's later we some how wined up with a foot ball in the maintenance hanger. And the shenanigans begin! By this point Low-T and I have been playing all day like little kid's stopping every now and then to look at the weather, talk about how bad we feel for not going, chuckle and go back to playing. Keep in mind Low-T and myself have flow in the worst weather you could think of the last couple of week's so we are the last Bush pilot's motivated to do anything today. Our Chief arrived from Anchorage mid morning and the General was also here today and I guess they had already figured this out or just thought our playing had gone on long enough that there was no getting us back today so they just let us continue. We pilot's are like big kid's leave us alone long enough and anything is bound to happen.The Chief or the General could have tried to put a stop to this nonsense at any time but it would have been like pulling a kid out of Chucky Cheese...you could do it but we would go kicking and screaming! We went largely ignored by them and some how slowly corrupted the entire work force and had everyone involved in our shenanigans. I don't know how it happened it just did, I don't know if they all just saw how much fun we where having and joined in but I certainly didn't hold a recruiting convention.
By this time captain Hero and the new guy had already come back picked up another load and were off again...Sucker's!
The Chief finally asked us why we were not flying when he walked into to see we had all of Operations completely shut down due to an Angry Birds competition being conducted on about five different devices. Low-T and I looked at each other shrugged our shoulders and walked out to avoid the question. as we walked out Low-T looked at me and said " I ain't leaving till they kick me out" LOL right on Low-T right on!
My day finally end's with me curled up on a couch taking a nap to recuperate from a hard day of playing.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Being put in check
Every day across the world people file into airplanes and take to the skies. To most it is a way of life, to some it is a right. Though thousands of flights a day are completed with out incident and can be considered mundane and uneventful.That is not the case as a bush pilot in Alaska.
Most day's can be considered as mundane by the inner circle of bush pilot's but then there are those day's that are gut wrenching, one's that really make you look at life in a whole different way. Today was one of those day's for me.
My day began with temp's hitting -56 with the wind chill. There was low pressure system moving up from the south causing blizzards and complete havoc along the North Pacific.
Down in Op's I was assigned the Chig's run with Captain Low-T.
The Chig's weather was down right bad all morning and Low-T and I had debated on canceling the whole thing all morning. Now I am happy to once again be flying with Captain Low-T as I have much respect for him and trust him to make the right decision's.
After a four hour wait a bunch of bad weather report's and incoherent nonsense from our dispatcher we decide to go. (That was bad idea number 1!)
we load up and head for our first stop at Port. Now the Port is the last airport on the peninsula before getting into the mountains at the Chig's. Once we arrive we decide to call and get a weather report for the Chig's.... what we get is complete BS and we believed it.
So we decide to continue onto the Chig's based on this BS. (Bad idea number 2!)
We depart the Port and decide that the best way to get into the Chig's is going to be climbing up and flying over the range and descending down into the bay on the other side.
Now our next stop was supposed to be Lake witch is south of the Bay so we would get updated weather reports from the Bay and Lagoon as we cross over the range.
As I call and get these weather report's it becomes very obvious to me that the people giving the reports have no idea what they are doing because I was getting reports of ceiling's being 3 mile's at the Lagoon (3 mile's is 15,000 feet) . We are at 7,000 feet and we are in the clouds so I know that's wrong. the next report we get from the Lagoon it that there is some "pretty weird swirling snow at the end of the runway". Let me give you a brief rundown of a weather report. visibility is how far you can see horizontally and is measured and reported in miles, ceiling is how high the bottom of the clouds are and are measured and reported in feet. so a ceiling of 3 mile's is completely wrong and any time you have anyone say weird swirling (unless this is followed by hundred dollar bill's) is never good!
The next report we get is from the Bay. By this time we have crossed the range and are over the Bay. The Bay is telling us that the ceiling is 600 feet and 1 mile vis. WRONG we are still at 7,000 feet and I can see the Bay. Who the F trains these people?
Low-T and I decided that we should land at the Bay first and call and get a new weather report from the Lagoon and the Lake.(Bad idea number 3!)
We make it into the Bay with a little moderate turbulence and 45 knot cross winds.
While on the ground at the Bay we are told that the Lake weather has gotten better and that we should head that way. We load up and taxi to depart. We roll down the runway build our speed and lift off about 3/4 of the way down the runway. Just as we start to climb we hit a micro burst. ( A Micro burst is a sudden shift or change in wind) This micro burst happened to be an extrema down draft. We are now being forced toward the ground and with the engine red lined we are not able to climb. As we start running out of runway and altitude we are slammed back into the runway. As Low-T struggles to get the plane flying again before we hit the water I start getting ready to go swimming. (the Runway that the Bay is surrounded by open Ocean on three side's) This unfolding I start thinking about how cold that water is going to be as I know it is hoovering around 0..... there are ice packs floating around in it for god sake. Some how Low-T pulls it off and get's us airborne again. Thank God because I forgot to bring my floaties!
We make it out of the Bay and start our way down to the Lake. As we turn out of the Bay into the Lagoon we start getting rocked by more turbulence. As we pass by the village we see about a half mile ahead and the vis is 0/0 meaning the clouds are all the way to the ground. we cant see the water, the mountains,or islands so we decide not to continue. Low-T banks us to the right to get us turned 180 away from the cliffs. Our turn take's us across the Lagoon to the base for the bearing sea side range wich is on the west side of the Lagoon. At this point we are (let's just say) 500 feet off the water when all of the sudden we hit a roll wave! ( A roll wave is a mass of air coming off the top of a mountain rolling downward. think of it like a tornado turned on it's side.) As we hit this roll wave we are rolled over to about 110 degree's. Keep in mind 90 degree's is completely on our side and 180 degree's we are up side down! we are 110 and still rolling over. Low-T has the controls maxed out trying to right the plane. I grab on to help out ( Natural reaction in a situation like that). with the controls maxed out we are still rolling and quickly. Here's a little info on how airplanes work. There are planes out there that can fly upside down. The 208 is not one of those! Now if we were at 15,000 feet this wouldn't be a big deal because we could barrel roll it and get it right side up before we hit the ground or if we were in an aerobatic plane like the one's that you see at your local airshow that are designed to fly upside down. But we didn't have the altitude to recover nor was the 208 designed to fly upside down. If we continue and hit 180 (completely upside down) We would fall out of the sky like a duck on it's back and hit the water in about two seconds with a force equal to two diesel locomotives hitting head on!! Adrenalin pumping and both of us on the controls fighting the plane we finally right the beast before it's too late. Now finally righted we are now both completely pissed off mostly due to our type a personalities. ( the vast majority of pilots have type A personalities and part of that is a dislike of not being in control)
Low-T and I decide that we are bugging out and begin to climb out back over the range.
When we get over the range and into cruse Low-T give control of the aircraft to me I guess to give him a chance to finally calm down from the previous event's.
I am not pleased as I too am worked up and feeling very tired from having the shit kicked out of me for the last hour.
I take my headset off and turn to the back to check on the passengers, we have 7 onboard and we have not checked on them since the roll wave or told them we are headed back to base.
As I look back all of them are white as ghost's and still clenching their seats. I yell over the roaring of the turbine that has just be thoroughly abused but still running like a chap to inform them we are going back to base. I swear it looked like I was carrying a load of life size bobble head doll's as their head's bobbed back and forth in approval of this decision.
For the next fifteen minutes there was a lot of discussion between Low-T and my self about what had happened, are dislike of dispatch and me telling him to just draw a frowny face on our manifest instead of filling it out. The rest of the trip was quiet as we both needed time to our selves.
Upon my return to base I walk straight though Op's without stopping to chat as I am in no mood to talk to dispatch so I head up to my apartment grab a beer and begin to tell Dan what had happened.
Low-T joined us about 5 minutes later and the three of us proceed to empty our fridge of beer.
With all the beer gone we decide to move to the bar where there is plenty of beer.
When we arrive at the bar some of the passengers are there drinking as well and the events of the day are already front page new's.
Sorry to all the readers out there for not adding dramatic music but Flying wild Alaska used it all up!
Most day's can be considered as mundane by the inner circle of bush pilot's but then there are those day's that are gut wrenching, one's that really make you look at life in a whole different way. Today was one of those day's for me.
My day began with temp's hitting -56 with the wind chill. There was low pressure system moving up from the south causing blizzards and complete havoc along the North Pacific.
Down in Op's I was assigned the Chig's run with Captain Low-T.
The Chig's weather was down right bad all morning and Low-T and I had debated on canceling the whole thing all morning. Now I am happy to once again be flying with Captain Low-T as I have much respect for him and trust him to make the right decision's.
After a four hour wait a bunch of bad weather report's and incoherent nonsense from our dispatcher we decide to go. (That was bad idea number 1!)
we load up and head for our first stop at Port. Now the Port is the last airport on the peninsula before getting into the mountains at the Chig's. Once we arrive we decide to call and get a weather report for the Chig's.... what we get is complete BS and we believed it.
So we decide to continue onto the Chig's based on this BS. (Bad idea number 2!)
We depart the Port and decide that the best way to get into the Chig's is going to be climbing up and flying over the range and descending down into the bay on the other side.
Now our next stop was supposed to be Lake witch is south of the Bay so we would get updated weather reports from the Bay and Lagoon as we cross over the range.
As I call and get these weather report's it becomes very obvious to me that the people giving the reports have no idea what they are doing because I was getting reports of ceiling's being 3 mile's at the Lagoon (3 mile's is 15,000 feet) . We are at 7,000 feet and we are in the clouds so I know that's wrong. the next report we get from the Lagoon it that there is some "pretty weird swirling snow at the end of the runway". Let me give you a brief rundown of a weather report. visibility is how far you can see horizontally and is measured and reported in miles, ceiling is how high the bottom of the clouds are and are measured and reported in feet. so a ceiling of 3 mile's is completely wrong and any time you have anyone say weird swirling (unless this is followed by hundred dollar bill's) is never good!
The next report we get is from the Bay. By this time we have crossed the range and are over the Bay. The Bay is telling us that the ceiling is 600 feet and 1 mile vis. WRONG we are still at 7,000 feet and I can see the Bay. Who the F trains these people?
Low-T and I decided that we should land at the Bay first and call and get a new weather report from the Lagoon and the Lake.(Bad idea number 3!)
We make it into the Bay with a little moderate turbulence and 45 knot cross winds.
While on the ground at the Bay we are told that the Lake weather has gotten better and that we should head that way. We load up and taxi to depart. We roll down the runway build our speed and lift off about 3/4 of the way down the runway. Just as we start to climb we hit a micro burst. ( A Micro burst is a sudden shift or change in wind) This micro burst happened to be an extrema down draft. We are now being forced toward the ground and with the engine red lined we are not able to climb. As we start running out of runway and altitude we are slammed back into the runway. As Low-T struggles to get the plane flying again before we hit the water I start getting ready to go swimming. (the Runway that the Bay is surrounded by open Ocean on three side's) This unfolding I start thinking about how cold that water is going to be as I know it is hoovering around 0..... there are ice packs floating around in it for god sake. Some how Low-T pulls it off and get's us airborne again. Thank God because I forgot to bring my floaties!
We make it out of the Bay and start our way down to the Lake. As we turn out of the Bay into the Lagoon we start getting rocked by more turbulence. As we pass by the village we see about a half mile ahead and the vis is 0/0 meaning the clouds are all the way to the ground. we cant see the water, the mountains,or islands so we decide not to continue. Low-T banks us to the right to get us turned 180 away from the cliffs. Our turn take's us across the Lagoon to the base for the bearing sea side range wich is on the west side of the Lagoon. At this point we are (let's just say) 500 feet off the water when all of the sudden we hit a roll wave! ( A roll wave is a mass of air coming off the top of a mountain rolling downward. think of it like a tornado turned on it's side.) As we hit this roll wave we are rolled over to about 110 degree's. Keep in mind 90 degree's is completely on our side and 180 degree's we are up side down! we are 110 and still rolling over. Low-T has the controls maxed out trying to right the plane. I grab on to help out ( Natural reaction in a situation like that). with the controls maxed out we are still rolling and quickly. Here's a little info on how airplanes work. There are planes out there that can fly upside down. The 208 is not one of those! Now if we were at 15,000 feet this wouldn't be a big deal because we could barrel roll it and get it right side up before we hit the ground or if we were in an aerobatic plane like the one's that you see at your local airshow that are designed to fly upside down. But we didn't have the altitude to recover nor was the 208 designed to fly upside down. If we continue and hit 180 (completely upside down) We would fall out of the sky like a duck on it's back and hit the water in about two seconds with a force equal to two diesel locomotives hitting head on!! Adrenalin pumping and both of us on the controls fighting the plane we finally right the beast before it's too late. Now finally righted we are now both completely pissed off mostly due to our type a personalities. ( the vast majority of pilots have type A personalities and part of that is a dislike of not being in control)
Low-T and I decide that we are bugging out and begin to climb out back over the range.
When we get over the range and into cruse Low-T give control of the aircraft to me I guess to give him a chance to finally calm down from the previous event's.
I am not pleased as I too am worked up and feeling very tired from having the shit kicked out of me for the last hour.
I take my headset off and turn to the back to check on the passengers, we have 7 onboard and we have not checked on them since the roll wave or told them we are headed back to base.
As I look back all of them are white as ghost's and still clenching their seats. I yell over the roaring of the turbine that has just be thoroughly abused but still running like a chap to inform them we are going back to base. I swear it looked like I was carrying a load of life size bobble head doll's as their head's bobbed back and forth in approval of this decision.
For the next fifteen minutes there was a lot of discussion between Low-T and my self about what had happened, are dislike of dispatch and me telling him to just draw a frowny face on our manifest instead of filling it out. The rest of the trip was quiet as we both needed time to our selves.
Upon my return to base I walk straight though Op's without stopping to chat as I am in no mood to talk to dispatch so I head up to my apartment grab a beer and begin to tell Dan what had happened.
Low-T joined us about 5 minutes later and the three of us proceed to empty our fridge of beer.
With all the beer gone we decide to move to the bar where there is plenty of beer.
When we arrive at the bar some of the passengers are there drinking as well and the events of the day are already front page new's.
Sorry to all the readers out there for not adding dramatic music but Flying wild Alaska used it all up!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Lucky Me!!!
Well I got assigned the Chig's run this morning with Captain Hero.....lucky me!!!
This ought to be as fun as a trip to the dentist!! By the way the locals talk I should feel honored that he would hang up his trident and come all the way down from the heavens just to fly with me....but I don't!!!!
So I thought this morning I would try something different today....play games with Captain Hero!
Today it will be the quiet game! I'm shooting for totally annoying him and if that doesn't work at the very least I won't have to talk to him. Well I have to say this worked out quite well I ignored him the entire flight through the Chig's. I even had time to watch all the seals hanging out on the ice pack. The rest of the flight was uneventful and very enjoyable for me until about 15 min's out of base. Yep sure enough Hero had to open his mouth and start irritating me.
This time it was about how many minutes out I call dispatch and let them know we are almost there. Normally I call 15 minutes out but with this guy you must call 10 minutes no more no less.Today he started a rampage when I called 10 out apparently today he wanted to call 8 out...my bad for not being able to read your mind you crazy ass!
Really I think he became wise to my game and decided to change the rule's to annoy me.....touch`e Hero but keep screwing with me and I'll start playing the kazoo and we'll see who can be more annoying!!!
This ought to be as fun as a trip to the dentist!! By the way the locals talk I should feel honored that he would hang up his trident and come all the way down from the heavens just to fly with me....but I don't!!!!
So I thought this morning I would try something different today....play games with Captain Hero!
Today it will be the quiet game! I'm shooting for totally annoying him and if that doesn't work at the very least I won't have to talk to him. Well I have to say this worked out quite well I ignored him the entire flight through the Chig's. I even had time to watch all the seals hanging out on the ice pack. The rest of the flight was uneventful and very enjoyable for me until about 15 min's out of base. Yep sure enough Hero had to open his mouth and start irritating me.
This time it was about how many minutes out I call dispatch and let them know we are almost there. Normally I call 15 minutes out but with this guy you must call 10 minutes no more no less.Today he started a rampage when I called 10 out apparently today he wanted to call 8 out...my bad for not being able to read your mind you crazy ass!
Really I think he became wise to my game and decided to change the rule's to annoy me.....touch`e Hero but keep screwing with me and I'll start playing the kazoo and we'll see who can be more annoying!!!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Recovery Air Lift 1....Complete
My self and Captain Hero made the first of many recovery airlifts to PA this evening to drop supply's to recover our Goose.
For the most part it was uneventful though it was a very beautiful place!
For the most part it was uneventful though it was a very beautiful place!
new changes to writing
As my post's are being viewed by more an more people I have decided to make one small change to my writing. the changes will be changing the names of those involved.
It's is not my intention to hurt anyone's feelings or bash any person through my writing. My full intent is to provide an insight into my flying here in Alaska from my perspective and deliver these stories in a fun and entertaining way for all who read to enjoy.
It's is not my intention to hurt anyone's feelings or bash any person through my writing. My full intent is to provide an insight into my flying here in Alaska from my perspective and deliver these stories in a fun and entertaining way for all who read to enjoy.
Sitting Standby
Today I woke up to another very cold morning. I did not sleep well last night because it got down right cold in the apartment. some time over the Christmas break one of the boilers went out so right now we are running on one and it can't keep up with heating the entire place. I hope they get it fixed soon!
Well I'm on standby today. Dan is off doing the Chig run and they assigned me to sit here and wait while Anchorage comes up with a plan to go rescue the Goose from Lake Clark.
what ever they decide it's going to be a massive under taking and when they get it all figured out I will be flying the recovery effort up there.
Lake Clark is a massive lake in a remote area north east of King Salmon. It is nestled in the Chigmit mountain range witch is on the west side of the Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula.
Until they call and tell me to fly I'm going to sit here in the apartment and try to stay warm it's -15 out right now with a wind chill of -37 burr!
Well I'm on standby today. Dan is off doing the Chig run and they assigned me to sit here and wait while Anchorage comes up with a plan to go rescue the Goose from Lake Clark.
what ever they decide it's going to be a massive under taking and when they get it all figured out I will be flying the recovery effort up there.
Lake Clark is a massive lake in a remote area north east of King Salmon. It is nestled in the Chigmit mountain range witch is on the west side of the Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula.
Until they call and tell me to fly I'm going to sit here in the apartment and try to stay warm it's -15 out right now with a wind chill of -37 burr!
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