I'd flown in the airlines for 27 years, even became a 747 captain.
I have traveled all over the world and flown in all types of weather. I'd
been looking for an airplane to fly around the local area in, and without
knowing what type of plane I wanted I had many choices; high-wing,
low-wing, new, used, 4-place, 2-place, monoplane, or biplane. But
walking through the hangers I saw a plane that got my attention,
N8086D, a Super Cub built by the Piper Aircraft Company. I called the
phone number on the sale sign and in a matter of days I was the
owner of a old, dinged up, 1957 Super Cub. Then when I was cleaning
behind the rear seat I found a ripped off part of a map it said, Alaska. I
found this a bit odd because the person I brought the plane from said
he owned it since 1976 and brought it from someone who had used it
to to banners. Living in Southern California a lot of planes towed
banners as a way of making money.
But I wanted to know more about N8086D, so I tracked down the
aircrafts history, and in a few months I had a vague idea of the whole
story.
1957- N8086D rolled off the production line and was sold to someone by the name of John Givis.
1957-1968- N8086D was used by John Givis as a bush plane for the
Denali area.
1968- Sold to Frank Hinhs after N8086D broke its tie-down straps and flipped in a storm. Destroying the left wing.
1968-1976- Used by Frank Hinhs to tow banners in Southern California.
1976- Brought by Joe Yolet.
1976-2008- Used by Joe Yolet for general use.
2008- I brought N8086D.
I became interested in bush flying from from that brief history. I
watched all the bush flying video I could find, read all the books, it
became in obsession. Soon I met someone by the name of Ted Ress,
we started talking and he said he knew some people who could show
me the ropes of bush flying over the summer. Of course I agreed.
Over the rest of the winter and spring I practiced short field landings
and takeoffs in my Cub, I even left my job at the airlines to tow
banners to get more Cub time. When summer came I call Ted, and he
told me to fly to Chitna, AK, and he would introduce me to the people
who would teach me the ropes. A few days later I arrived in Chitna. I
met up with Ted and he introduced me to Paul Claus owner of Ultima
Thule Lodge. He the first thing to do was get tundra tires fitted to my
Super Cub, and say goodbye to the gravel runway because thats one
of the last times I'll use a improved runway. Later that evening Paul
gave me a map of the area with a little dot on it to mark where the
lodge is, he said he was heading back tonight, and I was to come in the
morning. My 'training' was about to begin.
Early the next morning I took off from Chitna and headed toward the
lodge, not knowing what to expect. I was enjoying the scenery, all the
greens, and blues a far crying from the hustle and bustle of city life.
For first part I was thinking this is going to be easy, its just me and the
mountains of the Wrangle range. Then the weather started to change,
for the worst. the clouds started building, and it got a bit bumpy, but as
quick as it came it went.
Once again I was in the clear blue sky's expect for a small chain of
clouds to the north but they were far away and caused little worry.
But again the Alaskan weather rolled out the welcome wagon. This
made that little bit of clouds and wind seem silly compared to low vis,
high winds, a heavy snows I was facing now. Thank god for the cockpit
heater! I now was in trouble, I should have reached the lodge ages
ago. Great I though to myself, I'm flying a dinosaur, through a snow
storm looking for a lodge I've never seen, and I'm low on fuel. Just
when I was about to turn back and head toward Chitna, even though I
would run out of fuel way before I got there, I spotted a small building.
I got closer and I saw Paul's Cub on the ground.
So I circled back around and I saw a small landing site hacked out of
the woods. But I noticed something that made my heart sink. The
landings were going to be a one-way deal, and on final I had a 12-knot
quartering tailwind. So I took a deep breath and one hand on the
throttle and the other white-knuckled on the stick I got ready for the
landing, but because of the wind I was blown way out of the approach
path, so I want around to try again. And the same thing happened.
Now on my last drop of fuel, I lined up for my last try. This time I was
north of the runway and hoping that when the wind blew it would push
my over the approach path. Hoping. I held my breath and I could feel
my face turning blue, deciding that this was not the time to pass-out I
started breathing again.
(Sorry but the crap shot but I was to busy landing, and not hitting trees to get a good shot.)
http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/2008-7-22_9-16-44-468l.jpg
I held the plane as level as I could, and a few feet over the runway, if
you could call it that, a gust of wind blew my over so I corrected but I
heading for a rock, then the plane stalled, as soon as I hit the ground I
jammed the brakes prayed the airplane wouldn't hit the rock, I wasn't
worried about not stopping I was worried about how I stopped. The
plane slid to a halt just inches from the rock, Paul came over and
pushed the Cub back so I taxi over the the 'ramp', ok so it was a
reasonably flat bit of dirt. I switched off the engine and tied down the
plane, and went inside for a hot meal. I was glade to but back on solid
ground, that is until tomorrow.
Pt. 2
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1216823093
