AlaskaAV
GONE WEST
Mission, TX
This story is about one of the great early bush pilots of Alaska around 1930, Sam White, on a mail flight out of Nome to Fairbanks. I forget what aircraft it was other than an open cockpit on skis and probably a bi-wing but not sure.
Weather: heavy snow, lots of wind. Temps: probably 0 degrees. Visibility: what visibility?
Sam departed Nome with weather within reason for those days. Remember, no NDBs, VORs, or even IFR (I follow river, road or railroad) that day.
Talk about flying by the seat of your pants. You were what you were and Sam was one of the best.
This story was told at a retirement party in front of some 1000 invited guests in the dome at AlaskaLand in Fairbanks by Sig Wien, a very good friend of Sam's so I really believe it was true. After all, in a way, I trusted Sig with my life many times.
Seems Sam was doing OK after lift off from Nome, had enough clothes on to keep warm, the aircraft was operating perfectly. Would you believe no flight attendant to bring him coffee? I can joke about that since I was a certified 737 flight attendant at one point. Coffee, tea, or me?
Winds were rocking the wings a lot which was not unusual but he still held a good compass course. Yah, sure, a magnetic compass heading in Alaska eastbound? You bet. And I have that London Bridge for sale. That is where the true bush pilots were separated from the hot shots in the old days. Old and bold pilots but no bold and old pilots in the 30s and 40s and probably still now.
Anyway, Sam kept flying and kept watching his "railroad pocket watch" and figured he should be past a rather high mountain (White Mountain?) enroute. Gradually, he pulled back power and kept an eye down while the wings were still rocking in the wind and unbelievable snow.
Nothing changed and he figured he should be getting close to the ground so he was really watching as the wings kept rocking as the snow increased.
All of a sudden, he spotted a tree off a wing tip but there was a problem, the tree never moved. Sam was about half power so he pulled it back further and the tree stayed in the same place off the wing tip. Still, the aircraft rocked from the winds and the snow was still just as heavy.
Finally, Sam pulled the power all the way back and dropped the tail on the ground (snow).
Seems he had flown into the side of that mountain and the touchdown was so smooth in the powder snow he never knew it had happened. It is my understanding he had been sitting on the snow bank for maybe an hour or so flying his aircraft with no forward ground speed. I don't recall how he got out of there though. In those days when a pilot screwed up, he usually never told anyone other than very close friends.
Oh how I wish I had flown back in those days and had been able to talk to guys like Sam White. Flying in that era had to have been more fun than in a spam can on autopilot today no matter what. Or a nagging back seat driver in a Super Cub. Gee, did I say that? Sorry gals.....And for you gals that are front seat drivers in Cubs, for the back seat driver guy.
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Weather: heavy snow, lots of wind. Temps: probably 0 degrees. Visibility: what visibility?
Sam departed Nome with weather within reason for those days. Remember, no NDBs, VORs, or even IFR (I follow river, road or railroad) that day.
Talk about flying by the seat of your pants. You were what you were and Sam was one of the best.
This story was told at a retirement party in front of some 1000 invited guests in the dome at AlaskaLand in Fairbanks by Sig Wien, a very good friend of Sam's so I really believe it was true. After all, in a way, I trusted Sig with my life many times.
Seems Sam was doing OK after lift off from Nome, had enough clothes on to keep warm, the aircraft was operating perfectly. Would you believe no flight attendant to bring him coffee? I can joke about that since I was a certified 737 flight attendant at one point. Coffee, tea, or me?
Winds were rocking the wings a lot which was not unusual but he still held a good compass course. Yah, sure, a magnetic compass heading in Alaska eastbound? You bet. And I have that London Bridge for sale. That is where the true bush pilots were separated from the hot shots in the old days. Old and bold pilots but no bold and old pilots in the 30s and 40s and probably still now.
Anyway, Sam kept flying and kept watching his "railroad pocket watch" and figured he should be past a rather high mountain (White Mountain?) enroute. Gradually, he pulled back power and kept an eye down while the wings were still rocking in the wind and unbelievable snow.
Nothing changed and he figured he should be getting close to the ground so he was really watching as the wings kept rocking as the snow increased.
All of a sudden, he spotted a tree off a wing tip but there was a problem, the tree never moved. Sam was about half power so he pulled it back further and the tree stayed in the same place off the wing tip. Still, the aircraft rocked from the winds and the snow was still just as heavy.
Finally, Sam pulled the power all the way back and dropped the tail on the ground (snow).
Seems he had flown into the side of that mountain and the touchdown was so smooth in the powder snow he never knew it had happened. It is my understanding he had been sitting on the snow bank for maybe an hour or so flying his aircraft with no forward ground speed. I don't recall how he got out of there though. In those days when a pilot screwed up, he usually never told anyone other than very close friends.
Oh how I wish I had flown back in those days and had been able to talk to guys like Sam White. Flying in that era had to have been more fun than in a spam can on autopilot today no matter what. Or a nagging back seat driver in a Super Cub. Gee, did I say that? Sorry gals.....And for you gals that are front seat drivers in Cubs, for the back seat driver guy.
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