AlaskaAV
GONE WEST
Mission, TX
I posted some of this story in one of my early posts but will add to it now. This comes from that odd light bulb in the back of my so called mind (some say, what mind) that came alive after reading the very interesting turbine powered Super Cub thread. I really hope I live long enough to see that machine make it. To me, what an aircraft it will be since in a way, it is a mini PC-6 Porter that I worked with in the 60s. Expensive engines of course but look at the overhaul time and costs. It has to start out as a rich man's toy but what a toy. Wonder if they will have one in my life hereafter?
At one point in the mid 60s at Dahl Creek, Wien had a special VIP F-27 flight come in with a group of state dignitaries and guests including our Governor who was a very good bush pilot himself. Actually, there is a book available about his flying life in Alaska. PM me for title and availability. The group was going over the mountain to the Kennecott Copper exploitation site at Bornite so we staged a Porter with our best Porter pilot at DCK to take care of the transportation. At that time, we were running a ten passenger configuration on our Porters plus Captain.
There was an storage area behind the cabin to store all seats not needed on a cargo flight. A very well thought out aircraft.
The Governor had sent two flights over first while he kind of looked around my operation (after all, it was a state airport with state equipment that I operated even though I worked for Wien) and shot the breeze so to speak. When that second flight got back and as we fueled, I talked to the pilot and asked him if he would like to do some unusual flying of his choice. Need a person ask an Alaska bush pilot to show off what his aircraft can do, especially a PC-6 Porter that he might just as well have been born in since he was so good at flying it? Lead a horse to water and tell it not to drink? Worked here too.
OK, off he goes with the third load and on the way back and empty, he was rather high on a straight in final from the west. I had told the governor he should watch the landing and even I had no idea what the Captain was going to do.
Now take these numbers with a grain of salt since it has been 40 years.
I suspect he was coming in at 3000 AGL or more and maybe 1000 foot from the fence when he dropped the nose and started down. Since it took a long time for the engine sound to get to me, it was really hard to picture just what he was doing with the engine at any given time but a good guess is that he stayed near cruise N1, went into ground fine to slow down and than went into a little Bata (which was supposed to be a no no in flight) and virtually went into a vertical dive while slowing up to fence speed. I don't remember him going back into the prop but he could have. Once down to flare speed within a few feet of the end of the runway, he set it down three point with immediate Bata. I suspect he stopped in about 100 foot ground roll and maybe 200 foot from end of the approach runway. I remember looking over at the governor and he was just standing there with his mouth open, unable to make a sound and shaking his head and than a big smile. As I recall, he was a C-180 driver.
I asked the governor if he would like to fly the ship for a while and to be shown what the turbine Porter could do. Guess what our pilot governor said with just the look on his face? What would you guys say?
So here they were, sitting on the ramp headed into a slight downwind when our Captain lit it up.
From the sound of the engine I suspect N1 at maybe 105% or more (110%?), ground fine, brakes locked. You can only hold that power for seconds without any forward movement to help with cooling or it overheats real fast. You will notice on a turbo prop the odd shape of the prop blades near the hub which pushes more air into the engine for cooling and that on take off, it is very important to ease in the fuel to keep from overheating. We are talking about one, two, three seconds.
All of a sudden I could hear the prop come in and within seconds the tail came up but still no forward movement. Easy to do in a J-3 if you weigh maybe 150 pounds and nothing else behind. All of a sudden he released the brakes and within maybe 100 foot, the tail went back on the ground and they were airborne and right into a 45 or so degree climb. That same Captain taught me how to hang the Porter on a prop to the point that it would not stall. Easy to do if you are able to watch for certain things. What an experience and what an instructor he was.
Wooops, back to the story....
Remember, he was very light on that trip, no load and still light on fuel. The question has came up whether our P&W Porters had the 550 or 650 shp model engines but I still believe Wien ordered the 650 shp model but will yield to my friend for now. I am trying to find the site now that reports just what that same aircraft was built as and has been all through her life which now is in a foreign country on amphib floats, upgraded into a 12 model and a beautiful artistic lavender and purple over white paint scheme. Beautiful aircraft. When I find that site again, I will post it here as well as the beautiful pictures.
The two of them spent a lot of time getting over the mountain to Bornite, the Kennecott operation, so I suspect they had a great time. I hope the governor had been working out because it almost takes both hands on the stick to move it. Those were some very big control surfaces on the Porter. The aerolions, flaps, rudder, horizontal stabilizers were all the same part number. I know I got a big thank you from the Governor. I was probably the only person he met that made sure he was taken care of and never asked something in return.
I never asked what went on so in case my company asked me about it, "I know nothing" as often said on the TV show Hee Haw. I am sure the governor made contact with the owners of my airline though and thanked them for his experience at Dahl Creek. It is really great when you can have the pleasure of sharing aviation with a VIP such as that great governor (and I don't even know what party). By the way, the project manager of Kennecott Copper expressed many choice words of thanks for making his VIP group so well taken care of. Many other stories about that manager and his wife elsewhere during my assignment at Dahl Creek, God's back yard as I call it.
You guys from Kotzebue know who the pilot was but please no not mention his name unless he says it is OK but be sure and tell him where to find this and other stories of the Kobuk area in supercub.org.
At one point in the mid 60s at Dahl Creek, Wien had a special VIP F-27 flight come in with a group of state dignitaries and guests including our Governor who was a very good bush pilot himself. Actually, there is a book available about his flying life in Alaska. PM me for title and availability. The group was going over the mountain to the Kennecott Copper exploitation site at Bornite so we staged a Porter with our best Porter pilot at DCK to take care of the transportation. At that time, we were running a ten passenger configuration on our Porters plus Captain.
There was an storage area behind the cabin to store all seats not needed on a cargo flight. A very well thought out aircraft.
The Governor had sent two flights over first while he kind of looked around my operation (after all, it was a state airport with state equipment that I operated even though I worked for Wien) and shot the breeze so to speak. When that second flight got back and as we fueled, I talked to the pilot and asked him if he would like to do some unusual flying of his choice. Need a person ask an Alaska bush pilot to show off what his aircraft can do, especially a PC-6 Porter that he might just as well have been born in since he was so good at flying it? Lead a horse to water and tell it not to drink? Worked here too.
OK, off he goes with the third load and on the way back and empty, he was rather high on a straight in final from the west. I had told the governor he should watch the landing and even I had no idea what the Captain was going to do.
Now take these numbers with a grain of salt since it has been 40 years.
I suspect he was coming in at 3000 AGL or more and maybe 1000 foot from the fence when he dropped the nose and started down. Since it took a long time for the engine sound to get to me, it was really hard to picture just what he was doing with the engine at any given time but a good guess is that he stayed near cruise N1, went into ground fine to slow down and than went into a little Bata (which was supposed to be a no no in flight) and virtually went into a vertical dive while slowing up to fence speed. I don't remember him going back into the prop but he could have. Once down to flare speed within a few feet of the end of the runway, he set it down three point with immediate Bata. I suspect he stopped in about 100 foot ground roll and maybe 200 foot from end of the approach runway. I remember looking over at the governor and he was just standing there with his mouth open, unable to make a sound and shaking his head and than a big smile. As I recall, he was a C-180 driver.
I asked the governor if he would like to fly the ship for a while and to be shown what the turbine Porter could do. Guess what our pilot governor said with just the look on his face? What would you guys say?
So here they were, sitting on the ramp headed into a slight downwind when our Captain lit it up.
From the sound of the engine I suspect N1 at maybe 105% or more (110%?), ground fine, brakes locked. You can only hold that power for seconds without any forward movement to help with cooling or it overheats real fast. You will notice on a turbo prop the odd shape of the prop blades near the hub which pushes more air into the engine for cooling and that on take off, it is very important to ease in the fuel to keep from overheating. We are talking about one, two, three seconds.
All of a sudden I could hear the prop come in and within seconds the tail came up but still no forward movement. Easy to do in a J-3 if you weigh maybe 150 pounds and nothing else behind. All of a sudden he released the brakes and within maybe 100 foot, the tail went back on the ground and they were airborne and right into a 45 or so degree climb. That same Captain taught me how to hang the Porter on a prop to the point that it would not stall. Easy to do if you are able to watch for certain things. What an experience and what an instructor he was.
Wooops, back to the story....
Remember, he was very light on that trip, no load and still light on fuel. The question has came up whether our P&W Porters had the 550 or 650 shp model engines but I still believe Wien ordered the 650 shp model but will yield to my friend for now. I am trying to find the site now that reports just what that same aircraft was built as and has been all through her life which now is in a foreign country on amphib floats, upgraded into a 12 model and a beautiful artistic lavender and purple over white paint scheme. Beautiful aircraft. When I find that site again, I will post it here as well as the beautiful pictures.
The two of them spent a lot of time getting over the mountain to Bornite, the Kennecott operation, so I suspect they had a great time. I hope the governor had been working out because it almost takes both hands on the stick to move it. Those were some very big control surfaces on the Porter. The aerolions, flaps, rudder, horizontal stabilizers were all the same part number. I know I got a big thank you from the Governor. I was probably the only person he met that made sure he was taken care of and never asked something in return.
I never asked what went on so in case my company asked me about it, "I know nothing" as often said on the TV show Hee Haw. I am sure the governor made contact with the owners of my airline though and thanked them for his experience at Dahl Creek. It is really great when you can have the pleasure of sharing aviation with a VIP such as that great governor (and I don't even know what party). By the way, the project manager of Kennecott Copper expressed many choice words of thanks for making his VIP group so well taken care of. Many other stories about that manager and his wife elsewhere during my assignment at Dahl Creek, God's back yard as I call it.
You guys from Kotzebue know who the pilot was but please no not mention his name unless he says it is OK but be sure and tell him where to find this and other stories of the Kobuk area in supercub.org.