How long of a runway does an Alaskan Bush Pilot need?

[CaptPatrick]

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[Ironman]

Wow.. Thats a real S.T.A.L...
Wayne

[Bertramp]

nothing like a take-off and landing from a driveway !!

[Rocket]

My uncle was a bush pilot in the Yukon and got in and out of some tight places. I worked for him as a horse wrangler one summer and on small high altitude lake that he landed in one time was very short. Landing was fine, but the take off was a challenge as the lake was ringed with trees. He tied a stout rope to one of the trees, handed me an axe and said "when I am at full power and give you the thumbs up, chop the rope!" It worked, he cleared the trees by 5 or 6 feet. Pretty cool thing to see for an 18 year old city kid!

[MarkS]

Used to fly regularly out of Horne Payne Ontario to a friends fly-in fish camp. Over the years we saw some crazy stuff. Flying around squalls, running out of fuel and coasting for miles, nutty bush pilots that would skim the tree tops just to listen to your ass suck tight to the seat. I got my saying at the bottom from the dash of a DeHavilland Beaver. Gauges that worked occasionally, metal on the dash near the throttles worn down into a groove from hands rubbing them for years. There was on old German pilot by the name of Werner (Verner) who would always climb in and say, "Lets me tink here a minute, now how do vee start dis ting? The old wasp Jr 9 radial would bark to life and off we would go. Good times!

"Things of quality have no fear of time."

Just happens to apply to Bertrams as well.

-M

[Bob H.]

Rocket, Now thats a sling shot...love how quick those planes leap up in the air...I need a set of props like that for my ride...BH