This is the time of year when it is easy to accidentally spend money. We have hundreds of airstrips that have not seen use since last October … and a lot can happen in 7 months. I almost landed in ditch yesterday because the melting snow had turned one of our airstrips into a rutted, rocky, bumpy, dry creek bottom.
The strip pictured above had become a mud puddle with a current that took some special maneuvering, and the brush teasing my wing tips is in desperate need of a trim… not to mention the greenery attached to my landing gear. A couple of days ago I landed on one of our strips that was only 1/2 usable because the lower end was under a foot of water. Our strips are often covered with snow or a layer of slimy mud that gets stuck to our tires and then thrown into our prop costing us thousands of dollars. Each season has it’s own hazards, and Spring/Early Summer takes a special measure of attention to ensure that good decisions are being made. My job as a bush pilot is ultimately an exercise in appropriate decision making, played-out with a stick and rudder and an occasional wallet.
