I needed to get some mountaineers high into glacier country, and it was early Spring. I had been flying all day and the weather was forecast to go from bad to worse by morning. I offered the mountaineers the option of flying into some slightly lower territory where I might be able to use tires rather than fight the flat light of a ski landing. They agreed to try for lower ground on tires rather than risking a lengthy wait on weather in order to use the skis.
It’s no big deal to land in a couple of inches of snow, but the flat light is still an issue. I had never landed here before so I did not know how rough it would be. The overcast skies turned the ground into a milky flat non-desrcript waste land. I drug this area several time (headed down hill) before I attempted to stop on this surface. I knew that braking would be nil, so it was important that I had plenty of room to stop. I remember when I was first learning to fly I had no idea how long was long enough. After many thousands of landings you get a “feel” for whether or not the outcome will be successful. I don’t try to time my flight path over a strip or apply any equations. I just drag it once or twice and then I know whether or not I can do it. The length that I need to get stopped varies continuously, so I have to feel it out for each situation. I am obviously speaking here of areas that have not been landed on previously.
This is a totally anti-climactic story, which is the way I like them. I successfully put both climbers in here and it worked great. The only thing that surprised me (and I hate surprises in airplanes) is just how long it took to get stopped. I stopped within the distance I had planned, but no matter how many times I land on the snow with Bush Wheels I am always amazed at how horribly they do when it comes to braking. Sometimes when I hit the brakes on snow it seems like I can feel the Cub accelerate, I hate that. I’m sure it’s just an illusion, but it’s always startling.
