Post by jeff on Aug 1, 2014 23:28:22 GMT -5
FSCaptain continues to amaze me!!
After delivering much needed supplies to Stockton Hunting Camp #3 in my trusted C208 the night before, it was time to depart back to Wolf Lake taking with me some of the hunter's kill for processing. Also had a couple crates of expensive Rifles along with ammo they entrusted to me. I was most worried about the "live" ammo while taxiing and taking off out here with no taxiways or runways to speak of, it's pretty darn bumpy, and I learned very early as a rookie with a loaded Grand Caravan, a small hill or bump will put you nose-up and tail on the ground very quickly. Usually, as a pilot, it is more embarrassing than anything else, but with live ammo I figure it could turn out to be deadly.
So I'm taxiing around on the side of this mountain, easing around and over some bumps and small hills....now.... I've learned to keep the rpm's up a little and with some brake applied I can keep the nose wheel on the ground as I'm rolling around out here in the wilderness. I guess this time I was being overly cautious. "POP!!" Lost the left brake!! Got her stopped before we started an unwanted trip down the side of the mountain. Wheeewww....okay, inspect the damage and "regroup" a little......
Well, can't really do any repairs out here in the middle of nowhere. So I'll see if I can get to the top of the runway....which happens to be on a slight incline....great. If I can get up there and pointed in the right direction then I should be able to get out of here.
Took a lot of jockeying with the throttle and using reverse thrust for my brakes but finally got her pointed down the takeoff strip...........the FO sure is quiet at this point?
This "so called" runway is just a clearing in some trees, pretty ruff actually with some hills in it, but I got her up in the air without anyone getting shot in the back, so evidently all the ammo rounds are still in their crates.
All the time spent on the ground let some clouds roll in so now I can't see the tops of the mountains on both sides of me. Literally flying blind with just GPS to guide me down the canyon...the wrong way. But I been here enough times that I new I needed 8000ft and a small break in the clouds before I could do a 180 and head out the canyon in the direction I need to be going.
Tense moments and 10 minutes later I was headed out of the canyon and on my flight plan. 20 minutes late just trying to get off the ground. Thankfully they gave me a free ETE revision.
The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful. Just had to keep in mind that I was missing left side brake when taxiing at my destination. I was sure that with everything that happened at departure I had some penalties built up and was regretting going to look at the FCOM. But to my surprise I got a bonus for a safe landing with a mechanical failure and on top of that I didn't damage any of the guy's fancy Rifles. All added up to a score of 107A+ when I was expecting my worst score ever.
One thing about flying for Wolf Lake Air here in Alaska, it's never boring.
Now I gotta go find the mechanic and explain what I did to his airplane...................
After delivering much needed supplies to Stockton Hunting Camp #3 in my trusted C208 the night before, it was time to depart back to Wolf Lake taking with me some of the hunter's kill for processing. Also had a couple crates of expensive Rifles along with ammo they entrusted to me. I was most worried about the "live" ammo while taxiing and taking off out here with no taxiways or runways to speak of, it's pretty darn bumpy, and I learned very early as a rookie with a loaded Grand Caravan, a small hill or bump will put you nose-up and tail on the ground very quickly. Usually, as a pilot, it is more embarrassing than anything else, but with live ammo I figure it could turn out to be deadly.
So I'm taxiing around on the side of this mountain, easing around and over some bumps and small hills....now.... I've learned to keep the rpm's up a little and with some brake applied I can keep the nose wheel on the ground as I'm rolling around out here in the wilderness. I guess this time I was being overly cautious. "POP!!" Lost the left brake!! Got her stopped before we started an unwanted trip down the side of the mountain. Wheeewww....okay, inspect the damage and "regroup" a little......
Well, can't really do any repairs out here in the middle of nowhere. So I'll see if I can get to the top of the runway....which happens to be on a slight incline....great. If I can get up there and pointed in the right direction then I should be able to get out of here.
Took a lot of jockeying with the throttle and using reverse thrust for my brakes but finally got her pointed down the takeoff strip...........the FO sure is quiet at this point?
This "so called" runway is just a clearing in some trees, pretty ruff actually with some hills in it, but I got her up in the air without anyone getting shot in the back, so evidently all the ammo rounds are still in their crates.
All the time spent on the ground let some clouds roll in so now I can't see the tops of the mountains on both sides of me. Literally flying blind with just GPS to guide me down the canyon...the wrong way. But I been here enough times that I new I needed 8000ft and a small break in the clouds before I could do a 180 and head out the canyon in the direction I need to be going.
Tense moments and 10 minutes later I was headed out of the canyon and on my flight plan. 20 minutes late just trying to get off the ground. Thankfully they gave me a free ETE revision.
The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful. Just had to keep in mind that I was missing left side brake when taxiing at my destination. I was sure that with everything that happened at departure I had some penalties built up and was regretting going to look at the FCOM. But to my surprise I got a bonus for a safe landing with a mechanical failure and on top of that I didn't damage any of the guy's fancy Rifles. All added up to a score of 107A+ when I was expecting my worst score ever.
One thing about flying for Wolf Lake Air here in Alaska, it's never boring.
Now I gotta go find the mechanic and explain what I did to his airplane...................
