Aviation sub-category? Bush flying, helicopters, etc?

[COAKXterra]

How do you know if a pilot walks into a room?

Don’t worry. They’ll tell you.




I know I’m not alone on here in working in aviation and/or using aircraft to access other types of outdoor adventures. Any interest in a light sub category or just thread for us that like to play in thinner air?

 

[chet6.7]

Those STOL planes are cool, unfortunately way out of my price range.

 

[COAKXterra]

Those STOL planes are cool, unfortunately way out of my price range.

If you ever get the chance to go to the Valdez STOL/Fly-in up here in AK…. It is insane. A really cool event.

But yeah, there’s folks that have a two-seat plane on 35s that cost more than many rigs here and can land/take off in the length of an earthroamer. Watching them play out on glacial gravel bars is even more fun.

 

[SimplyAnAdventure]

I dream about having a Just Aircraft SuperSTOL. My front yard is 900ft long and smooth grass and I have a garage and pole barn that would hold a plane (folded wings) very easily. I can’t imagine how cool it would be to fly in and out of my front yard…. Alas it’s not in the budget. At least for a while.

 

[COAKXterra]

I feel you on that. Very much wish I had enough property to manage that as well. I do have several friends that own properties I’ve threatened to land at though. Hope the opportunity comes around for each.

But my neighbors wouldn’t be very excited about me doing a slow vertical descent into my yard to avoid the trees, and my boss probably wouldn’t be excited about the calls. Haha.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Just was trying to test the waters to see…. Thought it would be a fun thread/subcategory.

On that note…. Guess I’ll throw my background in for context.

Been working in aviation (primarily helicopters) since 2011, mostly up here in AK. Got into it working for heli-ski as a ground/office/ tail guide and then a heli-hiking guide in Denali that following summer.

Fast forward 14 years and I now fly for one of the utility helicopter companies up here, including heli-ski in the winter and currently on a north slope contract. I’ve flown all over the US doing everything from pipeline patrol in ND to cherry drying in WA to tours in Denali. I worked aviation support for commercial operations and state entities here and fueled aircraft in Antarctica while I was getting ducks in a row for flight school.

I also have been fortunate to get out a bunch in fixed wing over the years, but haven’t pursued my certificate there yet.

I always love to hear other folks’s journeys or adventures in the sky, so looking forward to seeing more replies.

 

[Tex68w]

I've got a buddy I do some of my motorcycle riding with who flies SAR for Bristow. He pulled 21 years in Cobras and Apaches in the Army, retired CW4. I am a fixed-wing pilot myself. I was rated, then promptly walked away from it for well over a decade, and just recently got back into it. I am currently in the process of purchasing a Mooney, it's at the avionics shop as we speak, hemorrhaging money lol, but I am excited to get it back and fly with some new glass. I am using what's left of my GI to go back and get my Commercial ticket in the spring.

I want a tail dragger more than anything. I plan to eventually add either a Carbon Cub/Husky/Maule, alongside the M20, or possibly replace the Mooney down the road with a C185 Skywagon. I went with the fast travel plane first to get the wife to come along and benefit from the hordes of money being set on fire, and hopefully, in time, she'll get more on board with the entire thing, and that will make it much easier to convince her of getting a second one lol.

I support an aviation sub-chapter, and given the interest in flying by the owners here, I am surprised that it doesn't already exist.

 

[crazysccrmd]

I feel you on that. Very much wish I had enough property to manage that as well. I do have several friends that own properties I’ve threatened to land at though. Hope the opportunity comes around for each.

But my neighbors wouldn’t be very excited about me doing a slow vertical descent into my yard to avoid the trees, and my boss probably wouldn’t be excited about the calls. Haha.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Just was trying to test the waters to see…. Thought it would be a fun thread/subcategory.

On that note…. Guess I’ll throw my background in for context.

Been working in aviation (primarily helicopters) since 2011, mostly up here in AK. Got into it working for heli-ski as a ground/office/ tail guide and then a heli-hiking guide in Denali that following summer.

Fast forward 14 years and I now fly for one of the utility helicopter companies up here, including heli-ski in the winter and currently on a north slope contract. I’ve flown all over the US doing everything from pipeline patrol in ND to cherry drying in WA to tours in Denali. I worked aviation support for commercial operations and state entities here and fueled aircraft in Antarctica while I was getting ducks in a row for flight school.

I also have been fortunate to get out a bunch in fixed wing over the years, but haven’t pursued my certificate there yet.

I always love to hear other folks’s journeys or adventures in the sky, so looking forward to seeing more replies.

View attachment 889453View attachment 889454View attachment 889455View attachment 889456View attachment 889457

How was the Denali tour flying? I’ve been considering it as a post retirement part time gig.