Video: Bush Plane Flying You Have to See to Believe
Dave Maas 05.19.17
As I stated recently in an article showcasing a pilot who landed his bush plane like a helicopter in high winds, or the story about an innovative float plane takeoff, getting to a remote hunting or fishing camp is sometimes half the fun – or battle, depending on your point of view.
As I think back over my hunting career, my most terrifying bush plane flight was navigating the mountains of northern British Columbia on our way to moose and caribou camp. The pilot was highly skilled, but that didn’t keep me from saying the Lord’s Prayer over and over and over again as we bounced our way for 45 minutes through the gusty wind, clouds and rain. When the pilot began his descent, I looked out the window and all I could see was pine trees, mountains, and lakes and rivers. And our plane wasn’t equipped with floats!
As our elevation dropped, it honestly looked to me (FYI, I’m glancing out the side windows, not the front window) that we were about to crash-land in the forest. But the outfitter had carved out a narrow landing strip in the woods, and soon we were bouncing along the DIY runway. I’ve never been so happy to set foot on Mother Earth in my life.
For a taste of what my experience was like, check out the video below. Keep in mind that the weather in this clip appears nice for flying, which is always good. The view is from the pilot’s perspective, so as you watch, see when you can first spot the landing strip.
P.S. One person who shared this video on Facebook commented: “This pilot has balls the size of a football!” I agree 100 percent!
