Going through some old photos.
02-27-2010, 05:36 PM
#1
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Going through some old photos.
APLIS 1992. Applied Physics Ice Station. We were flying in support of this ice station which was testing various hardware for the NAvy during the winter of 1992 February to May. APLIS was North of Deadhorse Ak by about 100 miles or so and it moved everyday. This was before the advent of GPS so we'd take off with last known coordinates from the night before and then fly a grid pattern until we found it. It could move as much as ten miles in a night.
Preheating at PSSC. This is a CA-212 with a nose ski we used for landing on the polar ice floes which housed the camps we could haul about 7,500lbs per load or so.
Sunrise on the North Slope.
Last edited by Airhoss; 02-27-2010 at 05:47 PM.
02-27-2010, 05:43 PM
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Northern AK 1992. I went back and edited the photos with titles.
Unloading up at the ice station. Until you've been on the polar sea ice you can't believe how quiet it is when everything is shut down. The silence is deafening. It is a really cool place to see at least once in your life.
Unloading up at the ice station. Until you've been on the polar sea ice you can't believe how quiet it is when everything is shut down. The silence is deafening. It is a really cool place to see at least once in your life.
Last edited by Airhoss; 02-27-2010 at 06:08 PM.
02-27-2010, 06:43 PM
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It is a really cool place to see at least once in your life.
You were doing what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, no flat land pilot from Oklahoma was going to make it up there without some significant sacrifice that I was unable to provide at the time. 
USMCFLYR
02-27-2010, 09:00 PM
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Believe me when I tell you that I did not start off flying multi engine turbine equipment when I first got to AK.
I spent some time in the trenches first.
Funny thing though 20 years ago my main goal was to fly fighters for the USMC. But in the end I was unwilling to make the significant sacrifices it was going to take to do so. Funny how life is all about perspective huh?
02-27-2010, 09:16 PM
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FLYR,
Believe me when I tell you that I did not start off flying multi engine turbine equipment when I first got to AK.
I spent some time in the trenches first.
Funny thing though 20 years ago my main goal was to fly fighters for the USMC. But in the end I was unwilling to make the significant sacrifices it was going to take to do so. Funny how life is all about perspective huh?
Believe me when I tell you that I did not start off flying multi engine turbine equipment when I first got to AK.
I spent some time in the trenches first.
Funny thing though 20 years ago my main goal was to fly fighters for the USMC. But in the end I was unwilling to make the significant sacrifices it was going to take to do so. Funny how life is all about perspective huh?
That is absolutely crazy!
Are you serious?It is funny how life depends on what path you take.
So....my obstacle was not being able to dump everything and go to Alaska on the hopes of that pilot with 300 hours and no Alaskan time finding a job. What obstacles were in your way?
USMCFLYR
02-27-2010, 09:46 PM
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Airhoss -
That is absolutely crazy! Are you serious?
It is funny how life depends on what path you take.
So....my obstacle was not being able to dump everything and go to Alaska on the hopes of that pilot with 300 hours and no Alaskan time finding a job. What obstacles were in your way?
USMCFLYR
That is absolutely crazy!
Are you serious?It is funny how life depends on what path you take.
So....my obstacle was not being able to dump everything and go to Alaska on the hopes of that pilot with 300 hours and no Alaskan time finding a job. What obstacles were in your way?
USMCFLYR
Two major "obstacles" prevented me from doing so.
First was when I was told by a Marine, a retired Colonel that in the Corps that it didn't matter how well you did in school you could still wind up flying rotor wing if that was all they had to offer at the time of your drop. I already had an ATP and several thousand hours and the thought of going through all that PLC torture to wind up flying helos in particular a CH-46 turned my stomach. Remember I was 23 and knew everything about everything at the time.
Second by the time I had graduated from college my priorities had changed somewhat I'd fallen in love with a girl and the thought of being away from her was more than my tender little heart could take at the time. I wasn't so sure that the Corps would be sympathetic to my requests for romantic leave once a week.
In the end I wound up spending many years away from my girl anyway. I never got to fly pointy ended anythings. But I really don't have any regrets I have enjoyed my path so far I've got to do some very gratifying work in airplanes.
I would just once like to pop in the burners and go like a scalded ape though!
02-28-2010, 08:41 AM
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Two major "obstacles" prevented me from doing so.
First was when I was told by a Marine, a retired Colonel that in the Corps that it didn't matter how well you did in school you could still wind up flying rotor wing if that was all they had to offer at the time of your drop. I already had an ATP and several thousand hours and the thought of going through all that PLC torture to wind up flying helos in particular a CH-46 turned my stomach. Remember I was 23 and knew everything about everything at the time.
Second by the time I had graduated from college my priorities had changed somewhat I'd fallen in love with a girl and the thought of being away from her was more than my tender little heart could take at the time. I wasn't so sure that the Corps would be sympathetic to my requests for romantic leave once a week.
First was when I was told by a Marine, a retired Colonel that in the Corps that it didn't matter how well you did in school you could still wind up flying rotor wing if that was all they had to offer at the time of your drop. I already had an ATP and several thousand hours and the thought of going through all that PLC torture to wind up flying helos in particular a CH-46 turned my stomach. Remember I was 23 and knew everything about everything at the time.
Second by the time I had graduated from college my priorities had changed somewhat I'd fallen in love with a girl and the thought of being away from her was more than my tender little heart could take at the time. I wasn't so sure that the Corps would be sympathetic to my requests for romantic leave once a week.
USMCFLYR
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