Plane Xtreme is a new reality show on The Weather Channel that “chronicles the adventures of an elite group of pilots who deliver small aircraft to points across the globe.” Aidan (who participated in the filming and is in next week’s episode) watched the first two shows and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. Here’s his review.
Flying can be a lonely pursuit at times … especially when the outcome of a long flight is in doubt. In those rare situations, simply being able to connect to another human being via radio can make a big difference. In the powerful short film North Atlantic, an isolated air traffic controller in the Azores receives a distress call from a lost plane. Listen in …
Southeast Alaska offers some stunning scenery, challenging weather, and great jobs for the right sort of pilot. Last April Aidan sat down with Cable Wells and Pat Goodrich of Island Air Express to discuss the flying opportunities in Southeast (and on Kodiak Island, where Cable grew up).
Our look at Island Air Express in Southeast Alaska continues with a quick tour of their Klawock base, and an in-depth walkthrough of a Garrett-powered Cessna Caravan with Chelton avionics.
There aren’t many operators looking for pilots with turbine and amphib experience, who also have polished instrument skills. Island Air Express in Southeast Alaska is one of them. Last Spring, Aidan met up with Chief Pilot Pat Goodrich in Ketchikan to hear more about what he does and what he looks for in the pilots he hires. If you like floats, turbines, and IFR, this short interview is well worth a listen.
Dave Wiewel has pretty much done it all: he flew a DC-3 around the world, worked for many different regional airlines, flew 737s for Continental, and now flies tourists around Denali National Park in a Navajo and a turbine Beaver. Recorded last summer, this interview features some great discussion about a changing industry, the impact of technology in the cockpit, and the pros and cons of flying jets for the majors.
Aidan’s back where he started, flying a Cessna 207 out of Bethel, Alaska. Bethel isn’t for everyone … yet as a busy regional air taxi hub to dozens of bush villages, it’s where many Alaskan flying careers have begun. Get an overview of what it’s like to live and work there, in this latest Dispatch.
Mike Hageland started his company back in 1980 with a single Cessna 180 based in Mountain Village, Alaska. At the time, he had no idea that Hageland Aviation would one day be part of Era Alaska–the largest air carrier in the state. Back in 2010 Aidan sat down with Mike to talk about his journey. Enjoy this chat with one of the pioneers of modern Alaskan aviation!
There aren’t many around, but the Cessna F406 Caravan II is a great twin to fly in and out of short bush strips. Learn why in this video walkthrough filmed in Unalakleet, Alaska.
Last September Aidan ferried an airplane to Tanzania, and sat down with Tanzanair Chief Pilot K.H. Kondo in Dar es Salaam to discuss his career, his country, and his company. With more than 23,000 hours of flight time, Captain Kondo had a lot of experience to share.
