[QUOTE=lzakplt]Though I’m disinclined to prolong this torturous exchange, a few more points:
I never said everyone in Alaska or elsewhere follows all the rules all the time. If a guy is VFR 100 miles from home and weather drops below mins he's not going to just throw up his hands and crash. However in most airlines and around the state, there is a continuing movement to fly more safely. (Podunk Mom & Pop operations? Maybe safety can be a little more pot-luck.) One example of our improving culture of safety can be found at
www.medallionfoundation.org. Just for the record, I've had the good fortune to work in a few of this state's corners for 2 reputable airlines in 7 different types of aircraft. (Plus private flying in as many types.)
Originally Posted by SkyHigh
You can't sit on one corner of the state working for one company and claim that the entire state has changed. When the WX is bad for days on end and there are hunters afield who ran out of food days ago you find a way to get there. When someone has a life threatening injury and needs to be medevaced to ANC you get there. When the mail contains someones life sustaining medication someone makes it happen. And finally if you are flying a single engine piston plane on the sunniest day of the year you are still in danger and no amount of book learning, rule following geekism will save you it the engine decides to explode.
Hunters? They've probably got a goat or something to eat. If not, they should have packed a few more mountain house meals. (If they are sorry hunters, chances are they have ample fat supplies of their own to sustain them for weeks.) Am I going to let the problem they created by not planning for likely delays become my problem?
Medivacs? In 5 plus years I've logged hundreds of hours doing them around Bristol Bay, the Lake Illiamna region, down the Alaska peninsula, (a few visits to the Y/K delta), and to Anchorage. Interestingly, the hospital here approves of our safety policies, and continues to use our company exclusively. They've got this peculiar theory that if we push the weather to try to save one life, it might backfire, killing the crew of 3 on the aircraft. (You know this has happened.) Strangely, they aren't into hastening the demise of their medics or me. (If the weather really sucks, we call the professional heros: the Coast Guard or the National Guard.)
Medication? Refer to the above sensible method of decision making.
Geekism & single engine explosions (in wheel planes, in hospitable terrain (southeast Alaska)) on sunny days? Been there, done that, and I will agree with you that it is not very fun. (Thankfully, everyone was OK.)
I don’t doubt the experiences you describe having in this state. However, they do not paint a full picture of what it is like to fly here today, especially for a reputable airline. You are out of line trying to paint pictures of doom and gloom to anyone on this forum who mentions Alaskan aviation.
You win !!!! I give up !!! I am at a disadvantaged position since I haven't been there in ten years. Lets just say that you are right. Pilots are safer and make better decisions now. Would you at least concede that piloting a 207 across 200 miles of mountainous terrain is more dangerous than sitting in the right seat of a Dash 8? How about flying a Cherokee 6 across a short stretch of open ocean? You can not maintain that working as a pilot in AK is like touch and go's in the pattern at Boeing Field? It still has to be among the most dangerous career paths for a pilot, wouldn't you say? Perhaps crop dusting is the worst? I will check out your web site.
SkyHigh