I’ve written before about ‘bush pilots’; and, although Miss D. would deny that she qualifies for that label, she’s nevertheless regarded as at least a fledgling ‘bush pilot’ by others who’ve earned that moniker. I’ve encountered the breed in Africa, and I know they’re all over the world, wherever their services are needed.
Here are a couple of clips to illustrate their trials and tribulations. I’ve shown the first one before – a ‘bush pilot’ taking off from a narrow road in the Congo (complete with a bend halfway down his makeshift ‘runway’).
Did you notice the planes at the end of the ‘runway’, that clearly had failed to make it into the air, and were rather bent as a result?
This next clip is from a mission organization working in South and South-East Asia and the Pacific. It shows a Cessna 185 landing and taking off on some of the primitive airstrips in the region.
Makes our nice, comfortable airports, with their wide, paved runways, plus lights and all modern conveniences, seem like the height of luxury, doesn’t it?
Peter
Best moments of my life were in the right-hand seat of a DHC piston Otter on floats, about 200 miles up the west coast of Hudson's Bay.
It was many years before I experienced a landing on real land.
When all you've got is water, that's what you land on 🙂
Interesting shots, and did you notice on the third runway he was into the stall warning pretty deep? And the bush pilots the world over are a class by themselves!
I imagine those planes would be very well maintained! :O
My first flight instructor was a missionary pilot between assignments. His methods weren't exactly as the FAA outlined. Very grateful for the experience.