Taking Aim: Airdrops in Bush Alaska Not Always Spot-On
More life in Alaska:
Image: Airdrop-illustration-001.jpg
A neighbor once had a pizza dropped to him that landed on the rotting ice of Lake Clark. He couldn’t trust the ice enough to walk on it, and finally got his fishing pole and a big treble hook to snag himself dinner. (Photo illustration by Steve Kahn)
Author: Steve Kahn
Alaska Dispatch News
LAKE CLARK — In Bush Alaska, dropping items from airplanes is a fairly common means of delivery. I suspect in a lot of crowds, you’d have to draw a number to tell the story of your experience from either above or below. The practice certainly has practical — even lifesaving — aspects when emergency gear like sleeping bags, clothing, medical supplies, radios and food are dropped to needy people on land and sea.
Pilots hone their airdrop skills at air shows by dropping flour bombs, rubber chickens and even bowling balls, attempting to hit a target. Some pilots calculate the weight of the object, the speed of the aircraft, the altitude, the drag on the object as it falls, the wind direction and speed. Others just let go at the right time.
For years, a friend of mine dropped frozen turkeys during the holidays to weather-bound Bush rats. It is, of course, an ideal form of air delivery for newspapers and mail.
Bananas, eggs and beer, however, are not the best choices for inexperienced droppers. A mischievous outfitter I worked for briefly responded to one of his guide’s pleas for more reading material by dropping him a novel with the last 20 pages torn out. A neighbor once had a pizza dropped to him that landed on the rotting ice of the lake. He couldn’t trust the ice enough to walk on it, and finally got his fishing pole and a big treble hook to snag himself dinner. Reportedly, it didn’t put up much of a fight, but he claimed that it sure tasted good.
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