It was the demise of the DC4 that had brought us here , to a place of rare , spectacular beauty that was rarely appreciated as it was usually lashed by rains in the fall and cloaked in heavy snow in the winter. On a clear day , Johhny Mountain stood like a sentinel above all with its beard of driven snow whisping off the top , driven by the constant winter winds.
We were new at the mine. We had completed a couple of trips but we certainally were'nt broken in yet. The miners and administrators were a tight bunch so friendships would be hard won. I had to deal with the management of the Snip gold mine and we felt somewhat unwelcome as we hashed out an agreement and signed up.
It sounded so simple. Each trip was to fly three concentrate bags, each weighing 3000 pounds , to Wrangell , Alaska , and either return with groceries or diesel fuel.
I quickly phoned HQ and told the Operations Manager of our contract and to have the Chief Pilot hire two more Captains. I knew that I would soon train Rob as a Captain but I would have to hog a lot of the initial flying as I felt I was a rookie here. I wasn't comfortable myself yet. Maybe thats how I got to 18,000 hours.
There was a procedure in place at the mine and we chose to conform as it had taken years and many accidents to cement them in place.
Pushed back from the strip and behind the snowbank were remains of a DC4 , DC3 , Bristol Freighter , Beech 18 , a single Otter and more .
We were REALLY paying attention. To Dave Menzies that is. He was partner in and Captain of the Bristol Freighter.
Hawkair.
They were a competing company with years of seniority ahead of us.
They had been here for years and had seen it all. He explained the procedures in Wrangel Alaska , customs , loading , circuit procedures and most of all , radio reporting points.
This man and Donny , the Bristol engineer quickly gained our respects.
They weren't going to spoon feed us however.
After all , we were all there for the Gold .