Something I omitted from yesterday’s post , which was already far too long –
On a relatively flat area near the Monk’s Hut, we passed a cheerful yellow plane, empty, and at rest on the snow. I was intrigued to see it had little skis attached around all 3 wheels, so took a pic :
After lunch, we saw 2 chaps struggle into the tiny cockpit ( the passenger didn’t seem well designed for it ), and off they went.
I didn’t know planes could do this, so checked up with MyMateSteve, a Biggles-like character who has commented here under the nom de blog of airplaneblooze. He sent me this surprising info and the following magazine cover from 17 years ago !
What a lovely aircraft! The Aviat Husky. Believe it or not many years ago when it first came out, I was tasked by Flyer Magazine to do an airtest and write up my thoughts on its capabilities! And so for a short instant in time I was a covergirl on the newsagents shelves! You can clearly see my shining head through the front window! Anyway, looks like that Husky is making the most of its super capability with its skis on.
I am indebted to Steve for permission to reproduce this here –
So there you go – if you want to fraternise with international cover models , this is the place !
Thanks for the mention, Jonathan, I am honoured! Those are some lovely shots of the Husky in its element. Flying on ice and snow takes much skill and lots of training. The rewards are immense enjoyment and great satisfaction. Beq and I were lucky to have the opportunity to fly with my friend Adrian from Megeve in the French Alpes. I was in one aircraft with Adrian and Beq was in the back of another aircraft with an instructor and his student, who already had to be a high standard pilot before being taught the mountain rating. Off we flew up to the glaciers and alti-slopes around Mont Blanc for a day that neither of us will ever forget. Especially Beq, as at one point the instructor needed the aircraft to be lighter for touch and go’s on the compacted snow. Thus Beq was turfed out on a mountain top, miles from anywhere, while we did circuits and bumps to practice this delicate art, as one mistake will result in an over turned or damaged aircraft stuck on a mountain side. The instructor called us on the radio and asked whether he should collect Beq now we were finished. I warned him that Beq’s mountain goat like attitude meant that she would get down the mountain and after hunting him down, the result would not be pretty! “OK” he replied in his laconic French drawl “I think we pick her up!”
I’d be intrigued to hear Beq’s version of this ….