anyone have or care to share experiences with operating on wheel/skis in slushy conditions and operating in the spring with wheel/skis? this forum is becoming very boring as of late.

Sure,

My first job flying on skies in Northern Ontario. I was flying a 185 on straight boards. I took off on a 20 min flight to the east to land at a small community to pick up some pax. I was told that I was to land on the prepared strip that had been packed down by memebers of the community. If I ventrued off, I would probably encounter some pretty good slush.

Apon arriving at the strip, I circled looking at it realizing that it was quite short even for a 185. I landed with little problem but as I turned around to go back to where the Pax were waiting one ski broke through the ice covered slush. I managed to power out with little difficulty but then realized that the steering was a little slugish. I shut down and loaded up my pax and took off with no further problems, making sure I stayed clear of the ice covered slush.

Returning to base, I still felt the taxi back to the "ramp" was some what off. Once I had unloaded my pax and they were on their way I went back to the plane to see if I had maybe streched a rudder cable. I got to where the back ski was and it was not there. The whole wheel-ski assembly that bolts to the forks that sticks down was completly gone! I could feel the blood running from my head. I was sure I was looking at the end of my short career. I went into the office to find out when my boss was supposed to return from his over night trip into town. It turned out that he had just called and said he would be back tomrw. What luck! I checked the bookings for the day. Only one more trip and it was to take the pax I just flew in back home. Perfect, I could look for the ski-wheel assembly then!

Landing back at the small strip I made sure to stay clear of the slush, sent my pax on their way. I ran down to where I had encountered the slush and sure enough, you could see where the tail ski had broken through that top layer of ice. I followed the track right to where the ski had broken off and it was just under the crust in the slush. I pulled it out, took it back to the plane and with the spare bolts I had brought with me, I put it back on and headed for home.

When my boss returned, I gave in and told him what had happend. He looked at me and then laughed. He told me that had happend to him twice at the same place last year! That is why he had given me the warning. He was happy that I had found the ski though. He had lost three the season before.

Ah the lives we live!

Take care

Adanac

I was on a uranium exploration contract in northern Saskatchewan some year ago flying a beaver on wheel skis. It was Feb and -35C, I certainly diden't expect slush. I had droped off my passangers on their grid and was heading back to camp and just had to stop and empty the bladder. I saw a nice little island where the snow was smooth on the leaward side so I landed and taxied in behind the island. About 50 yards from shore the plane just sunk about 3 feet. apperently the ice had cracked and the snow was saterated with overflow. I was completely stuck.

After rooting through the plane the only digging tool I had was a snowshoe. About two hours later I had two nice tracks about 30 yds long dug in fromnt of the skis. I started up and after the engine was warm I gave it everything. I just managed to get up on top of the snow and was off.

No one ever heard of this incident and I never pulled in close to shore again.

While flying a wheel ski equipped C185 around checking on commercial fisherman the Fisheries officer wanted to land out in the middle of a large lake to talk to them. It was April and the lake was drifted with hard snow but there where areas that I felt we could safely land and take off . So with full flaps, wheels down and hanging on the stall I gently dragged the tail wheel across the drifts until I found a good-looking spot to land. Closing the throttle and a few good bumps we arrived. That was not so bad! Now on the surface the drifts are bigger than I anticipated and it is going to be a rough ride out of there. So now with business done I pick out a Bombardier track that looks good and off we go. It is rough but I think this is not to bad when just before we get airborne we hit two solid square drifts that threaten to shake our fillings out . Now we are airborne and I gingerly look out not see if the skis are still attached. They where and back to base we went with me promising myself never to do that again, it is too rough on the airplane.

Note: A tail ski is useful in very deep powder snow but when the snow gets hard and crusted most operators take it off.

I have been caught in slush a few times but luckly was able to power out of it and get into fresh snow and clean off the skiis. But an aquaintance was working for the old Norcanair out of Ucity SASK when it was a city. The chief pilot, George Gerwin sent him out with the Beaver to take a trapper to his trapline and drop him off. When they arrived at the lake, the pilot thought the lake was too small for the Beaver but the trapper insisted that George flew him in there last year so he gave it a try but he was right. The lake was too small. The airplane ended up in the bush all smashed to hell. As they were getting out of the wreck, the old trapper said "DAMN. George did the same thing last year".