Aviation Adventures in Alaska: Sharing Stories from the Helicopter Community
- Melissa Elerick
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
This blog is different- it's a little HR but it's really just me, Melissa, connecting with you about one of my favorite things about aviation- storytelling. I am feeling nostalgic after sharing coffee with a former coworker and his wife, both of whom have extensive experience in Alaska aviation. We had a great conversation, chatting about a thousand things and at one point the conversation turned into one of my favorite exchanges: “You tell me your story, I’ll tell you mine.”
In Alaska, helicopters are everywhere during the summer. They are essential for reaching remote locations and completing scientific research that would otherwise be impossible. Because helicopter work here is so seasonal, many companies hire pilots and mechanics from outside Alaska, often fresh faces eager to gain experience. We bring them up, train them, then send them to the field for the summer. Most of these employees turn out to be fantastic they love the remoteness, the tough decisions, and the wildlife sightings. But then, there are the not-so-great Alaska professionals, it's a give and take. In the spirit of “You tell me your story, I’ll tell you mine,” here are a couple of my favorite crazy work stories from the helicopter world.
The Pilot Who Left His Helicopter Behind
One summer, we had a pilot who was on leave from his job in the Lower 48. He came to Alaska for the season, to pay some bills and try his hand at utility flying. When his leave was up, instead of telling us, flying the helicopter back or arranging for someone to pick it up, he left it in the field. He called the office to say, "You need to get someone to pick up the helicopter.” When prompted, he told us he had jumped on the private jet belonging to our client that was flying back to Anchorage and then bought himself a ticket home. Imagine the scramble that caused. The helicopter was sitting in a remote spot, and we had to find a pilot to fly out and retrieve it. That story is still at the top of the list of things that have dumbfounded me in my life.
Helicopter vs Truck
A former co-worker was washing the helicopter in the field one evening when he felt a jolt. He looked back at the tailboom of the helicopter to see that someone at the camp had driven a vehicle into it, leaving the aircraft no longer airworthy. Can you imagine knowing that you are in remote Alaska and that someone just DROVE a vehicle into your helicopter? The company we were leasing the helicopter from was able to paint a new tailboom to match the helicopter, put it in a Learjet in the Southern Continential US, and fly it to the camp (thankfully it had a runway for a plane that size). We sent up another mechanic and together the aircraft was up and running in 2 days. All of that got billed to the vehicle insurance- can you imagine reviewing that claim? This is an example of competence in the filed- the stories aren't all about coworker's incapabilities, more often it is about how they perservere in tricky situations.
Sharing Your Own Crazy Work Stories
Every company has stories like these, they don't need to be in aviation. I’m curious about yours. What’s the craziest thing that has happened in your business? Whether it’s a wild co-worker, a close call, or an unexpected adventure, these stories connect us.
If you have a crazy work story, share it. Let’s keep the tradition of “You tell me your story, I’ll tell you mine” alive. These stories are part of what makes all of our communities so unique.
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