Sometimes when flying to remote Alaskan villages in the winter, or any time for that matter, communication gets a bit messed up. That is what happened Monday, Dec. 14, 2009. There was a breakdown in communication.

On my way to Clarks Point to give the sacrament of the Eucharist to the elder of the village, Louise Gardiner, we basically crossed paths in the air. Louise was coming northwest to Dillingham on VanAir (a locally owned air carrier) for a check-up at the Kanakanak hospital. At about the same time, I was flying southeast going to Clarks Point to give her Communion.

Bad weather the previous week (severe wind, mist, and fog) had caused Louise to cancel her original appointment and make it for the day I was suppose to bring her Communion. In fact, I had canceled twice going to Clarks Point the previous week. So, one can understand how communication can get a little messed up.

Clarks Point is located 12 miles southeast of Dillingham and has a population of about 50 Yupik Native Alaskans. The Yupik are one of seven Alaska Native tribes.

There is a large amount of work to get our Cherokee Warrior II in the air in sub-zero weather. Preparation includes preheating the engine and cockpit, removing wing covers and horizontal stab covers, shoveling snow, and the usual preflight inspection. Hopefully nothing breaks while brushing off snow and attaching the GPS.

 

Since I was already airborne, and the weather was, well, marginal, which is better than instrument flight rules, I decided to "stay airborne" and fly around for an hour or two. I called the FAA Flight Service Station in Dillingham on my radio and filed another flight plan to Manokotak, a village about ten miles west of Clarks Point.

From Dillingham, Manokotak is located about 14 miles to the southwest. The population of the village, mostly Yupik Native Alaskans, is about 400.
Manokotak recently built a new airport. It is located about five miles northeast of the village. It is basically out in the middle of the tundra, making it easier to find in bad weather, much safer, and more accessible. The old runway was nestled at the base of some very large mountains.

I'm a pilot with only 500 hours, and I find small snowy gravel runways that are hidden between huge mountains with low visibility, strong winds, mist, and 500 foot ceilings, well, too challenging. So, the new runway makes my decision to fly to Manokotak, when I need to, much easier.

 

Fly safe out there.

Father Scott Garrett is the Pastor of the Holy Rosary Mission in Dillingham. His unique mode of transportation is a 160 Cherokee Warrior which he uses to fly to the many remote areas within his parish. With the unpredictable weather of southwest Alaska, Father Scott's schedule is always written lightly in pencil.