Scott Garrett photo

Larry Tibbetts of Tibbetts Airmotive has been my mechanic for the last five years. He wanted to attend the baptism of his grandson in California this year, so he couldn't give my Cherokee Warrior II its annual inspection until the end of May.

The inspection expired at the end of April, which means I would be grounded for the entire month of May. The insurance will not allow us to fly if the annual inspection has expired, so I decided I had to go with another mechanic. Hence, Larry is now calling me Benedict Arnold!

I chose Tom Bishop of Nugget Aviation in Palmer. Tom has repaired the Archdiocese airplanes for years. I was not disappointed. Although I consider Larry the best mechanic bar none in the Bristol Bay area, I have heard good reports about Tom Bishop.

I flew our Cherokee from Dillingham to Palmer on Monday, April 23. The trip is about 330 miles. Tom was ready at the hanger, doors open, waiting for me to taxi in. He completed the inspection and repairs by Thursday. The total cost was $3,000, and he donated $1,000 towards the cost.

Flying 330 miles through treacherous mountain passes and over miles of lakes and tundra during springtime is challenging. The weather was terrible through Lake Clark Pass. IFR conditions, snow, and rain were reported all along the route, so I decided to fly PenAir back to Dillingham.

After ministering to the people of Bristol Bay over the weekend, on Monday I decided to fly back to Palmer and retrieve our Cherokee. I chose a perfect day. I hopped on the Penair Saab at 10:15 a.m., arrived in Anchorage at 11:30, and had Nelson, a fellow priest, pick me up and drive me to Palmer.

Tom Bishop is one of those rare mixed breeds that are both pilot and mechanic. He jumped into the Warrior II and we flew out to the glacier and back. He wanted to make sure everything was in perfect mechanical condition before I flew back.

There's more pictures and details about the flight back at Holy Rosary.

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.