Damn good book on bush flying adventures

[Mitch Cronin]

I just finished a book a good friend gave me called "Bent Props and Blow Pots" by a fella named Rex Terpening, who was an "Air Engineer" (flying wrench) in the 30's... Really cool tales about some of the hardships of just getting around by air in the north in a time when flying machines were about as reliable as that old Pinto my mother-in-law had, and flying 20 feet over open water in a ski equipped airplane was done just so you could see which way was down, on account of the blizzard you were flying in. .... and fixing airplanes in minus 45 degree weather was pretty good because it was 20 degrees warmer than it was yesterday when you had to fix the thing in minus 65 degree weather.... and draining the oil so you could re-heat it prior to pouring it back in in the morning.... were common place events.

Great read! ...and in case the kind soul who gave me this copy happens by here.... Thanks! I really did enjoy it!

[John S.]

Yes, that is a good read. It was given to me as a Christmas present several years ago.

Every time I fly north of Edmonton I look down and think about those pilots & engineers who worked on the river banks, villages and small frozen lakes sixty years ago.

I especially like that part about the pilot who didn't want any radio as the darn thing would require a generator and wiring; the whole installation using precious payload pounds. Or that part about landing in the fog as there was no other option.