Short Strips and Flying Pigs
When flying in Papua, be prepared for surprises.
- By Nate Gordon
- Air & Space magazine, July 2012
Final approach to Kosarek International Airstrip in Papua’s Eastern Highlands.
Clive Gray
(Page 2 of 2)
I had to learn all of the above, well, on the fly. My more experienced colleagues in Papua, who showed me the ropes when I first arrived, also withheld vital information, such as:
When a mother hands you her diaperless baby to hold while she climbs in the airplane, if it’s a girl, hold her out at arm’s length; if it’s a boy, hold him out at arm’s length and turn him 180 degrees.
When carrying drums of fuel, the pressure differential between the air in the drum and the air at 5,000 feet will cause the ends of the drum to pop out with a WHAM. If you don’t know it’s coming and your bladder is full, you are in trouble. If you’re lucky, this happens on a day when you’ve already dealt with babies and have been pre-wetted.
While I’m on the topic, when you have to urinate and the only thing handy is a sick sack, always double up. I once filled a bag and was exhaling in relief when my nether regions began to feel unnaturally warm. I lifted the bag to find it was leaking from the bottom corners like a decorative fountain. By the time I got the bag out the window, it had distributed most of its contents all over the cockpit. The experience of explaining the situation to the maintenance team at home base raised another question: Should you trust the airplane to a mechanic who is rolling on the grass, clutching his sides and laughing like a madman?
When frightened, men of the Ketengban tribe—one of the 250 or so tribal groups here—grab their neighbor’s upper thigh and squeeze like an anaconda. This is simply a curious bit of Papuan trivia, unless a tribe member is sitting next to you, in the copilot’s seat, when the fuel drums go WHAM, at which point the gesture generates intense personal concern. Trust me on this one.
Truth be told, the best thing my instructors at Moody imbued me with was a can-do attitude. Trying to prepare oneself for every eventuality in flying is exhausting—and pretty much impossible. Just prepare for the basics and be ready for anything the day may throw at you.
Nate Gordon serves as a missionary pilot in Papua with Yajasi, a partner of JAARS Inc. When he’s not double-bagging sick sacks, he blogs at offthepath.wanderprone.com.
Comments (4)
Very amusing article. I would like a much longer one!
Posted by Andre Mathieu on June 22,2012 | 04:07 PM
That was hysterical! Wondering if the writer took artistic license to describe all those dubiously wonderful situations. Loved it!
Posted by Harolene Leguizamon on June 25,2012 | 08:25 AM
Brings new meaning to "God is my co-pilot".
Posted by Scott Mickow on June 30,2012 | 01:34 PM
I was very surprised to see this great story in my school's A&S mag today! Uncle Nate's good ole stories always amuse me!
I used to wake up at 5 in the morning at the sound of his hardtop setting off for work. Now I know what he's been up to! Still wish I was his neighbor.
Posted by Er-Jin Jang on August 22,2012 | 05:21 AM