Sponsor https://sportaircraftseats.comWelcome to the Coffee in a Hanger podcast.In this episode, we sit down with Gary Heert, a former school teacher from Kotzebue, Alaska, who spent his evenings and weekends flying through the unforgiving backcountry, often bending more than just a few rules (an...
Sponsor https://sportaircraftseats.comWelcome to the Coffee in a Hanger podcast.In this episode, we sit down with Gary Heert, a former school teacher from Kotzebue, Alaska, who spent his evenings and weekends flying through the unforgiving backcountry, often bending more than just a few rules (and airplane parts). From homemade runways and makeshift repairs to flying crippled aircraft out of the wilderness—Gary’s stories guarantee to be memorable.Highlights include:-Crashing a plane in the middle of nowhere and rebuilding it on-site with a tripod and an axe-Flying a damaged aircraft 45 minutes with oil leaking out just to land as the engine seized up-Hauling moose meat and making sketchy takeoffs-The history of polar bear hunting in Alaska and russiaThis episode is a crash course in what it means to live the true Alaskan bush pilot life. Don’t miss this mix of adrenaline, humor, and pure frontier spirit.