Coffee In A Hangar

Alaska’s Legendary Bush Pilot: Terry Holliday

In this unforgettable episode of Coffee and a Hanger, we sit down with Terry Holliday—Alaska Aviation Hall of Famer, Wright Brothers Award recipient, Craig Taylor Award recipient, and living legend of the Alaskan skies. His story begins in 1957 when, at just 12 years old, he wandered into a canvas tent in Anchorage and met a man rebuilding an airplane engine. That chance encounter set him on a lifelong path of flight, adventure, and survival.Terry recounts growing up in Anchorage, learning to weld with a coat hanger, rebuilding aircraft engines alon...

Bush Flying Legends & Survival: Mike Meekin's 50-Year flying JourneyWelcome to the Coffee and a Hangar Podcast! Today, we sit down with Mike Meekin, a bush pilot with over 50 years of experience navigating some of the most challenging terrains in aviation. With 11 TBO’d engines on just one plane, Mike is the definition of experience, skill, and survival in the mountains.From parachute failures and near-crashes to mastering the art of short-field landings, this episode is packed with thrilling stories, hard-earned wisdom, and real talk about what it takes to fly in some of the most treacherous weather and terrain Al...

Sponsor: SportAircraftSeats.com This is part two of our conversation with Art Warbelow. Check out part 1 for his back story and how he learned to fly. Strap in for an unforgettable journey into the world of bush flying with Art Warbelow, a bush pilot who started flying when he was 16. He shares tales of adventure, survival, and lessons from his years in the air. In this second part of our Coffee and a Hanger podcast, Art offers unique insights into off-airport flying, including techniques for STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) operations, lessons learned from near-misses, and stories of bush...

Sponsor: https://sportaircraftseats.com Strap in for an unforgettable ride! On today’s episode of the Coffee and Hanger Podcast, I sit down with bush pilot, Art Warbelow, the founder of Warbelow’s Air Ventures in Fairbanks, Alaska. Art takes us back to his teenage years, sharing harrowing tales of flying, surviving, and the sheer grit it took to salvage his father’s flying service after a devastating tragedy. From illegal landings on snowy Alaskan roads to close encounters in the fog, Art’s stories are a mix of heart-pounding adventure and pure Alaskan ingenuity. Hear how Art and his teen...

https://sportaircraftseats.com https://www.godscountryaviation.com In this episode, we sit down with game warden and bush pilot Curt Beddingfield, who shares some thrilling stories from his experiences flying in the Alaskan wilderness. From navigating high winds on the Alaska Peninsula to miraculous escapes on rugged landing strips, Curt opens up about the risks, mistakes, and important lessons that have shaped his career. Hear about flying backwards in high winds, saving a heart attack victim in 50mph gusts, and the terrifying moment Curt realized he was heading straight for a mountain. Plus, Curt reflects on the humility and...

In this episode of the Coffee and a Hangar Podcast, we're excited to welcome Adam Grenda, a seasoned pilot, big game hunter, and trapper hailing from King Salmon, Alaska. Adam dives deep into his unique journey of learning to fly in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness, all under the mentorship of legendary bush pilot Ron Hayes. Adam reflects on the impact Ron had on his career, offering valuable lessons from the heart of Alaska.

We explore everything from Adam’s terrifying near-crash incident to his lifelong passion for hunting, which began at a young age. His stories perfectly ca...

Welcome to the Coffee In A Hangar Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Larry Rivers, a true legend in the world of bush flying and backcountry guiding. For over 40 years, Larry operated a successful guiding business in the rugged mountains of Alaska, where he flew his guides, clients, and gear to remote, unimproved landing strips. These strips were barely big enough to land on, and Larry flew at full gross weight, often in some of the worst weather conditions Alaska has to offer. Larry shares the incredible stories and lessons he's learned from decades of pushing the limits...

🛫 **Support Our Channel**: Visit [Sport Aircraft Seats](https://www.sportcraftseats.com) for custom aircraft seat upholstery kits. Perfect for enhancing your flying experience! Today, we sit down with Ron Hayes, a 95-year-old Alaska bush pilot with nearly 70 years of flying experience. In this episode, Ron shares his incredible stories and invaluable knowledge about bush flying in Alaska. From guiding polar bear hunts in the Arctic to flying through dangerous conditions during the Cold War, Ron's tales are nothing short of legendary. We dive deep into his early years of learning to bush fly in the rugged Alaskan terrain, mastering STO...

Welcome to the Coffee and a Hanger podcast! In this episode, we have the incredible Will Johnson, who left a stable engineering job at Westinghouse Corporation in the 1980s to become a bush pilot in Alaska. Will shares thrilling stories from his time flying over the vast Alaskan wilderness, including a daring rescue mission in the Bering Sea. Will talks about his early days as a green pilot, learning the ropes the hard way, and using his ingenuity to navigate challenging situations. One such story involves rescuing a man with a ruptured hernia from a boat 150 miles out in...

At the age of six years old Rob Carleson was dropped off at a remote cabin in the foothills of the Alaska Range with his step-grandmother. In this video, he recalls the incredible stories of survival, subsistence, and the unique state of off-airport aviation that persisted during his childhood.

Kirk Ellis portrays growing up in the remote wilderness of Nabesna Alaska. He describes what challenges followed that lifestyle, and the benefits that bush aviation allowed his family. He recounts stories of recovering wrecked airplanes, and flying them to civilization. He describes the challenges of flying in the terrain he grew up in. He contrasts what past vs present off-airport aviation, hunting, and guiding looked like.

In this video Matt Keller with Blue Ice Aviation provides valuable information for how to transition to Mountain flying. He provides unique scenarios, and lessons, which demonstrate how to adapt to the unexpected conditions that bush Alaska will throw your way. Matt also recounts memories of his past, such as flying with his father in law, legendary bush pilot Mike Meekin. Matt also unveils an exciting new project he's been developing, a Glacier hut getaway in the Chugach Mountains.

In this video, Steve Williams with Acme Cub Training teaches the best practices to safely transition to off-airport flying. He delves into the dangers of going around, explains how to properly prepare for an engine failure, and what habits you should train to make your off-airport adventures safe. Steve also shares some incredible stories of his past. Such as herring spotting in remote bush Alaska, the dangerous trade of transporting hunters, and how he flew the longest distance ever in a hang glider.