BackcountryPilot.org

❝Sometimes, a pilot gets a trip in their head. It could be a short hop to a new strip, or lunch spot, or even some scenic landmark. It could also be a long trip. I wanted to go on another long trip.❞ — Trevair, BCP forum

BCP member Trevair picked Wyoming. Every airport in a Stinson 108.

❝Bent low to push the tailwheel back, I noticed a castellated nut on the ground behind my airplane...And they say foreshadowing only happens in novels…❞ — Trevair, BCP forum

Landed 43 airports. ► See how it went—link in comments.

The Cessna 180 is one of the toughest, most capable backcountry airplanes ever built. It's a true 4-place that hauls a load and operates short, going places most aircraft won't.

So why isn’t it certified in the Utility category? And does it actually matter for the way you fly?

► Full article—link in comments.

❝Several years ago someone tried a touch-and-go on the dry mudflats exposed when the water was low at Owyhee reservoir. It wasn't as dry as they thought, and the plane got stuck in the mud. If I remember correctly they didn't tell anyone where they were going, no cell service, no survival gear of any kind...they spent a very cold night and flew home the next morning when the mud was frozen.❞ — Dale Moul, BCP forum

soyAnarchisto on how to tell if a strip is dry:

❝Drag the field, look for signs of moisture. Make another pass but don't commit to landing—use a light wheel landing to check the condition of the field for moisture and to see how smooth it is. If it looks smooth (dry), it might be. If it looks rough (wet), it IS!❞

► More tips from the thread—link in comments.

Photo: SeaReyGuy, BCP forum

What would you actually need in the first hours or days after a crash to stay alive?

After a balked off-airport landing left his Aviat Husky in a ravine, pilot Ryan Lunde said, ❝One thing I'll do differently is use a well-stocked survival vest.❞

BCP member Greg Hren (Bushwagon East)—paramedic, flight instructor, and Fellow of Wilderness Medicine—didn't start by picking a vest. He started with that question, using the FAA's statistical average from last known position to rescue for VFR flight with no flight plan: 42.5 hours.

From there he maps what he calls the Evolution of an Insult—the full arc of a crash from impact to rescue—then works backward to four tenets:

▪ Be Healthy
▪ Be Comfortable
▪ Be Crafty
▪ Be Found

It's as much a philosophy as a gear list: part 2 of the BCP survival series.

► Survive the first 42.5 hours—link in comments.