Some fishermen came up and wanted to fly to the va-halley below...
Anyway, I asked where, asked how much baggage, checked my fuel on board. Yah, no problems, climb in and belt up...
A bit early for the tower, but you have to ask anyway... tunes radio to "top of the box" - it's the only channel that works round here, and Bill in the tower knows I the only damfool around this morning, so he won't worry about chat on the emergency frequency...
Hiss, crackle...
Blast. OK, rev the engine up - that should wake him. Ah, yes, the runway lights are on.... OK fellers, we're off

Sticks finger out of window. "Wind?" asks one o the passengers... "Yah, too many beans last night, sorry."

Frown... thinks... "Ole Betsy's a bit sluggish this morning. Come on gal, you're usually at 500 feet by now. Whassup dear?" Then, so as not to worry the rubberneckers in the back - "I'll take a nice steady low start so that if you now take a look, you'll see the world famous Brisland Bridge below and to your left. Built just a few days ago, this bridge could also be called the 'Fiddler on the roof bridge' because it 'goes nowhere just for fun'..."

So then I heads off on a northwesterly heading, following the valleys on the climb up to clear the hills, before dropping down into the lake these guys want to fish dry. Hmmm... "You all right Betsy? You're definitely not responding too well to my touch today. My hands cold?"
Actually, one is starting to be a little concerned - a paying fare in the back, an empty wallet and Betsy Beaver feeling poorly. What to do, what to do?

"Oh no sir, i wouldn't worry about those itty bitty clouds up ahead. We'll be flying around them."
Thinks - I hope
ummm... Betsy sure is sluggish. I am at the point of no return and it is still a wee bit too dark to do a steep turn in this valley. Now if I just tease the throttle full forward, perhaps I can squeeze over that saddle ahead - it's a wee bit further, but downhill all the way then.

Ummm... just in case... "Excuse me sir, how many pounds did you say you and your friend's fishing tackle weighed?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN KILOS?!?!?!
Whooops
Heeeaaavvvve
Sorrreeee Betsy!

...y'allright gal?" Scan the panel... all seems well, apart from that slight scraping noise just now (look closely at the shot)
Anyway, spilt milk and all that... "Exciting little ride, isn't it? You guys alright back there? Hm? Oh, in the pouch beside you. Fold the tops over and drop them in the plastic waste bag. You can dump them in a few minutes - we'll be landing soon." Funny things, passengers...

PTT "Anyone who's listening, the skinner is landing at Bob's fishing pond, I am just about there."

"Whaddaya mean RT procedures? What? Out here? Naah, Nearest tower of any size is the one we left and Bill will be back in the sack by now. Valley Field? Only person awake there will be the Skinner, working in the paintshop. Emma? Closed for rebuilding. Fritz said something about needing to move Elmer's workshop underground and clearing some pasture for the sheep. Mentioned something about cheese.
"Cushman? Well they would be all to happy if I wrecked Betsy. Town's full of tree-huggers and noise abationists and don't ask about Bear Gulch, they'll not come round until the hangover wears off... We had some party there last night - I found a jug of number five all to myself... There's more in the box marked 'survival pack'..."
Definitely strange creatures, these passengers...

Ah, at last. There's the lake. Now now, Betsy, no need to be all sulky and start coughing..."What do you mean there's nothing in the survival pack? Oh of course, that was the anglaers last week... there's should be some left in the liferaft bag, ah good, you found them.
...
"No, what would we do with survival equipment? If we surviva a crash, we've survived - don't need no more surviving. Them bears'll have you soon enough so why waste money on something you'll never need.
Yes, there's only barfbags in the raft bag too. Raft? At home - I sleep on it...
...It's a danged floatplane!
...yeah, OK, if you survive, you can swim ashore. Get that far, you've survived, right?
...the Bears, remember!
...there's a couple more under your seat...
...hold on, we're landing."

"WHADDAYA MEAN 'SAIL HAS RIGHT OF WAY'??? Not on a blessed runway you don't!
...oh, there's a couple more in that box marked 'fire extinguisher'
...I used it three months ago
...It's a floatplane, like I said. Plenty of water to land on round here. Besides, why would I want to put a fire out? The flames keep the bears away."
Oh... they were offloaded and gone rather quick. Generous tippers though.
"Thanks guys, I'll pick you up back here in a week, OK?"
Oh definitely generous tippers. Said that now that they know my radio frequency, they'll call me if they need me. Left me all their cash too...
(Original post is over on the Simflight Forums, but I thought you guys might enjoy... Imagine a similar flight by an Ozzie bush peelow...)

