By 6.30am I am already up; this day has started early.
After breakfast I look in the foyer to see who's there. And who is that bearded young man with the care-worn face, tapping the screen of his iPhone?
Andy Morrison, no less!
The organizer of my first ten days in Alaska, whom I first met nearly two months ago at Anchorage Airport!
We greet each other with genuine pleasure. It's really good to see this guy again; we share many happy memories from those first few days! The discovery of the Széchenyi camp, the erection of the memorial plaque, the panning for gold, the rafting and sailing, and who knows how many other activities that we did together. He was the organizer, I was the client, but our relationship was always excellent.
He waved me off at Talkeetna; that's where we last said goodbye to each other. From there the train took me to Fairbanks, where I was hoping to take a hot-air ballooon ride, all organized for me by Andy. However, the balloon company had cheated Andy, and the ride never happened.
Later, while I was wandering around the US and Canada, we exchanged several emails and agreed that I would take an exciting helicopter flight this morning to make up for the ballooning fiasco. At the time I forgot to ask when and where we would go, as I wasn't really interested. If Andy says that it is going to be good fun, I believe him.
His battered minibus is waiting outside the Hilton, and inside is an older hunter called David Bailey, also a client of Cabela's; he is also going to be shown Alaska by Andy.
After a 30mins. drive and a bit of searching we find Alyeska Helicopters' base. Here Andy hands us over to Corey Konik; our lives are going to be in his hands.
Or his in ours...
Because - and no mistake, this is absolutely true! - we are going to pilot the helicopter!
Actuall fly it; not just laze about as passengers, but steer it and pilot it and fly it on our own! The fact that, so far in my life, I have only ever been in a helicopter two times - and both of them here in Alaska - and that I have absolutely no idea what to do, apparently doesn't bother anybody.
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Corey is a 31 year- old flying instructor and, according to his theory, you don't have to know how to fly a helicopter as long as you have a feel for it. And so he says we needn't begin with the theory, but can start with the actual flying. That's fine by me, I've always been interested in the practical side of things. I leave philosophy to others.
He takes us through the controls.
This only lasts 10mins. - it takes over two years to train a Soyuz pilot... - but I quickly pick up what makes this dragonfly work. Once we are airborne, I have to concentrate on just two things: I must only steer the machine with gentle movements and I must never move the middle lever - which I will use to go forwards or backwards, and left or right - suddenly forward, as it could make the helicopter unstable.
I can't say that I really learnt the physics and mechanics of the machine in that 10mins, but Corey reckons it's enough for my first flight.
I don't know what type of helicopter it is, but it's quite small. R22 is on the side. It must be the little one's name. Every control has a duplicate, just like those cars people learn to drive in.
We take off.
I have my hands on the levers, but right now Corey is the pilot. There is no training ground or deserted area for flying; immediately we start flying over over a railway track and houses. Corey is still holding the controls, but now it is my turn...
It is extremely sensitive.
That is my first impression. The middle lever only has to be moved a fraction for the machine to react at once. If you move it a quarter of an inch, it is too much for it. I attempt gentle, measured movements. As Corey said, you don't need to move your hands, just flex your muscles. After 10mins. I begin to get the feel of it. We follow the track - that's what I was instructed to do - then we go over a valley. I must keep the speed at a constant 60mph, which is not easy. If I increase the speed, then I must make the machine rise, using a lever on my left side rather like the hand-brake in a car, or else we will start to descend. The combination of these two levers determines the dragonfly's direction. I am constantly making corrections: I am unable to fly 1ft. in a straight line. There are also two pedals to control the rear rotor, but I'm not using these yet. Then Corey asks me if I want a photo. Of couse I do, but in order to take it he has to use both hands ...
I'm flying solo!
I'm flying solo in a helicopter in Alaska!
After just 10mins. instructions.
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It is a fantastic, unforgettable sensation, which I've never felt before! I steer the machine for several minutes, getting better and better. Meandering carefully over the valley, I slow down, I speed up, concentrating intently all the time. I'm getting on well, watching the ground and choosing the landmarks we fly to myself. After 30mins. I feel completely exhausted; I can't remember when I last had to concentrate so hard. The gusts of wind are especially tiring: I always feel we are just about to crash. Corey intervenes on those occasions. Then I ask him to take back control, and I will relax and look at the landcsape.
The wonderful Alaskan landscape.
The
sky
is
clear
and
from
our
small
glass
box
we
can
see
for
miles.
We land back at the base and it turns out that I still have 10mins. flying time left, so we take off again. I ask Corey to take the 'copter out over the sea and fly as low as possible. I love the speed! This is the easy way to climb mountains! What will take me a whole, exhausting day, wearing a rucksack, takes only 5 - 10mins. in this machine.
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We turn again towards the base; there is a train travelling in the same direction. Here is my challenge: to catch up with the train! I speed up to 80mph. and we are flying barely higher than the trees!
On the first flight of my life!
It feels unbelievable!
This machine is not as skittish as I thought. If it is treated gently, it will behave gently. It doesn't want to crash. We're starting to become friends, but even so, the landing maneuver is beyond me. During our second landing I leave my hand on the lever and can feel just how much a part of the machine Corey is. We land as softly as a feather.
Now it's David's turn, and Andy and I set off back to Anchorage. My rapture is still bubbling away!
It was a fantastic thing to do! So much better than flying over Fairbanks in some tatty old balloon.
In front of the hotel I say goodbye to Andy once more, but this time forever. There's not a doubt that if I'm ever in Alaska again, he will be my organizer.
Yolanda is on reception in the hotel.
My plane doesn't leave until the afternoon, so I ask her if I can stay in my room until 3.00pm. I will try and get an hour's sleep; it's an exhausting job flying a helicopter.
Room 206
Best Western Hotel
Valdez