Trout fishing

My pilot wife and I were about to embark on a one-week fly-fishing trip in arguably the best rainbow trout fishery in the world—and neither of us were fishermen. The trip required a chartered Cessna Caravan from Merrill Field (PAMR) to Iliamna Airport (PAIL) and a de Havilland DHC–2 Beaver on floats for the last leg of our trip to the Rainbow River Lodge on Pike Lakes—about 180 nautical miles southwest of Anchorage. I could dedicate the rest of this column to the incredible experience catching rainbow trout and graylings and fishing within mere yards of brown bears (who were busy chasing the salmon instead of us!), but I’ll save that for another story.

What really caught my attention was the incredibly complex logistics feat that successfully played out every day of the week to move 10 fishermen, five fishing guides, and all the fishing gear and rubber rafts, via floatplane, from our off-the-grid lodge complex to different fishing spots in the Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Park. This symphony of moving parts played out quietly and safely every day since rainbow trout season opened in the Bristol Bay watershed on June 8.

By our third day flying out to fish at a different location, I noticed the recurring habits of the pilots, guides, and camp crew. Every pilot performed the same procedures the same way—regardless of pilot or aircraft. Every morning at 7 a.m., the pilots met for their daily safety briefing, then conducted preflight inspections and warmed up the engines. Passenger safety briefs, loading, and unloading processes were also thorough and identical every day. Engine management was also identical—smooth and slow application of full power on the Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine for takeoff, flaps up, power reduction to 28 inches manifold pressure and 2,000 rpm, then power was reduced again to a cruise climb setting for the 20-minute trip to our fishing spot. Every power change was deliberate and slow—radials love that. This routine happened every day with each pilot we flew with—no exceptions.

What I was witnessing was a safety culture in action, and I wanted to learn more. One evening, I interviewed 29-year-old Chris Hartis, director of operations for Rainbow River Lodge Aviation LLC, and I asked him how he does it. He told me he and co-owner Chad Hewitt (a 10,000-hour Beaver pilot) wanted to build a company that improved the culture of safety in Alaska. He wasn’t impressed with the rough-and-tumble attitude of some other aviation operators, and he wanted to focus on professionalism and courteous customer service. Hartis manages a 14-aircraft flight department that includes nine Beavers, two Cessna 185s, and two Helio Couriers, most equipped with composite Aerocet straight floats, and a Piper PA–18 Super Cub on wheels for backcountry hunting and supply delivery missions, plus 13 pilots, including three instructors and three A&Ps. This fleet serves eight company fishing lodges and 10 other lodges. It also provides an on-demand cargo and passenger service. Hartis wanted to master the highly technical challenge of flying, fueling, and maintaining this fleet off the grid, in diverse weather, and in high-risk flying conditions.

He showed me his safety management system (SMS) and his unrestricted Part 135 operating certificate and described an open and transparent weekly conversation with his principal operations inspector in the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office. Especially impressive was the training plan and standard operating procedure he authored and requires strict adherence to. Initial training requirements are rigorous. Training begins when new hires show up with at least 500 hours of total time, 50 hours on floats, a commercial certificate with instrument and single-engine seaplane ratings, and complex and high-performance endorsements. The training plan covers go/no-go decisions, weather minimums, personal survival kits, expected daily routines, preflight, warmups, passenger briefings, and beaching procedures. Float care receives extra attention—makes sense since these aircraft average 500 hours and up to 2,000 water landings per season.

Hats off to the crew at Rainbow River Lodge Aviation for living by their well-written training plan and SMS. Their safety culture is invisible yet obvious, and it is foundational to keeping their complex operation running smoothly and safely for 17 weeks every summer. Does your safety culture include the rigor it requires from preflight to shutdown? Is it time to tune it up? Stay focused and stay safe!

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