Grizzly bear eats aeroplane in Alaska

blogs.timeslive ^ | November 10, 2009 | Paul Ash

[MamaDearest]

Bush pilots know that wildlife can be a hazard to your health. Aircraft have collided with giraffes and other large animals on various remote African airstrips, and there are numerous stories of downed pilots being hassled by predators after making forced landings out in the boonies. Lion and hyena are also know to be partial to certain aircraft components, tyres being a documented favourite of the big cats. My father was once left with the (hefty) bill after a gang of hyenas chewed his wingtip navigation lights and strobes (both wings) and then did a runner after dinner.

These pictures from an an un-named, hapless but entirely resourceful Alaskan bush pilot take aircraft gastronomy to new heights, however. It seems the owner of this 1958 Piper Cub – a wood-and-fabric taildragger popular with backcountry pilots – had been on a long fishing trip and after landing one day neglected to clean the aircraft properly.

The fishy aroma attracted a passing grizzly bear who, clearly frustrated at not being able to see the lovely “noms” it could smell, took the plane apart in an effort to find it. Aircraft fabric is no match for bear claws. The bear also chomped both tyres for good measure, then departed the scene.

Alaskans are a hardy bunch, however – as tough as the aircraft they fly. The pilot radioed for two new tyres, three cases of duct tape and a couple of rolls of cellophane to be flown in so he could repair his craft and get home.

The result: an ugly but utilitarian repair job. Like they say, the world really is held together with duct tape. So, campers, never leave home without it!

[MamaDearest]

Photos on link

[FlyingEagle]

Wow. Nice photos at the link.

[JoeProBono]

[mylife]

One of the reasons I gave up the dream of bush pilot...

A man on his own.. 50 Lbs of cat chow/A gun

A wrecked plane/and a bear

lOl

[mountn man]

check this out.

[ThomasThomas]

You can do anything with ducktape.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Ping to show the guys at work tomorrow

[mylife]

[MamaDearest]

Did you see the photos on the website link (theirs)? It’s one of the most creative uses of duct tape I’ve ever seen.

[mylife]

Its done all the time.

Not for the feint of heart

[Brad's Gramma]

The pilot radioed for two new tyres, three cases of duct tape and a couple of rolls of cellophane to be flown in so he could repair his craft and get home.

Oh Ping-a-Ling!

[Electric Graffiti]

three cases of duct tape and a couple of rolls of cellophane to be flown in so he could repair his craft and get home.

Lol. It looks like he used them all. Did a good job too.

[Publius6961]

DUCT TAPE BUMP!

[pillut48]

Uh, a moose bit my sister?

(That title is secret FReeper code, yes?)

[Squantos]

Who knew Red Green could fly...:o)

[MamaDearest]

(That title is secret FReeper code, yes?)

Only for those FReepers who Jim Robinson gave secret decoder rings!

[Squantos]

LMAO !

Cat chow an a gun.

HAT Hurricane Survival 101 ?

[MamaDearest]

Who knew Red Green could fly...:o)

I've heard that show is no longer being made. I confess, I watched it!

[pillut48]

Wha...???

Some guy named Jim Thompson promised to mail me a secret FReeper decoder ring in the mail if I sent him a $200 cashier's check!!

Was that wrong of me??

;-)

[Mobties]

As far as I’m concerned, duct tape is the most valuable invention of the 20th century.

[Grizzled Bear]

Aeroplanes taste like chicken.

[smokingfrog]

And here's the pilot.

[Squantos]

The girls may not consider ya handsome but they will find ya handy ?

Or sumpthin like that...:o).

[Squantos]

Loved it ....you can buy the DVD’s for each season

Greatest party tapes ever IMO !

[MamaDearest]

Loved it ....you can buy the DVD’s for each season

Me too. He's just a low maintenance type guy (and I like that in a guy - specifically my hubby who always thinks of the easiest ways to do things - eyes rolling). The duct tape on the plane was classic low maintenance (but very adept) workmanship.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

In June 2005, we had a close encounter with the biggest black bear I have ever seen (approx 800 lbs) on a heli glacier landing adventure near Skagway. With permission, we had walked away from the group to explore another section of the ice field above the glacier.

My DH and I were the last ones on board as the bear approached the pair of choppers. The group didn’t notice the bear, but the other pilot did and ordered everyone to load up.

The bear was continuing to approach our chopper and was only 60 feet away when the pilot fired up the blades. That finally scared him away.

The other pilot radioed our pilot and told him about the approaching bear and that he thought that DH and I were going to end up as bear lunch. We have some great pictures. We were then known on our cruise ship as the people with the bear pictures.

[Squantos]

Has to be if the guy is gonna fly that thing !

Side note: consider Gorilla Tape vs 3M’s Duct Tape.....more better imo.

Nite !

[goat granny]

LOL Everytime something broke in the house or garage, including kids bikes, my husband would call, bring me the duct tape....

With my dad everything got fixed with Bondo...

[MamaDearest]

We were then known on our cruise ship as the people with the bear pictures.

That sounds like quite an adventure. Certainly it's one you'll never forget.

A friend of mine saw multiple grizzlies (close up) within the park about three weeks ago when she vacationed at Glacier.

[machogirl]

That duct tape, good for what ails ya. Better start carrying a roll around in my purse.

[Brad's Gramma]

.......or two or three...... :) :) :)

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

There goes the neighborhood.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

lulz..h/w etc

[machogirl]

Now if the duct tape can kill those darn scorpions..........

[Brad's Gramma]

Ewwwwwwwww............I forgot you’d have those things...

[DUMBGRUNT]

Guess that’s why the call it ONE HUNDRED MILE AN HOUR TAPE!

[mountn man]

We used Racer Tape. A type of "duct" tape on steriods. Great for taping body parts to the car to prevent them from flying off.

Some times called 200 or 300 mph tape.

[mountn man]

The guys on Myth Busters made a small sail boat completely out of duct tape. Sail and all. just a handfull of metal bars for ribs and then TAPE

[machogirl]

Knock on wood, they leave me alone. I have cats, :)

[Pan_Yan]

That bear had better luck than his cousin, who tried biting off a piece of the USS Connecticut.

[Brad's Gramma]

yipppeee skippy!!

;)