Tales of an Old Bold Pilot Who Lived to Tell His Story of Flying The North, (long title, I know), by Jack McCallum. This book focuses primarily on aviation, advice from a former pilot who flew charters and cargo in Northern British Columbia, as well as the Yukon. I purchased this book from a quaint bookshop in Penticton during 2022, which proved to be a great read.
“It took a good 25 miles to get us to a height where I began to relax. There was still no possibility of normal manoeuvre. We were flying and producing just enough power and lift to keep us airborne. Though it occurred to me to turn back to Smith River and put the Tech back on the ground, the challenge of doing so with a marginally stable aircraft simply made this the least attractive option (pg. 20).”
The context of this quote is when Jack decided to help a Tech who was trying to hitch a ride to Watson Lake, but the next charter was 3 days away. Fortunately, Jack was in Smith River, but the PA-12 was fully loaded with supplies for the flight back to Watson Lake. After the Tech’s story, Jack gave in out of guilt. The plane was barely able to clear the landing strip and the plane was near a stall the entire flight, which is why Jack was on edge. I found the title of the chapter, “Killing (Ourselves) With Kindness” a very humorous and fitting name considering the situation.