Skeeter! Say it 'Aint So?!?!

Last week, Hunter and I nicknamed the plane Skeeter, short for mosquito because that's what the plane reminds me of when it lands in a crosswind.

Skeeter is currently lying on its back in the tundra. It came off its tie downs in a nasty wind sometime around 1:00 this afternoon. The Village Public Safety Officer from Aleknagik called to alert us. We quickly went over and found Skeeter in the tundra with broken wings, a bent prop (we think, the prop is buried in the dirt) and a buried tail.

Hunter's heartbroken. He was so looking forward to a summer of flying.

Our friends have come together and on Sunday, after the wind dies down, we're going out to try to right the plane. It'll mean taking the wings off and probably the engine.

I feel so badly for my husband who's now over at the airport trying to salvage what he can of the contents of the cockpit.

We'll rebuild the plane, of course but sadly, that won't happen this summer.


Update: On Sunday, friends came out to help right Skeeter. Mr. Moody from across the lake made his barge available and Skeeter was rolled aboard and motored across. Here's Skeeter the amputee in the yard.