Alaskan Bush Pilot Plans Non-stop Distance Record in a Cessna 150 – 1966 - 40 years on

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Alaskan Bush Pilot Plans Non-stop Distance Record in a Cessna 150 ? 1966 - 40 years on

 

Source: Cessna News

 

March 23, 1966

 

WICHITA, KANSAS--An Alaskan bush pilot, 39-year-old Frank Hern of Seldovia, Alaska, is in Wichita to complete preparations for an April attempt at a world's light plane straight line distance record in his new Cessna 150.

 

Hern plans to fly at least 3,600 miles in his small two-seat aircraft to crack the existing 2,647-mile record in the 1,102 to 2,204-pound weight category set in 1956 by a Czechoslovakian. The record was established by Frantisek Novah in a Sokal model in a flight from Brno, Czechoslovakia to Kulunda, Russia.

 

The nonstop flight planned by Hern is to start at Fairbanks, Alaska, cross the Canadian Rockies and continue on southeast towards Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Hern's flight already has been sanctioned by the National Aeronautic Association in Washington, D. C., which operates under the auspices of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. This is the international organization responsible for checking and verifying all official aviation record claims. For the next 90 days, beginning March 21, Hern will be the only person allowed this sanction for a straight line distance hop in that weight category.

 

The Alaskan picked up his 1966 Model 150 Commuter at the Cessna Aircraft Company on March 14 and immediately began preparations for the April flight. The Javelin Aircraft Company in Wichita, specializing in manufacture of special aircraft fuel systems, is installing a 125-gallon fuel tank in the fuselage. Together with the aircraft's auxiliary long range wing tanks, total useable fuel will be approximately 160 gallons.

 

The Cessna 150 has a 100 horsepower Continental engine and cruises at 120 mph. On climb-out, the aircraft has the capability to ascend at 670 feet per minute and has a service ceiling of 12,650 feet.

 

Hern says he intends to paint the "City of Seldovia, Alaska," on the 150's fuselage and place a replica of the Alaska flag on the vertical tail fin of the plane.

 

According to the bush pilot, planning stages of the venture has been in the works for months and he has "set up many a night" examining flight charts. Hern, now on a leave of absence from Cook Inlet Aviation Company, said he decided on a Cessna 150 for the task and placed his order with Cessna in early January.

 

A 10,000 hour and 20-year pilot, Hern has a commercial license with multi-engine, land, sea, instructor and instrument instructor ratings in addition to a ground school instructor rating.

 

The record attempt will be made on an IFR flight plan and will start when advantageous weather exists along the proposed flight route. The flight is expected to last in excess of 30 hours with a fair amount of those hours occurring at night. Hern's bush-pilot knowledge of the 8,000 to 10,000 peaks of the Canadian Rockies is to his advantage in that he can choose either to climb over the peaks or fly through their passes.

 

Nourishment during the flight will consist of a high protein chocolate drink, water, and malted milk tablets.

 

April 28, 1966

 

Sadly, on April 28, 1966, Frank Hern crashed and was killed early in the record flight near Aishihik, Yukon Territory, Canada. The cause of the crash was listed as a Stall by investigators, due to the airplane being overloaded.

 

The area was so remote that the wreckage was not found until 5 months after the crash. With 20/20 hindsight, we can speculate that Hern likely got trapped in a mountain pass, and was unable to climb because the airplane was loaded 700-800 pounds over gross weight. It is ironic and sad to read in the press release above that "Hern's bush-pilot knowledge of the 8,000 to 10,000 peaks of the Canadian Rockies is to his advantage in that he can choose either to climb over the peaks or fly through their passes."

 

The accident occurred at approximately 7:45pm which in April would have been near total darkness. Why would Frank Hern choose to fly in the most mountainous part of his flight in darkness? In 1966 that part of the world had little in the way of navigational aids.

 

Despite his bush-pilot experience, it appears Frank Hern fell victim to miscalculation and overconfidence.

 

In memory of Frank Hern

 

 

colt