$21 Million Airport for Alaska Town With 46 Residents

I have been to Alaska several times, during the mid to late ninteys.
Salmon processing.
Presumably, I thought, because of my age, no Seattle based seafood processor wanted to hire me. I was living on the street, finishing college, and really, really needed some income so maybe I would be able to buy a car to live in and become employable upon my return. I had to scrape money together to actually get up to Anchorage to look for work.
Got a job on a floating processor in Bristol bay. It was crewed by roughfianns, with a couple of government subsitized ex-con wackos making everybody nervious. My application was passed around for them to scruitinize, the fact I was usually employed as a security guard, had owned a guard business, was ex-milatary, college educated, everything that indicated I was other than what they were. The fun began. And being penniless and unable to even pay my was back to Anchorage I got to learn just how life was in prison, for I was essentially imprisoned on the ship.
Hell is not hot. Hell is below decks of the Motor Vessle Woodbine and is a very cold place indeed.
One of the lead processors went to the Captian when they tried to pressure him to set me up, and on his que, the majority of the labor, mostly migrant latino, QUIT EMMASSEE. The convicts were put in their place for keeping tensions high on the ship, and pressure was relieved on me so I was able to work the season out. Made enough to pay most of my bills and get a used auto and get a job so I could stay in school and finish.
Went back to Alaska a couple more times for the same reason. But because of weather "ElNido" patterns, not much salmon ran, so not much money was to be made. Had great summers, though.
Alaska residents are allowed a high weight free for U.S.Mail, so many do their shopping via Mail. Cheaper then buying in the chain dept stores out there. Shopping in those stores, I was suprised at the poor quality of sporting goods. I mean, BIG 5 would not carry some of that crap. Where was all the winter survival products residents would need ? Guns and ammo no problem. For sale everywhere. Fishing tackle, camping supplies, all crap! Milk had a six month room temp shelf life.Neat. Watched a cabin go up. Single room, fiberglass construction, with a huge tank for fuel oil. Neat. Permafrost was exposed with the digging of the foundation and hole for the tank to fit in when they lowered the cabin onto the foundation.
All the little towns I went to, Bethel, King Salmon, Cordova were serviced by air or water. My very first job I was sent to Anchorage International to a tiny side terminal for UTE AIRLINES. The metal detector was off to the side, and we boarded a small communiter. And come to think of it, every airport in small town Alaska had a metal detector but it was always slid off to the side as for what it was, a pain in the arse.Usually posted to the walls were notices of world wide airports with substandard security measures such as metal detectors not in use, etc.Actually, I felt completly at ease, knowing every Alaska native on every flight I have taken to or from a small toen was most likly ARMED and willing to blow the brains out of any dangerous person acting out fantisies of "King of the Airplane", or whatever.
In Cordova,American Bald Eagles were as pesky as seagulls. They had a statewide community college system that put classrooms in nearly every community, so a college education was available to all. Cordova, pretty much the nicest town I have ever had te pleasure of spending a summer in, is pretty much the ideal town. In the new movie with whats-her-name, she was in an Alaska type town that made me think of Cordova. (Movie name, proposal).
Cordova had a couple of airports. The main airport, miles out of town, where t737,s service, and a tiny one, that services seaplanes as well as wheeled planes. I mean, really, tiny airport. No lights.A wind sock. Tarmac surfaced runway. And a dock, for seaplanes.
Oh, one of the times I flew out of Bethel, it was on a 737. They had installed cargo ,boxes, i think, for lack of the proper term, dividing up the cabin. Cargo behind the flight deck. cargo up the tail, and us passangers in between. Now that was an experience. Just crammed in there. And Anchorage international is home to just about every classic airplane I have not seen grace a ramp or soar overhead scince I was a 5 year old. WOOOWWW! And that seaplane base. Made my mouth water.
I want to be back. But not until I actually get, my pilots license. I have a trade or two. Truck Driver, Security Officer, and maybe even writer. (I am a published author of detective and science fiction).I am a licensed ham operator, very useful up there. Maybe I just might, make it my home.
Love those airports. First time I have seen giant tires on tiny cessnas. Big, balloon looking tires.Way,cool.
 
I have been to Alaska several times, during the mid to late ninteys.
Salmon processing.
Presumably, I thought, because of my age, no Seattle based seafood processor wanted to hire me. I was living on the street, finishing college, and really, really needed some income so maybe I would be able to buy a car to live in and become employable upon my return. I had to scrape money together to actually get up to Anchorage to look for work.
Got a job on a floating processor in Bristol bay. It was crewed by roughfianns, with a couple of government subsitized ex-con wackos making everybody nervious. My application was passed around for them to scruitinize, the fact I was usually employed as a security guard, had owned a guard business, was ex-milatary, college educated, everything that indicated I was other than what they were. The fun began. And being penniless and unable to even pay my was back to Anchorage I got to learn just how life was in prison, for I was essentially imprisoned on the ship.
Hell is not hot. Hell is below decks of the Motor Vessle Woodbine and is a very cold place indeed.
One of the lead processors went to the Captian when they tried to pressure him to set me up, and on his que, the majority of the labor, mostly migrant latino, QUIT EMMASSEE. The convicts were put in their place for keeping tensions high on the ship, and pressure was relieved on me so I was able to work the season out. Made enough to pay most of my bills and get a used auto and get a job so I could stay in school and finish.
Went back to Alaska a couple more times for the same reason. But because of weather "ElNido" patterns, not much salmon ran, so not much money was to be made. Had great summers, though.
Alaska residents are allowed a high weight free for U.S.Mail, so many do their shopping via Mail. Cheaper then buying in the chain dept stores out there. Shopping in those stores, I was suprised at the poor quality of sporting goods. I mean, BIG 5 would not carry some of that crap. Where was all the winter survival products residents would need ? Guns and ammo no problem. For sale everywhere. Fishing tackle, camping supplies, all crap! Milk had a six month room temp shelf life.Neat. Watched a cabin go up. Single room, fiberglass construction, with a huge tank for fuel oil. Neat. Permafrost was exposed with the digging of the foundation and hole for the tank to fit in when they lowered the cabin onto the foundation.
All the little towns I went to, Bethel, King Salmon, Cordova were serviced by air or water. My very first job I was sent to Anchorage International to a tiny side terminal for UTE AIRLINES. The metal detector was off to the side, and we boarded a small communiter. And come to think of it, every airport in small town Alaska had a metal detector but it was always slid off to the side as for what it was, a pain in the arse.Usually posted to the walls were notices of world wide airports with substandard security measures such as metal detectors not in use, etc.Actually, I felt completly at ease, knowing every Alaska native on every flight I have taken to or from a small toen was most likly ARMED and willing to blow the brains out of any dangerous person acting out fantisies of "King of the Airplane", or whatever.
In Cordova,American Bald Eagles were as pesky as seagulls. They had a statewide community college system that put classrooms in nearly every community, so a college education was available to all. Cordova, pretty much the nicest town I have ever had te pleasure of spending a summer in, is pretty much the ideal town. In the new movie with whats-her-name, she was in an Alaska type town that made me think of Cordova. (Movie name, proposal).
Cordova had a couple of airports. The main airport, miles out of town, where t737,s service, and a tiny one, that services seaplanes as well as wheeled planes. I mean, really, tiny airport. No lights.A wind sock. Tarmac surfaced runway. And a dock, for seaplanes.
Oh, one of the times I flew out of Bethel, it was on a 737. They had installed cargo ,boxes, i think, for lack of the proper term, dividing up the cabin. Cargo behind the flight deck. cargo up the tail, and us passangers in between. Now that was an experience. Just crammed in there. And Anchorage international is home to just about every classic airplane I have not seen grace a ramp or soar overhead scince I was a 5 year old. WOOOWWW! And that seaplane base. Made my mouth water.
I want to be back. But not until I actually get, my pilots license. I have a trade or two. Truck Driver, Security Officer, and maybe even writer. (I am a published author of detective and science fiction).I am a licensed ham operator, very useful up there. Maybe I just might, make it my home.
Love those airports. First time I have seen giant tires on tiny cessnas. Big, balloon looking tires.Way,cool.

Are your detective and science fiction books as riveting as this post?
 
Did you like the post? It is called"Stream of Consiounsess". Unedited, free flowing. Kind of like how a real world person talking about what he or she is excited about. If you wish, however, I will be more formal around the water cooler, although it is not as comfortable to be so.
 
My wife and I watch deadliest catch on TV. I do not know how they do that job year after year. I also saw Dirtiest Jobs when he was o a fish processing ship. My hat is off to you for being able to do that.