Well it's a recip and that in itself is a reliability issue. But just in my personal experience, I never experienced an engine failure unless it was caused by an external source..i.e bullets. I'd much rather see a turbine in there but the up front costs would be a lot higher.

Apparently the state has a good maintenance program and has been happy with the R44 & R22. The size is also nice for tight work in the mountains during sheep season. Also handy for darting critters. It surprises me that they don't use the Hughes 500 but maybe it's a cost issue. The next step up would be the Jet Ranger or the A-Star and that would be a big step in cost and size so maybe it's just the best compromise.

I don't know if you knew or knew of the late Bud Woods. Owned Woods Air out of Palmer. Back in the old days he did most of the high altitude rescues on Denali with an old bell 47. Most of those were supercharged so that really helped when the air got thin but they were still reciprocal engines.

Thank you for sharing all the great pictures AK. Nice office you have there. Three tier bunk for power naps

thanks for the great pics,nice wolverine .Did you work down at greeley you look like a guy i worked with.

I have a rule to never trust anything that flies and is driven by a fan belt! The price on the 500's and Death Rangers has really come down. The R22's and 44's are great for on-field crashes but I would be scared o operate in the bush with one. The Robby's and Scweitzers scare the heck out of me!

The Robinsons have had a few issues with fires after crashes. The aluminum fuel tanks crack and leak after impact. The fact that the fuel is gasoline rather than jet A or B compounds the problem especially if the master is still on at impact. Hot exhaust is another obvious problem that we can't get away from.

Robinson has ordered all aluminum tanks replaced with bladders by the end of 2014 in an attempt to improve safety after a crash or hard auto-rotation.


I think I'd prefer to put one down into vegetation rather than an open field, depending on the size of the vegetation. But I'd prefer not to do it at all.

Very nice Howler! Glad you are back at it!

Awesome pics like always. Good job on the wolverine. Be careful on the rivers, sometimes you can't get out if ya break through, trust me, I know.

Hey guys, came in early to attend the monthly ATA meeting. Great showing. Started out pretty slow on the line. Saw quite a bit of wolf sign and they didn't like something about my Pee post sets. Back to the drawing boards. Ran 50 miles of line without a single piece of fur in a trap so to the cabin to pout and get a fire going. Unloaded the sled, fire going safe and off down the line. Wolf tracks everywhere and something is amuck with my Pee posts. They milled around on the creek way to much. Gotta be a kill. I find a totally eaten caribou. Hang a few snares on it for next trip through and place some #9's on their pee posts. Down the trail I go and low and behold in the four snares I hung on my first trip out wait two wolves. The snares were placed on a trail where they came to investigate an old fall moose kill.

79# black female
73# gray female

So the black was caught by a front foot in a snare. She chewed her foot a little, ended up skinning her out that night. Brought the gray out frozen. Feeling a little better now being on the board so continued on up the trail and ended up with a lynx in a root cubby towards the end of the line

Found a nice bull caribou kill from earlier. Must have drove by this rack 20 times 20 feet away. Wolves showed me the way.
Saw quite a few moose and caribou along the way. Still a few bulls with antlers on.



Broke into some new country and got to witness some spectacular country. One man shouldn't get to have this much fun. Didn't see much fur sign but lots of food for them.






Had a wolverine hanging around a buddys cabin so I left him a gift.
Came across the Tanana this afternoon and overflow froze plum across the river. Nice to see. Bank to bank.

Someone was asking for my hitch set up.

Yes Louie, I worked in Greely for about 8 years as a Union Ironworker.

Larry, That's what I was thinking.

Congrats on the wolves! That black one is a dandy!! Hope you connect with a few more!

Great pics again, that black wolf is a heart stopper. Congrats and good luck on the Gulo.

Great pic!!! Congrats on the wolf's, I like your sled box

I thought that was you.I was a carpenter there for four years.Actually went four wheeling with you and some friends.Congrats on some nice wolves and the lynx.That is some good looking country your in.

The Black Wolf is stunning!!!

Nice job and beautiful country

Nice pics howler, some great country you are in. That is a very nicely colored black. Is there much for cat sign out your way?

Thanks for the pics of your hitch setup thats an interesting twist on the normal setups.

Congrats on the wolves and lynx that black is something else!

Awesome post once again...truly enjoy the pics and all the posts. Keep it up and good luck to you.

Man looks like you get to trap God's line.... awesome looking country!

I once held a black by a paw in a snare wasn't as pretty as yours though.