Husky in the Alaska Bush

STOL PILOT PROFILE: TODD CHRISTENSEN

I am the Husky Sales Rep for Alaska. I have been a pilot for over 30 years and currently have just under 5000 hours in various aircraft. I am commercially rated and flew as an Ag pilot or Crop Duster for a few years in a turbine Air Tractor. I also have some time as a helicopter pilot, flying my R44 for a few years as well. Most of my flight time however is in general aviation flying Super Cubs, Maules, and most recently the Aviat Husky.

I have lived in Alaska since 2005, and over the last few years live part of the year in Idaho and the remainder I spend in Alaska. All that said, my favorite type of flying is Alaska bush flying and predator control flying in Idaho under a permit through the Department of Agriculture.

The bush flying we do varies a great deal. It might be ridge top landings looking for moose, marsh landings packing out moose or caribou, mountain top landings hunting sheep, or during the summer it could be any rugged riverbank or short gravel bar into a favorite fishing hole, or in the Spring it could be hunting moose sheds on the Tundra.

Almost all of it involves landing and taking off from places that most folks would never think possible.

To say that one airplane would do it all better than all the rest would be false, because each airplane we fly has strengths and weaknesses. That said, after flying the Husky for the past year I’m amazed at how well it performs.

There are two critical aspects of bush plane performance that matter to me. First is short field capabilities. The Husky shines here. Flown right it can get down and stopped in just over a hundred feet at sea level, and about a hundred and fifty feet at higher altitudes (over 5000’). And it gets out in about the same distance! For me, that takes me just about anywhere I want to go! It also keeps up with, or out performs, most stock cubs! How unbelievably cool is that.

The second part of the performance equation is what it does once airborne! The Husky is in another class in this department! Climb rate with a load is amazing!
Point it up and keep the stick back! And when you get to your cruising altitude, which won’t take long, level out and enjoy an incredibly smooth, fast ride. Unlike the cub chugging along at 80-85 mph, the Husky is smoking along at between 120-130 mph. Which means I’m first to every fishing hole and first in line at every picnic!

The third aspect doesn’t involve performance, but has everything to do with the ride: the creature comforts! The new Huskys are SO nice. Adjustable seats which allow the short, tall and everyone in between to have an amazing forward view! The starter avionics
package is phenomenal, every-
thing is at the touch of your fingers. Integrated ADS-B, music, 3D synthetic vision and the list goes on! Oh, and the new Huskys
look absolutely incredible! I can’t go anywhere without people drooling over my plane. Ya, it gets a little messy, but wow, SO fun to fly an airplane that just looks and feels so amazing! Simply put, if you haven’t been in a new Husky you truly don’t know what your missing! Give us a call, you will be so glad you did.

Tailwinds and blue skies.
Todd Christensen, @ak_husky_rep