Firefighting Pilot and Smokejumper Captain
My name is Mary LaMoy, and I grew up in northern Vermont, in a very small
town. I didn’t know anything about airplanes and had never even seen one,
or ridden on a big airliner. I was working in the woods after I got out of high
school, and had to hike a long way with some garbage that I had picked up at
a campsite. There was a helicopter that flew in to deliver some good to this
cabin where I was getting ready to start my hike, and he offered me a RIDE.
Well, I was so excited, I couldn’t believe it. The helicopter went right up into
the air, and over all the trees, and suddenly we were FLYING! Just like a
bird. I was so excited that I couldn’t believe it. The pilot didn’t seem to be
doing anything, and he didn’t even look like he was moving, but we flew down
the mountain, and landed on a road. He let me out and I was like some kind
of crazy person, that had seen something magical. I couldn’t forget what a
wonderful feeling it was, to fly like a bird!
I was in Montana later, to see some friends, and I couldn’t forget how much
FUN that flight had been. I went to the closest airport and told them I
wanted to learn how to fly helicopters. Well, they all laughed, because that is
a very, very expensive thing to do. I had no idea, and I was sad to think I
would never be able to do it. But, they told me that little airplanes were a lot
cheaper than helicopters. So, even though it was still a lot of money for me,
I began to take flying lessons, and to save every penny I could, so I could
learn how to fly. I was working as a firefighter then, and it was hard work,
but I kept going because I wanted to keep flying.
I spent lots of years and all my money on getting more flying lessons, in
different and bigger airplanes. I had never had so much fun in my life! It
was so beautiful to fly up above the trees and lakes and mountains. And, I
was doing it all by myself! I began to teach other people how to fly, and that
was really fun. I was getting more experience, and soon I wanted to fly
airplanes on forest fires. I knew pilots who did that, and they were all very
encouraging to me, though some people I met thought that was crazy. But,
I knew it was important work, and I wanted to do it.
It took me a while longer to get enough experience, and to fly more big
airplanes, but I finally got the job I wanted – flying on forest fires! I did a job
where we flew over the fires and made maps of them, to help the firefighters
on the ground know how to fight the fire the best way. Then I flew a little
airplane that went down low, and checked out the canyons and the terrain,
so that the big, heavy airplanes (called airtankers) could come down behind
me and drop the chemical fire retardant they carried. That helps to slow
down the spread of the fire.
Now, I fly a Twin Otter, a medium-sized airplane that carries firefighters with
parachutes – they are called Smokejumpers. They jump out of the plane
when we get to the fire, and we also drop boxes of tools, water and food.
They hike over to the fire, put it out, and then they hike out to a road and
get a ride back to the airport. Then we go to another fire, and another, and
another…. all summer long. It is super fun!
Flying has been even more fun than I thought it would be, way back when I
got that first ride on that helicopter. It is enjoyable, and sometimes it is
challenging, and it takes careful planning and thinking to get to the fire. This
challenge makes it even more fun – because when it is over and we fly back
to the airport, it is a rewarding feeling to know that we did our job, and
stopped the fire from getting bigger. I get to see many beautiful places, and
I have been fortunate to meet a lot of very nice people.
My name is Mary LaMoy, and I grew up in northern Vermont, in a very small
town. I didn’t know anything about airplanes and had never even seen one,
or ridden on a big airliner. I was working in the woods after I got out of high
school, and had to hike a long way with some garbage that I had picked up at
a campsite. There was a helicopter that flew in to deliver some good to this
cabin where I was getting ready to start my hike, and he offered me a RIDE.
Well, I was so excited, I couldn’t believe it. The helicopter went right up into
the air, and over all the trees, and suddenly we were FLYING! Just like a
bird. I was so excited that I couldn’t believe it. The pilot didn’t seem to be
doing anything, and he didn’t even look like he was moving, but we flew down
the mountain, and landed on a road. He let me out and I was like some kind
of crazy person, that had seen something magical. I couldn’t forget what a
wonderful feeling it was, to fly like a bird!
I was in Montana later, to see some friends, and I couldn’t forget how much
FUN that flight had been. I went to the closest airport and told them I
wanted to learn how to fly helicopters. Well, they all laughed, because that is
a very, very expensive thing to do. I had no idea, and I was sad to think I
would never be able to do it. But, they told me that little airplanes were a lot
cheaper than helicopters. So, even though it was still a lot of money for me,
I began to take flying lessons, and to save every penny I could, so I could
learn how to fly. I was working as a firefighter then, and it was hard work,
but I kept going because I wanted to keep flying.
I spent lots of years and all my money on getting more flying lessons, in
different and bigger airplanes. I had never had so much fun in my life! It
was so beautiful to fly up above the trees and lakes and mountains. And, I
was doing it all by myself! I began to teach other people how to fly, and that
was really fun. I was getting more experience, and soon I wanted to fly
airplanes on forest fires. I knew pilots who did that, and they were all very
encouraging to me, though some people I met thought that was crazy. But,
I knew it was important work, and I wanted to do it.
It took me a while longer to get enough experience, and to fly more big
airplanes, but I finally got the job I wanted – flying on forest fires! I did a job
where we flew over the fires and made maps of them, to help the firefighters
on the ground know how to fight the fire the best way. Then I flew a little
airplane that went down low, and checked out the canyons and the terrain,
so that the big, heavy airplanes (called airtankers) could come down behind
me and drop the chemical fire retardant they carried. That helps to slow
down the spread of the fire.
Now, I fly a Twin Otter, a medium-sized airplane that carries firefighters with
parachutes – they are called Smokejumpers. They jump out of the plane
when we get to the fire, and we also drop boxes of tools, water and food.
They hike over to the fire, put it out, and then they hike out to a road and
get a ride back to the airport. Then we go to another fire, and another, and
another…. all summer long. It is super fun!
Flying has been even more fun than I thought it would be, way back when I
got that first ride on that helicopter. It is enjoyable, and sometimes it is
challenging, and it takes careful planning and thinking to get to the fire. This
challenge makes it even more fun – because when it is over and we fly back
to the airport, it is a rewarding feeling to know that we did our job, and
stopped the fire from getting bigger. I get to see many beautiful places, and
I have been fortunate to meet a lot of very nice people.
| Flying is GREAT! I hope that everyone who wants to try it has a chance to, and see for herself if she likes it! |
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| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
TM
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
TM
