Winter Flights - Part I
In 1930, people in some of Canada's northern regions could only communicate with the rest of the world by way of dogsled. Aerial postal service changed their lives drastically. It meant that in places like Fort Providence, Fort Good Hope and Aklavik, they could receive all that they needed: parcels, letters, fruits, vegetables, tools, dynamite, medicine and even doctors. This priceless service became essential.
For flying mailmen like Stanley Ransom McMillan and Maxwell William Ward, winter meant trouble. These pilots had to learn to deal with the hazards of the cold and blizzards, as well as fluctuations in temperature from one place to another. Another challenge of the job was to master landing on windy makeshift strips. They also had to be able to free the plane's skis when they sank into a slushy surface.
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