Mary
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.
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.
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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