Bush Pilots: Where did they come from? And, where are they now?

By Alan Smith

A Curtiss JN-3 in military colors. These were among the earliest bush aircraft. (Courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archive) When mot people think of “Bush Pilots” most of them think of Alaska and northern Canada. In fact there are bush pilots around the world, carrying things like food, fuel, medical supplies and (courageous) passengers. The term basically means a pilot that may depart from an airport but has no airport, runway, or landing strip at his destination. They fly airplanes equipped with larger tires suitable for landing on rough ground, floats for landing on lakes or rivers and sometimes with amphibious floats that make landing on the ground or on the water possible.

Where did this aviation specialty come from? It is generally thought that this kind of flying began shortly after the end of World War I in South Africa. The African “Bush” simply described any wilderness outside the then growing cities of the region. Some highly valued mining had begun in parts of the African countryside (Diamonds and precious metals) and those operators were in constant need of supplies. Strings of burros proved to be far too slow, and the recently developed airplane was much faster and therefore more attractive (though more expensive) than the plod of hooves through the bush country to various growing industrial projects. Some of the earliest bush planes were Curtiss JN-3 and JN-4 “Jennys.” More than 5,000 of these were built after 1917 for various nations. Most were for the United States military, but many went to nations of the world and to the early bush pilots of South Africa.

An American Champion Scout. Originally designed by Bellanca. Note the large tires for landing in rough country. The tires also increase prop clearance. It is built standard with STOL equipment and will get off the ground in less than 150 feet. (Tom Gideon)Basically, bush flying means flying from an airport but not landing at one. The bush pilot must possess both a suitable airplane and the necessary skills to land almost anywhere in the surrounding wilderness on rough ground, water and snow or ice. While here in the United States, we do usually think of bush flying taking place in northern Canada or Alaska, this kind of transportation service is offered around the world. There are bush pilots working in Australia, Baja California, Russia, as well as in various parts of South America and yes, still in Africa.

Yes, bush flying began soon after World War I was over, and provided air transportation when the airport was a fledgling project in many cities and almost non-existent in outlying areas. Bush pilots came from the many discharged military pilots who wanted to put their newly learned skills to work. Some took routine jobs as civil aviation began to emerge, others went into agricultural (crop dusting) flying and the most daring quick learners set about using the airplane to provide outlying but growing communities with some kind of air service. The bush pilot actually existed some time before the appearance of airline service and airline pilots. They were true pioneers,

Things reportedly got started in Canada late in the fall of 1920 when a fur A Canadian Noorduyn Norseman. The first aircraft built exclusively for bush flying (Courtesy of the Canadian Bush Plane Heritage Center)buyer walked into the office of the newly founded Canadian Air in Winnipeg and asked for a ride back home to the pass far across Manitoba. They took him up on it and one of their pilots flew for hundreds of miles across uninhabited land, crossing lakes, rivers and swamps on the way to land at a spot no aircraft with wheeled landing gear had ever visited.

The idea of using an airplane in wilderness took hold. Early uses included mapping and patrolling for forest fires in order to call back their locations. Supplies were carried out to remote logging operations, and injured workers could be returned for hospital care.

In 1924, the government of Ontario province realized how their wilderness could be served by bush flying and established the Ontario Provincial Air Service at Sault Ste Marie with 13 surplus U.S. Navy Curtiss HS-2L flying boats. Several attempts were made to establish scheduled A modern bush plane - the Sherpa eight place K300-C400 built in Oregon. 450hp twin turbo engine for quick take-offs. (Sherpa Aircraft)flying services across the province, and other bases were established. However, the contest for service contracts and a growing demand around Canada for skilled personnel caused financial erosion and the company was eventually forced to close. Nevertheless, it is known as the pioneer for Canadian air service. What they had proved was the feasibility of wilderness air service across Canada.

In 1926, the first real bush plane was introduced by Anthony Fokker’s U.S. aircraft manufacturing company. It was the Fokker Universal and was solidly built. It could carry either passengers or cargo in a cabin under it’s high wing while the pilot flew in a single seat open cockpit ahead of the wing (and immediately behind the new Pratt & Whitney radial engine) It had a flexible landing gear with individual bungee cord shock absorbers. Fokker built 44 Universals between 1926 and 1931 and over half of them went into Canadian wilderness flying. The others were used by beginning airlines in the United States.