Float Planes

Who else wants to discuss float planes?

What?

Nobody?

Too bad.

Here's the deal:  Many Alaskans and Canadiens (French spelling, maybe) need float planes to travel about the wilds of Alaska and Canada.  There really isn't an alternative viable option for them to do the things they do.

Unfortunately for them all the float planes that exist today were originally built in the 30's, 40's and 50's.

I recall, long ago, seeing an episode of "Dirty Jobs" in Alaska.  Mike, the show host, was surprised when the bush pilot pointed out that their plane needed to be retrieved from a museum.  I have heard of lots of float planes being restored after crashes that should have totaled them. 

Using old float planes is less safe than it could be.  For example: A few years ago the majority of the fishing guides on Lake St. Clair were killed in a plane crash while they were on a moose hunt.  But there are no new float planes (that's "float planes" not "boat planes")

Why have bush pilots been forced to use old planes?  Why aren't there new float planes?

Guess whose fault it is.

I'll give you two hints (which should be unnecessary, if you've visited this blog before):

1. Starts with "a", ends with "holes"
2. This organization made $18,000,000 with hidden fees on plane fares in the U.S., in 2009.

Can you say,"health and safety regulations killed float plane manufacturing"?