FLYING OVERLOADED

Arctic pilot Don Hamilton’s book Flying Overloaded is an exiting journal of flying in Canada’s Arctic. Packed with hair-raising episodes, some so unbelievable it makes you wonder how he ever survived. Don quotes the oft-used phrase, “Flying consists of hours and hours of absolute boredom interspersed by moments of stark terror.” You will find many of the stories are about stark terror. Although some of Don’s flying may have been boring, the book certainly is not.

It tells of Don’s days of flying support for his two fly-in fishing lodges with his own aircraft, which by itself is exciting. More so, when you realize he overloaded most of the time and flew in bad weather because there was no other choice.

This book does not extol the awesome beauty of the Arctic. Other professional writers far more qualified have already done so. Any attempt by the author would be amateur. The Arctic, of course, is beautiful and awesome – an unspoiled, primitive raw, pristine expanse that is beyond imagination. It can linger forever in your memory.

Don’s second love is the Arctic that he flew. Of course, his first love is his wife and family.

Don is a second-generation pilot following in his father’s footsteps with his son Fred carrying on the tradition.

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