AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2023 - 65

Epic adventures
In 2018 after graduating many pilots from its backcountry
courses, TacAero embarked on a big adventure-taking 13
aircraft on an 18-day expedition into Alaska. From Hood
River the group flew through Canada to Anchorage and
back, traversing more than 5,500 miles. It was an epic
adventure and one the company wanted to continue; Ian
Waghorn and his wife, Tessa, are running the current
expeditions and are relocating the training and expedition
division of the company to Fredericksburg, Texas,
in January 2023.
Insisting his role is " transitional, " von Flotow says
Products from TacAero
Because of their experience in backcountry flying in
CubCrafters aircraft, TacAero has developed some unique
products:
TacAero Bush Helmet
TacAero pilots fly with helmets; the company recommends all
pilots fly with helmets in the backcountry and designed its Bush
Helmet with a Bose A20 headset inside.
he is working with TacAero because the company's
growth has been so fast in the past several years that it
is experiencing " growing pains. " He is facilitating the
concentration of the company on the three facets of the
business-technology, training, and expeditions-putting
people in those groups only in those roles. " Many people
are being asked to be too many things. Being asked
to be both a payload integration technician and a pilot
and a backcountry flight instructor so it was distracting
from their overall abilities. They are going to focus on
what they do best. For example, Ian Waghorn is leading
our backcountry flying group and moving them down to
Fredericksburg, Texas, where it's more central for our
expeditions and the weather's nicer. They will be focusing
solely on backcountry training and expeditions. In
Hood River we'll still have our FBOs selling fuel and
offering maintenance and basic training and then our
payload integration flying where we offer surrogate
unmanned services. "
It seems a shame that TacAero backcountry training
will be leaving this gorgeous area, but while the challenges
of flying here can be instructional, they can also
be grounding. Wind gusts in the Columbia River Gorge
can reach more than 55 knots-beyond challenging for
even the most tenacious Cub.
" With regards to backcountry flying and expeditions,
we really want to open this up to everybody. Aviation can
be seen as an elite activity, and we want it to be available to
anybody and everybody who wants to come out and learn
backcountry flying, " von Flotow says. " We want our expeditions
to be for everyone; you should come. " (We will;
AOPA will join a TacAero expedition later this year.)
julie.walker@aopa.org
tacaero.com
TacAero's Hood River airport FBO sits in the shadow of Mount
Hood. TacAero provides instruction for 75 to 85 students each
year, believing that off-airport operations require more skill and
precision than any other form of flying. Upgrades to the Top
Cubs include Acme suspension systems. The company says
its goal is to train pilots beyond FAA minimums so they are
prepared for the adventure that is bush flying. " We offer a unique
tailwheel training program, developed in-house, that has proven
to produce a safer and more skilled aviator, " Prange says.
TacAero Aviation Survival Kit
The TacAero Aviation Survival Kit was created in collaboration
with backcountry pilots and military SERE (survival, evasion,
resistance, and escape) instructors. It is designed to fulfill
the requirements for most backcountry emergency survival
situations. Each piece of equipment in the aviation survival kit
is hand selected and extensively field tested by professional
pilots. Everyone, whether flying in the pattern or around the
country, is encouraged to have a survival kit in their airplane
that they know how to use, according to the company website.
Also available are first aid kits, bush tire repair kits, organizer
pouches, document pouches, tool kits, and tiedowns.
elite.tacaero.com/collections
AOPA PILOT / January 2023
65
Carbon Cub TacNet
TacAero teamed with TAD (Triple Aught Design) to create
a modular cargo organizational system. This cargo system
is tailored to fit into the CubCrafters Carbon Cub luggage
compartment. It features full height MOLLE webbing for
customization. Climb rated carabiners tie into aircraft structure
with adjustable strapping securing it in place. Additional
lightweight stringers provide vertical structural rigidity.
http://www.tacaero.com http://elite.tacaero.com/collections
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2023

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