A short instructional flight in a PA-18 floatplane on Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage, Alaska, last summer has opened the door to an internship opportunity for twin teens from Florida.
The highlight of the Muraskin family’s visit to Alaska in the summer of 2021 was the chance for twins Sean and Wells, then 14, to log 1.5 hours flying floatplanes with Terry Cartee, a Wright Brothers Master Pilot and a CFI with Acme Cub Training.
The family, from Vero Beach, Florida, planned a month-long adventure for the twins that included staying in a remote cabin on Resurrection Bay, climbing on the Matanuska Glacier, driving a dog team, and spending time in the Kobuk River Delta above the Arctic Circle with Inupiat elders learning basic survival and subsistence skills in the Arctic.
But one of the most exciting adventures for the twins was flying with Cartee. The twins, who have been flying in general aviation aircraft since they were 8 years old, had already received 19 hours of instruction time in a Piper Cherokee with an instructor in Vero Beach.
The adventure started on a Saturday when the boys and their mother, Chris Nielson, got a tour of the company’s main hangar at the seaplane base.
Cartee, an expert in the airspace around Anchorage’s Class C airspace and its idiosyncrasies, took the boys upstairs where instructors conduct ground school. After a briefing about airspace, local terrain, and radio frequencies, Cartee deemed them ready to fly.
“I was extremely impressed with how the boys took to Terry and how he handled them despite the 60 years difference between them,” said Dr. Sam Muraskin.
“The boys were very sharp and had a solid knowledge of the aircraft basics,” added Cartee. “It was really a joy to work with them.”
The flights began at 6:30 a.m. the next day. Cartee showed them how to pump the water out of the floats and the use of the lines to back the aircraft off the ramp and into a dock and the removal of gust locks.
The boys picked Sean to be the first to fly. He broke out into a big smile when he was given the command to start the aircraft. Without a hitch he and Cartee slowly water taxied off toward the east shore of the lake down the water taxi lane.
It was an overcast day, but not windy, as Sean added power for takeoff. Listening to instructions from Cartee, he gradually pulled the nose up while adding power, got on the float step, lifted the left wing slightly, steered straight ahead, and broke water into a climb. With that, he joined the legion of pilots who have gone airborne at the base, which sees a takeoff about every five minutes during the busy summer months.
Both boys performed extremely well, according to Cartee, who had them fly out to several lakes beyond Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in the Susitna Valley to practice steep turns, takeoffs, and landings on the water.
“Their experience of flying since they were 8 years old really shined through,” he added.
Each young pilot earned 1.5 hours of instruction for their logbooks.
While a bit shy, both boys were enamored with their flights, specifically mentioning the ease of control of the Super Cub.
After the flights the boys got a surprise.
“For your first flights in a floatplane we have a special treat — root beer floats,” Cartee told them.
Root beer floats are a tradition at Acme after successful checkrides or special achievements and a favorite of owner Steve Williams.
Once the family was back home, Sam Muraskin contacted Williams about a potential learning opportunity for the twins.
That led Williams to create an internship for the boys for the summer of 2022, where they will work “for a little over minimum wage” 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Besides continuing to fly floatplanes with Cartee, the twins also may get the chance to learn some aircraft maintenance skills from Williams “as time allows during the busy season,” he added.
”My boys were thrilled with that, so I booked our plane tickets to Anchorage June 1-Aug. 2 and arranged for an apartment for us near downtown Anchorage,” said the boy’s father, who is an anesthesiologist. Mom Chris is also a doctor, specializing in acupuncture and functional medicine.
“From a parent standpoint this whole experience is amazing,” he added. “Terry is a top-notch instructor, and this reassured us to continue letting the boys fly floatplanes.”
The twins, who regularly attend FAA Safety meetings, were recently featured by the Treasure Coast FAA Safety Team for their efforts in building a jet engine from soup cans and parts made with a 3D printer. There’s also a video on YouTube about how they built the jet engine called “Making a jet engine out of soup cans.”
As a former teacher of both Sean and Wells, I can say firsthand that they are truly remarkable young men. Good luck to both and many thanks to all the adults who help them.