I just about didn’t make it home yesterday.

I had an apprentice with me in camp. He is brand spanking new to the industry, first tour out. He’d never even refueled out of drums before so I had to show him how to do that.

So we’ve been in camp for 6 days. Over the course of the last 6 days I’ve showed him how to use the refueling gear, what to look out for and what routine I use to get the job done. It’s important to establish a routine. That way, you don’t forget anything, like forgetting to put the gas cap back on… something I caught him at a few times.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of refueling and aircraft from drums, well, you haven’t lived. Basically there is a small electric pump that plugs into the aircraft power supply to run it. A metal pipe (called a stand pipe) is inserted into the durm. The pump connects to the stand pipe and then to a filter assembly (to remove water and dirt). A hose is connected to that and is inserted into the aircraft’s fuel tank. Switch on the pump and wait for the fuel to be pumped out of the drum.

So yesterday, like any other day, I had dropped off my crews in the morning and returned to camp. Josh and I finished refueling and put away the refueling gear. While he was wrapping up the pump cord, I was putting away the filter and hose. I pulled out the stand pipe and we closed everything up and quickly got out of the cold into our trailer.

So at 2:00 I go out to the machine to unbag it to prepare to go get my crews for 2:30. I jump in the machine to start it and, what’s this? The GPS is on… wierd. I look down…

Oh fuck… the master power switch is on. I quickly look at the voltage gauge… a measly 7 volts (it should be reading around 24). FUCK!

It quickly became apparent that Josh had forgotten to turn off the aircraft battery after unplugging the pump power cord… an honest mistake but one with such dire consequences.

Immediately my first thought is: “Fuck, I’m not getting home tonight!”. No, it wasn’t: “I’ve got 8 guys out in the bush who may be spending the night out there”… no, it was solely my self-centered thought of getting home.

Okay, now I’m mad. Both mad at Josh for forgetting such an important step as well as mad at myself for not double-checking. But now I have to focus on how we’re going to get the boys out of the bush as well as me getting home… and frankly home seems at least another day away at this point.

Thankfully I arranged with the guys to pick them up early so I’ll have plenty of time to get them back, pack up and fly back to Ft. Mac. I get on the sat phone and call the base. I explain the situation and ask for a helicopter to bring out another battery. Thankfully they have a pilot and machine that can leave within 30 minutes. It’s an hour flight from Ft. Mac.

An hour and a half later the other helicopter shows up. We install the new battery and get the helicopter started. The other pilot heads back for Ft. Mac as I go get my crews. If I’m really, really lucky, I’ll still have time to get back to Ft. Mac in time to catch my flight.

Josh and I got back right before 6pm. My flight is at 7:15. I quickly process my paperwork and get a lift to the terminal. The guys at the base were kind enough to take care of my machine and get everything else done for me.

And with minutes to spare, I stepped onto my plane, still well overdressed in multiple layers and a big heavy coat.

At least I was going home.