Flying Cold

March 13, 2015      Author : Maine Island Living    Category: Community, Environment      0 Comment(s)

As the waters along the coast and between islands froze for the first time since 2003, and snowstorm after snowstorm pummeled the region, Penobscot Island Air (PIA) went into high gear to help struggling communities.

“The folks who live on islands are special,” says PIA’s owner, chief pilot and president Kevin Waters, “To be able to help, assist and feel part of the communities is rewarding.”

On Matinicus, the farthest outpost 18 nautical miles from the Rockland Harbor and a designated plantation under Maine State Law, both plow trucks were disabled and the harbor iced in, preventing crews from clearing roads for a week. PIA airdropped hydraulic hoses, alternators, bolts and nuts and hydraulic fluid to get the equipment going. With plows moving again folks on the ground cleared Matinicus’ 1,700-foot gravel landing strip, and PIA filled two planes with a John Deere snow blower for a tractor that the plantation could use to get to its power station.



North Haven’s postmistress Mary Hurtubise normally makes a quick boat ride commute across the Fox Islands Thoroughfare from her home on Vinalhaven. With the Thoroughfare iced over, PIA had to fly her to work—adding employee inter-island delivery to PIA’s responsibility of flying mail from the mainland. North Haven students continued art and vocational arts classes with Alice Bissell and Terry Goodhue thanks to flight availability for these Vinalhaven-based educators teaching at North Haven Community School.





And on Long Island off of Friendship, a lone lobster scientist socked in by ice had food stores replenished thanks to thoughtful friends and PIA pilot Tomas Sowles.

These are just some of the special flights PIA engaged in this winter.

As critically important as it is to keep towns clear of snow and powered up, students educated, mail delivered and individuals fed, PIA does not stop there: In 2014 they flew 178 Medevac flights from un-bridged islands. Within the peaks of this year’s cold weather snaps when island populations plummet, they have already flown 15 Medevac flights. North Haven EMS Crew Chief April Brown observed, "Penobscot Island air plays a critical role in island living, particularly when we need to evacuate patients who need immediate medical attention which cannot be afforded in our remote environment. Essentially, we couldn't do what we do without them, and are forever thankful to their entire crew."

True to his humble self, Waters credits others for PIA’s ability to land and serve, “Duck Brown on North Haven, Nick Barton and the Vinalhaven Public Works Crew and Nick Philbrook, Clayton Philbrook, Chad Walters and Paul Murray of Matinicus all went above and beyond in keeping the airstrips open and usable. Hand salute to them all.”

Waters adds, considering the likelihood of more such winters ahead, “I have looked at a set of skis to outfit at least one airplane, but they are $17,000 per set and I don’t have that kind of cash.”

Care package airdrop pilot Sowles was Maine Island Living’s flight captain on March 3rd. Much of the ice had melted by then, yet the harsh beauty of New England rural winter continued to leap from the lands and sea as we flew over these extraordinary communities.































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