Turkey Bombs Over Alaska’s Backcountry

Good morning! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We’re now fully embracing the holiday season in my neck of the woods. At the top of my Christmas list is a Bearhawk Five bush plane, preferably with a 315hp Lycoming YIO-580. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers… 🛩️
-Rob Roy

In today’s email:

• You Get a Turkey, You Get a Turkey, EVERYONE GETS A TURKEY!

• Around the Skies: All In acquires Lone Mountain, First Emirates A350 soars, AOPA’s airport watchdogs, Scotts Miracle Gro + the Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame, Delta stowaway from JFK to Paris

• PilotTube: Helicopter Rescue at High Altitude

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

When Roads End in Alaska, Turkeys Fall From the Skies

In the vast wilderness of Alaska, where roads are rare and grocery runs are mythical, Esther Keim has taken Thanksgiving deliveries to new heights (literally). For the past three years, she’s been airdropping frozen turkeys to remote cabins using her small plane. Dubbed the “Alaska Turkey Bomb,” her mission ensures that even the most off-the-grid residents enjoy a proper Thanksgiving meal.

Keim’s turkey drops were inspired by a tradition from her own childhood when a family friend delivered turkeys and even gum-packed newspapers to her rural homestead. These days, she and her team (sometimes featuring a designated “turkey dropper”) target households as far as 100 miles from her base near Anchorage. Wrapped in garbage bags and chilled in the back of her truck, the turkeys are buzzed over homes to alert recipients before being carefully lobbed onto frozen lakes or snowy clearings.

This year, Keim delivered 32 turkeys, ensuring families like the Luces, who live 90 snowmobile minutes from town, had more than enough to share. Her efforts have grown via word of mouth and Facebook, with donors contributing funds to keep the operation aloft. While her aim has improved, she humbly admits she’s yet to hit a house or a dog—a turkey-delivery streak she’s proud of!

Looking ahead, Keim dreams of turning her grassroots effort into a nonprofit, delivering more than just turkeys. From stuffed animals for kids to other essentials, she hopes to expand her reach across Alaska’s wilderness. For now though, she’s content with spreading holiday cheer from the sky, one turkey at a time.

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AROUND THE SKIES

🛩️ All In Aviation just landed a big win by acquiring Lone Mountain Aviation, Nevada’s largest FAA Part 145 repair station. The deal adds over 40,000 square feet of maintenance space and marks the retirement of Lone Mountain founder Kenny Scherado after a 15-year partnership.

🛩️ Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Emirates' first Airbus A350 as it gears up for its big debut. This high-flyer takes to the skies in January, starting with its inaugural flight to Edinburgh before jetting off to eight more destinations across the Middle East, West Asia and Europe.

🛩️ AOPA’s Airport Support Network is recruiting volunteers to help protect airports from encroaching development. These local watchdogs monitor airport activities and flag potential threats early. No plane ownership is needed—just time, vigilance and a passion for keeping airports flying.

🛩️ The Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame received a $25,000 donation from Scotts Miracle-Gro to restore the 1929 Port Columbus Air Terminal. Nearly a century after installing the airport’s original turf, Scotts is now helping transform the historic site into an aviation education and event hub. Turns out, Scotts grows more than grass—it’s helping preserve aviation history.

🛩️ A Russian woman bypassed security at JFK, stowing away on a Delta flight to Paris without a ticket. Her adventure came to a turbulent end when she caused a scene on her escorted return flight, resulting in her arrest in France. Delta is investigating how she managed this high-flying stunt, while airport security is reviewing how she slipped through unnoticed.

PilotTube

Teton County Search and Rescue has been tackling Wyoming’s wild terrain since 1993, where roads are rare and rescues are rugged. This video highlights their MVP, the Airbus H125 helicopter, a high-flying hero handling everything from horse mishaps to snowmobile saves. When it comes to backcountry rescues, these volunteers and their chopper always deliver.

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