“I was flying in a whiteout just a few feet above the ground in a Cessna 207, squinting through my windscreen to avoid hitting the ground, when I felt a sudden jolt in the plane. I glanced out my left window and saw that my left wing was gone. As I tried to process what had just happened, I felt another huge jolt …” —-Mick Batt
Fatal Skies is a collection of numerous bush pilot stories, set in Dillingham, Alaska. While living and working there, Mick Batt witnessed more crashes and wild flying episodes than he would encounter for the rest of his life. Some of these accounts may seem unbelievable, but they are true because the pilots lived to share their tales. Some did not.
The book features a variety of anecdotes drawn from the author’s personal flying experiences and life in the bush, emphasizing remarkable fishing tales and perilous bear encounters. It provides a unique perspective shaped by his observations as a both a pilot and an FAA Flight Service Station (FSS) Specialist in Dillingham, Alaska.
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Mick Batt and his wife, Kelly, have two daughters, both born in Fairbanks, Alaska. For the first 18 years of his career, he worked at FAA Flight Service Stations (FSS) throughout Alaska, most of which were situated in remote areas. During the latter half of his 39-year career, he taught at the FAA Academy at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and eventually attained a position at headquarters.
Mick retired from the FAA in 2017. Missing the mountains, He and Kelly relocated to Southern Utah, where they now enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, pickleball, and other fun outdoor activities. He is a member of the Civil Air Patrol and continues to enjoy flying. Mick is currently working on his second book, which features additional flying stories and unusual events that occurred after he left Dillingham.
Mick also works to preserve the history of America’s air traffic control system from its inception in 1920 to the present. His collection of photos and information reveals many aspects of the people and culture developed to ensure safety as hundreds of flying machines took wing. His website, initiated in 1998, features the early radio years, facility photos, Academy class photos, and related materials. For more information visit: https://www.atchistory.org
Fatal Skies is available in both print and ebook versions on Amazon.