Ideal air mail pilot circa 1952

South Dakota winter and spring of 1952 or so were years of record snow fall and blizzards. Most roads were impassable. For several days, roads might be drifted from Ideal to Winner, SD. Bulldozers could push it out, but if the wind blew, the road might be drifted in again that evening or next morning possibly piled even deeper.

My father, Charles Heller, flew a 1946 vintage Aeronica plane. A Ski replaced each wheel. The wood and fabric plane then became the temporary mail plane running between Winner, SD and Ideal, SD. Once sorted by the postmaster, the rural route mail was put in paper bags for each rural route "customer". Some chain smokers were so hard up for tobacco they wanted cartons of cigarettes included with the mail drop. I have several photos. This one was most likely taken on March 15, 1952

A rapid spring runoff flooded areas which was not good in those days..adding water misery to blizzard misery for some people and animals. But this year the snowfall has been pretty sparce even if weather was often cold. Not much moisture so far. We are waiting for spring rains this year..or even snow tomorrow as forecast for Tripp County. Not likely that the Ideal mail plane will need to run in 2008.