Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 07/00) - Visitors to the North travelling from far and abroad is nothing new, but this is one story where the camper-trailer remained parked in the garage.

Hank and Sue Didier of Webster, Minnesota have been travelling North by floatplane for the last 20 years, but it still did not offer them the sort of mobility they desired, so this year they bought a helicopter.

Now there is no valley, no craggy canyon, no wood-shrouded river they can't explore.

"It's wild and beautiful with huge open spaces," says Hank Didier, about the North. "What a beautiful country to see from 500 feet."

The couple are both commercial airline pilots -- Hank flies 757s for Northwest Airlines and Sue flies MD-88s for Delta Airlines.

They have spent the last month camping, fishing and meeting people all across Nunavut and the Northwest Territories via their Robinson R44 Clipper, which is built to land just about anywhere, on land or water.

This summer, they have ventured as far north as Victoria Island and as far east as Rankin Inlet, taking a slow, meandering course before turning back south.

"It seems like every little pond had a pair of swans in it," Sue says, referring to just one example of the multitude of wildlife they encountered on their journey.

"We just saw a big bull moose along the way into Yellowknife."

The couple would have probably passed quietly out of the North on their way back home if their helicopter hadn't drawn attention from Department of Defence staff, who were busy organizing last Saturday's air show while the couple were getting ready to leave Yellowknife the day before.

"We were just getting ready to leave when DND asked us if we would stay and display our helicopter at the air show," Hank says.

Therefore, the couple remained an extra day and joined the crowds watching snowbirds, parachuters and a host of other activities, while their helicopter sat on the tarmac being admired.

"The people in the North are so friendly, they helped us everywhere," Hank says, noting the many people who helped them when they were running low on fuel or were searching for a night's respite from the elements.

"But it's time to go back to work so we can pay for the fuel and save up for next year."