Alaska flying

BlueRobin – Nice!

Janie – No, I haven’t put pen to paper about this one. The Palmer flying was just a small part of a longer trip but was certainly a highlight. Lack of decent photos (and the usual excuses about juggling priorities when I got home) meant that any potential article has never progressed beyond the “happy memories” stage.

Whilst we were at Palmer, we had the unusual pleasure of a BBQ inside a C-119 as the weather was beginning to deteriorate. C-119 fans should take a look at this site: http://www.flyingboxcar.com

Here’s a picture of the week from avweb.com taken in Alaska

Makes yer sick, doesn’t it? 😀

Have you written an article on the trip for any of the magazines? It should make an interesting read.

Were you on instruments in your Super Cub?

Janie,

Instruments in a Cub – wash your mouth out!

I’m very much a “look out of the windows” flyer (but can look inside if I have to) and the trip in question was in lovely clear conditions but with a stiff blustery breeze to keep me honest. It was interesting setting up approaches to patches of grey gravel amongst lots of grey gravel – very few of the usual visual clues, but at least I could pick an into wind area to land. I also chose to use the fairly narrow gravel strip at Palmer because I like a challenge and, with the prevailing crosswind, that’s what I got.

I wasn’t able to take any pics from the air as I was too busy enjoying myself (write your own punchline…) but one of my fellow travellers sent me this one of me returning the aircraft in one re-useable piece.

Does a Cub have instruments? 😉

Janie – care to tell us more about Chipmunk flying over the Appalachians? Did you find one for hire or did it belong to one of your many international friends?

It was the latter. I’ll tell you more shortly in a new thread if you like. I’m tied up right now trying to encourage him to organise an North American celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Chipmunk.

Were you on instruments in your Super Cub?

A photo of the Colony Glacier with the edge of the Knik River Valley in the background:
http://www.flyalaska.com/colonygl.jpg
More Colony Glacier photos: http://www.flyalaska.com/pthumbs/p3.html

Chipmunk over the Appalachians?

I flew a 150 h.p. Super Cub from Palmer, Alaska (Moose spotting along the Knick Glacier Valley) a couple of years ago. Great fun – included several landings on flat gravel areas on the valley floor plus a quick look at the Colony Glacier.

Janie – care to tell us more about Chipmunk flying over the Appalachians? Did you find one for hire or did it belong to one of your many international friends?

I did Chipmunk over the Appalachians this year. It took two days to do a two hour trip over them in VFR minima and about four rapid diversions to avoid cloud and granite with only basic instruments. The adrenaline burn was pretty high. It’s not for the feint hearted.

Trying to do this sort of high-terrain trip in poor weather, with basic qualifications, low instruments, low visibility, low time availability is just asking for trouble.

So the big fundraising push in 2005 was Merlins over Malta, 2006 is Chipmunk over Alaska then??

It lacks the historic resonance of this year’s event, but still worth considering 🙂

Moggy

So the big fundraising push in 2005 was Merlins over Malta, 2006 is Chipmunk over Alaska then??

Question

Do you have any views on a non IFR-rated pilot flying in a non-instrument equipped Chipmunk over those mountains?