Putting the floats to good use

jrenwick · Post by **jrenwick** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:41 pm

I bought my current 170 specifically to go to Alaska in, but I haven't done it yet. I flew my J3 there in 2003, but next time it's got to be in something a little faster!

Going slow has its advantages, though. We got to see some incredible places along the Alaska Highway that are flyover country for most people: Toad River (for mogas), Pine Lake airstrip and Walker's Continental Divide (more mogas), my personal favorite: Burwash Landing (still more mogas), and Eureka Lodge.

It's the most amazing trip that can be done in North America, I bet!

Best Regards,

John

dacker · Post by **dacker** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:25 pm

Yeah, I have two girls (12 & 7), but they don't like to fly that much, they are OK with short trips, but only for the practical reasons. I would probably have my family fly to Anchorage or Fairbanks and meet them, or wait until July when my kids are at Camp Longhorn for two weeks. I am also planning on being at grad school but I will take off one summer semester.
This just might be doable. Ark Dave, how long do you think we will need to get there (not counting the inevitable WX delays) originating from TX or AR (not taking the coastal route), or how long did it take you to fly from AK? I know from the two times that I have been there that I could have stayed for two months and never had a dull moment, but the most that I could probably be gone for is two or three weeks.
Let's keep talking (maybe we need to start an AK migration thread).
David

AR Dave · Post by **AR Dave** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:53 pm

We can fly it in 4 days - however it took us 7 because of the horrible weather. We did our Customs check in Williston ND. I think ND is a good meeting place for eastern and central folks. Then the westerners could meet us at Rocky Mtn House. I'd probably tie my plane down in Alaska for a couple of months.

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 2:54 pm

Well now you're talking, I was going to do Alaska this year, but things changed here and I'm glad I didn't as the ole motor is now getting an major OH (should be done in a couple of weeks)...But I would be more than happy

to tag along with a group of 170's....and I agree, we ought to stage at a ND farm....

Jr.CubBuilder · Post by **Jr.CubBuilder** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:51 pm

I would like to fly to Alaska also, maintenance and a wedding may get in the way for me next year, but I really like the idea of an annual migration of 170s.

buchanan · Post by **buchanan** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:23 am

We are living in Galena. It is half way between Fairbanks and Nome; on about the same line of latitude.

Iâ€™ve made the trip from Montana up here 5 times and 4 days is the maximum it has taken me. I first flew a C-180 then a C-182 twice a C-172 and my C-170B which is up here with us now.

Late June is probably the best time to make the trip. All of my trips were either in late July or Aug. The monsoons are generally in latter July and Aug but this year they started the first of July and never abated. If you donâ€™t mind flying in rain usually the visibilities are doable but the ceilings can get low. The other consideration are fires. Generally there are less fires the end of June than July. Mosquitoes are another consideration if you opt to fly anywhere in the â€œbushâ€. July is probably the worst for mosquitoes and then come the gnats in Aug.

Weâ€™d welcome any visitors here in Galena if you wanted to fly 230 nm west of Fairbanks. We have a nice asphalt runway and a gravel ski strip. Our airplane will probably be on floats here on our little Alexander Lake. There are at least 4 B&Bâ€™s in town and we have some spare room so an overnighter or two is doable.

Let me know if there is interest.

Regards, Buck

AR Dave · Post by **AR Dave** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 3:53 am

I'm waiting for a call back from the prop shop. Trying to find props for ya'll to rent while in Alaska!

So, maybe after checking in at Northway, we could head north to Fort Yukon, then follow the Yukon all the way to Galena, and on to Nome. Buck is it legal to fly to Big Diomede, Russia?

Bill Hart · Post by **Bill Hart** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:21 pm

Dave

If you can work a stop over in Russia I would be willing to take some vacation and try it.

buchanan · Post by **buchanan** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:03 pm

I donâ€™t know about Big Diomede. I do know a group of aviators have made a few trips from Nome to the mainland of Russia. There are a couple web sites telling about it. They are http://www.highton.com/pages/pictstorie ... story.html and http://www.highton.com/pages/pictstorie ... story.html

I think they were led by Loren Smith from Great Falls MT. flying his 350hp C-310. I know Loren and if there was true interest I could try to contact him and see what he says.

Looking at the Nome sectional I see no runway on Big Diomede although there is a village named Ratmanova. It is only about 25 nm from Wales.

The closest town on the mainland is Laverntiya. It is about 160 nm from Nome and 72 nm from Wales.

Buck Galena, AK

cessna170bdriver · Post by **cessna170bdriver** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:44 pm

buchanan wrote:I do know a group of aviators have made a few trips from Nome to the mainland of Russia.

Do I correctly remember that a 170 was part of a Friendship Flight to Russia?

BTW, Little Diomede (U.S.) has a small settlement and only a heliport for aviation ops. A look at local.live.com, shows that Big Diomede (Russia) apparently has no settlement or aviation infrastructure. Still would be cool to fly over and make a lap or two.

Miles

spiro · Post by **spiro** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:19 pm

the Alaska Airmen's Ass'n has been sponsoring/coordinating GA VFR flights into Russia from Alaska for about 15 years now. See their website for more info, http://www.alaskaairmen.com Join and get all the good scoop!

- paul

ALASKA99762 · Post by **ALASKA99762** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 3:41 am

you can fly into diomede in the spring. they plow out a runway on the ice and we take our caravans and casa in there. not much to see, really. but you can get some great deals on ivory.

Green Bean · Post by **Green Bean** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:24 am

Just a point of correction. The aircraft identified as a Beaver is actually a Single-engine piston Otter.

alaskan99669 · Post by **alaskan99669** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:26 am

Green Bean wrote:Just a point of correction. The aircraft identified as a Beaver is actually a Single-engine piston Otter.

Semantics!

flat country pilot · Post by **flat country pilot** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:34 am

How does one remove that "Single Engine Piston Otter" from the bush?

Put it on Wheels or snow skis and fly it out?

Helicopter?

Is it still there?

Bill

The International Cessna 170 Association

Putting the floats to good use

Aircraft Identification

Re: Aircraft Identification