Flying from Alaska to America
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
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David Laseter
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 11:24 am
Moving SLOW!
We are flying 250 - 300 miles a day. We are in the High Press Front, on the tail edge of the snow and Low Ceilings. Stayed at Ft Nelson, Grand Praire, and now Rocky Mountain House. Just filed a flight plan to Lethbridge. Lethbridge IFR, but it's been slowly opening up for us as we go. VFR not recommended everytime since Palmer Alaska. Hope to get to Montana today. Have lots of notes, having fun! Plane was in Hangar last night / thawed. Update from Arkanas, skipping Colo..
Just the two of you in the 170 
Helena MT
The first major snow storm is expected over the next couple of days in Idaho and MT. If you have options, Helena MT about an hr from Cut Bank has a one of a kind place to wait out the weather. Stop in at Becks U Serve, it is free and better than most hotel rooms you will find. It is located right by the tower
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David Laseter
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 11:24 am
We made it!
We made it to Arkansas last thur, mom doesn't have a computer though and we move into a new home towards the end of this week.
I'm back on the Slope already.
Minutes after my last post, we changed our flight plan from Lethbridge to Swift Current. Had to stay the night there.
Next day, we flew to Wiliston, N.D. for customs, then to Pierre, S.D. for the night. Put the plane in a hanger for the night. Plane went from an 8 to a 3 in that hanger. It was 10 deg F and we were still in the snow storms in S.D.
The next day we flew to Beatrice, Neb and then on to Russellville, Arkansas. We had a 10 - 15 mph tail wind and were screaming.
Of course VFR not recommended all the way.
We learned how to use Flight Follow!
The trip took 7 days and we stayed in some nice hotels and ate some great food. We kept notes on all the stops, gas prices, hotels, etc..
Oh, yes it was My wife (Traci) and I.
The plane is now hangered in Russellville, Ark. and I can't wait to get home to fly. I'm amazed at how fast you can cross entire states.
And we are quiet in love with our 170B, she did us a fine job!
Sure glad I wasn't sucking that gas down with a 180 conversion!
The rpm fuel effieciency thinking went out the window, 2450 rpm's all the way (8 gal hr), we were racing darkness and getting home to our 3 children.
I was putting 1/2 - 3/4 quart oil about every tank (3 hrs). That was less than I expected. The Instrument Air stopped working 3 days in a row. Snow ./ Ice in the pitot tube. Also had some concern when rime ice built up on the struts / wings. Learning to fly in Alaskan Cold had to be an asset. A few FBO's intrigued with my camping stove preheater. Also came in handed when we flew up a few creeks and canyons to get through mountains. (More about that off the record). Saw lots of moose / deer / buffalo. And The Bellle Vista Water tower in NorthWestern Arkansas. My wife became an excellent navigator. And at one point in our notes she wrote "Thank God for GPS".
We really had a blast!
Dave
I'm back on the Slope already.
Minutes after my last post, we changed our flight plan from Lethbridge to Swift Current. Had to stay the night there.
Next day, we flew to Wiliston, N.D. for customs, then to Pierre, S.D. for the night. Put the plane in a hanger for the night. Plane went from an 8 to a 3 in that hanger. It was 10 deg F and we were still in the snow storms in S.D.
The next day we flew to Beatrice, Neb and then on to Russellville, Arkansas. We had a 10 - 15 mph tail wind and were screaming.
Of course VFR not recommended all the way.
We learned how to use Flight Follow!
The trip took 7 days and we stayed in some nice hotels and ate some great food. We kept notes on all the stops, gas prices, hotels, etc..
Oh, yes it was My wife (Traci) and I.
The plane is now hangered in Russellville, Ark. and I can't wait to get home to fly. I'm amazed at how fast you can cross entire states.
And we are quiet in love with our 170B, she did us a fine job!
Sure glad I wasn't sucking that gas down with a 180 conversion!
The rpm fuel effieciency thinking went out the window, 2450 rpm's all the way (8 gal hr), we were racing darkness and getting home to our 3 children.
I was putting 1/2 - 3/4 quart oil about every tank (3 hrs). That was less than I expected. The Instrument Air stopped working 3 days in a row. Snow ./ Ice in the pitot tube. Also had some concern when rime ice built up on the struts / wings. Learning to fly in Alaskan Cold had to be an asset. A few FBO's intrigued with my camping stove preheater. Also came in handed when we flew up a few creeks and canyons to get through mountains. (More about that off the record). Saw lots of moose / deer / buffalo. And The Bellle Vista Water tower in NorthWestern Arkansas. My wife became an excellent navigator. And at one point in our notes she wrote "Thank God for GPS".
We really had a blast!
Dave
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David Laseter
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 11:24 am
-
David Laseter
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 11:24 am
I wish I was going to be! My birthday is Fri..
NO, I'm on the Slope for 2 weeks. Be home the 20th..
I've been contacting the other Arkansas 170 folks. (Not Many)
I will get a fly-in going in Arkansas, just as soon as I can find the bestes location!
That Nuclear Plant at Russellville sure is a good visual.
Fly safe!
I've just about got our 60,000 BOPD back in the pipeline from the Earthquake Shutdown.
Been a long day!
Dave
NO, I'm on the Slope for 2 weeks. Be home the 20th..
I've been contacting the other Arkansas 170 folks. (Not Many)
I will get a fly-in going in Arkansas, just as soon as I can find the bestes location!
That Nuclear Plant at Russellville sure is a good visual.
Fly safe!
I've just about got our 60,000 BOPD back in the pipeline from the Earthquake Shutdown.
Been a long day!
Dave
No, I mean Ozark. I did scare a young Ozarka Water salesman to near death right after I moved to Texas from Ozark, Arkansas though. There was a knock on the door one night and a young guy said "Hi, I'm from Ozarka!"gahorn wrote:Hey, Joe! You said "Ozark", do you mean Ozarka?
Well, either due to being hard of hearing or homesickness, I heard "Hi, I am a relative from home, why don't you invite me in?" I dragged him in and made him sit in my best chair and asked him what he would like to drink and if he was hungry. I thought that he sure was a nervous and bashful relative. I peppered him with questions about home and family untill he couldn't stand it any more and jumped up and made for the door in a hurry. That was when I noticed on the back of his jacket the words Ozarka Water. I said "You're not a relative from Ozark Arkansas are you?" He said almost in tears "No Sir!" I ordered the cooler stand that both cooled and heated water, said I could probably use about 4 gallons of water a week.
Joe
51 C170A
Grand Prairie, TX
51 C170A
Grand Prairie, TX
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David Laseter
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 11:24 am
Them Arkansas folks are really friendly!
So are them Canadian folks, at least at all the airfields - eh?
We met some neat people, since we had to stop so often.
You know, we're kinda glad we did get to meet all those folks.
Check this guy out! He really took care of us at Rocky Mountain House.
Ken Fowler - He runs the place, lives across the street, and fly's a Harmon Rocket II. He fly's all over the place putting on Aerobatic Shows.
Here's his web site - http://www.rocketaerobatics.com
I think I'll ask him to come perform for us, when I get the 170 convention to come to Arkansas.
Dave
So are them Canadian folks, at least at all the airfields - eh?
We met some neat people, since we had to stop so often.
You know, we're kinda glad we did get to meet all those folks.
Check this guy out! He really took care of us at Rocky Mountain House.
Ken Fowler - He runs the place, lives across the street, and fly's a Harmon Rocket II. He fly's all over the place putting on Aerobatic Shows.
Here's his web site - http://www.rocketaerobatics.com
I think I'll ask him to come perform for us, when I get the 170 convention to come to Arkansas.
Dave
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David Laseter
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 11:24 am
Customs Canada - US
Checking in to Customs was smooth!
We called from Northway and gave Canada Customs our Flight Plan to Whitehorse. The number is a 1-800 number, but like 886? and then CAN-PASS. I don't have my notes up here. But Canada flying is easy 126.7 is the frequency you dial in when flying. So they were checkin up on me before I got to Whitehorse. Other pilots were talking with me and this happened all the way to Montana. Flight Follow, WX, everything is on this channel. We just left it on and listened.
At Whitehorse check-in, we called the Customs number. They called the inspector and couldn't get him on the phone. They said wait 15 mins to see if he showed up and if he doesn't, then call back. I called back, they gave me a confirmation #, and said "Have a good trip". I was told before, by a friend, that you need at least Liability Insurance to fly through Can. Never checked it out personally.
Getting back into US.
Called from Swift Current, Saskatch? to Williston, ND, got an indent # for the transponder. Called the Can-Pass and filed a Flight Plan on the Can side. Have to file flight plan everytime you fly in Canada.
Landed in Williston, inspector walked out of building. Very nice fellar! Checked the plane for radioactive materials with a monitor. Didn't go in cabin. Went into building, he sold us our good-for-one-year $25 customs sticker.
Then he filled out information: My Pilots License, Current Medical, Traci and my I.D.'s (Drivers License), Both our Birth Certificates, The Plane Airworthiness certificate, registration card, believe that was it. After that, he told us where to eat and talked about the 170 and was very friendly.
Dave
We called from Northway and gave Canada Customs our Flight Plan to Whitehorse. The number is a 1-800 number, but like 886? and then CAN-PASS. I don't have my notes up here. But Canada flying is easy 126.7 is the frequency you dial in when flying. So they were checkin up on me before I got to Whitehorse. Other pilots were talking with me and this happened all the way to Montana. Flight Follow, WX, everything is on this channel. We just left it on and listened.
At Whitehorse check-in, we called the Customs number. They called the inspector and couldn't get him on the phone. They said wait 15 mins to see if he showed up and if he doesn't, then call back. I called back, they gave me a confirmation #, and said "Have a good trip". I was told before, by a friend, that you need at least Liability Insurance to fly through Can. Never checked it out personally.
Getting back into US.
Called from Swift Current, Saskatch? to Williston, ND, got an indent # for the transponder. Called the Can-Pass and filed a Flight Plan on the Can side. Have to file flight plan everytime you fly in Canada.
Landed in Williston, inspector walked out of building. Very nice fellar! Checked the plane for radioactive materials with a monitor. Didn't go in cabin. Went into building, he sold us our good-for-one-year $25 customs sticker.
Then he filled out information: My Pilots License, Current Medical, Traci and my I.D.'s (Drivers License), Both our Birth Certificates, The Plane Airworthiness certificate, registration card, believe that was it. After that, he told us where to eat and talked about the 170 and was very friendly.
Dave