Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Oct 5, 2017 16:12:08 GMT
All I can say about flying that Tri-motor through all that ice and snow is a line from Rudyard Kipling: "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din." Stop by for a tot of Famous Grouse!
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Oct 5, 2017 6:25:16 GMT
Leg 9: Hey! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? It's snowing!
It actually wasn't that bad. Right after taking off we turned on the prop and wing deicers and climbed out of the snowy overcast.
We got on our easterly course as we climbed to 9,500 feet. I am really glad that we had enough power to get us up above all the cloud filled canyons. Looking out the left window, I could see that we were passing out of the snow zone.
We started our descent and spotted Watson Lake Airfield.
We found out why we had to stop here when a truck, escorted by two HUMVEEs, met us at the terminal. We opened our cargo doors to receive the "article."
We took off soon as we were loaded.
Here we are at Simpson, a village located on an island at the confluence of the Mackenzie and the Liard Rivers. Both of the rivers were trade routs for the Hudson's Bay Company and the native Dene people of the area.
We are staying at the Mackenzie Rest Inn. We still have several bottles of Famous Grouse Scotch if any of you guys stop by.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Oct 3, 2017 2:23:01 GMT
Flight 8 went well. We loaded up, checked the airplane, fired her up, and off we went. We flew up the Katzehin River, which had floating iceburgs, then turned into a glacier. Climb rate 700 fpm, up to 10,500 feet. Once above the mountains we leveled out and turned off the seatbelt sign. Here we are on top:
We pointed the nose to toward the Atlin NDB and drove on. We began our descent soon after that:
Still had too much altitude by the time we got to Teslin, so we flew around and saw the sights, also trying to spot the wind sock to figure out the best way to land. RWY 26 looked good, so we lined up and dropped her in. Nancy said it was a "nice" landing, but it easily could have gone a different way. Here we are all chocked in:
We're staying at the Yukon Motel. We bought some native art at the George Johnston Museum. Later, in the bar, some guys were saying that it was gonna snow. I dunno. The weather looks great to us. What could possibly go wrong?
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Posts: 98
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Post by Paughco on Oct 1, 2017 2:28:19 GMT
Leg 7. Out of Kake, Alaska 1445. Climbed to 6,500 feet and stayed there, with the occasional deviation from the magenta line due to mountains and clouds or combinations of both
Not sure why we had to fly the dog leg course, but it is what it is. Flew past Juneau, then over some more mountains. Descended into Chilkoot Inlet just as Nancy brought us some coffee. Glad we got those gimbaling coffee cup holders!
Here we are descending into the inlet:
Looks like we missed another high quality water landing. Oh, the shame of it all!
We're staying at the Fort Steward Lodge. Hope to see you guys at the Port Chilkoot Distillery.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 27, 2017 2:17:17 GMT
OK - Leg 6. There was plenty of runway; we did a downwind takeoff so we had more room to maneuver and climb. We climbed to 10,500 feet (thank you Pratt & Whitney!) and got on the magenta line.
You may have noticed that my airplane doesn't have floats or any other water landing gear. Fortunately Hake has a runway. We landed on it. Here was are on final:
Here we are at PAFE, Kake, Alaska:
Kake is a pretty cool place. Kake is a traditional Tlingit town, and is home to one of the world's largest authentic totem poles (132 feet tall). It's more of a beachfront village than an actual town. We are staying at the Keex' Kwaan Lodge. We still have plenty of moose steaks and Famous Grouse scotch for any of you guys that might come by.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 24, 2017 2:32:41 GMT
Don't change a thing. Just keep doing what you are doing. Ernie, Nancy, and I will be there in our tired old C-47. I'll be whistling the theme from "High and the Mighty." Oh yeah, last time I saw him, the doc said I should drink more clear liquids. Gordon's Gin fits the bill just fine.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 23, 2017 17:01:34 GMT
We woke up to a pretty clear day for Leg 5. Fortunately, the bears left us alone, and didn't mess with the airplane. Here is a shot of the airplane at the Fort Grahame strip, just before I sent Ernie out to pull the chocks:
We noticed during the pre-flight that the GPS was not working. We tried everything, but, as Lt. Zogg told Major Kong during that famous bomb run, "negative function." Oh man... no Garmina telling us where to go with her magenta line! We had to fly by looking out the window and matching up terrain features with paper maps! How primitive! Ernie and I planned our route, which went something like this (route shown in red, with waypoints shown as little blue flags):
We took off from RWY 31, and climbed at 700 fpm for a few miles up the reservoir, then turned west up a small canyon, continuing to climb at 700 fpm. Hey, we made it! Once clear of the last ridgeline, we eased off to 500 fpm and continued up to about 10,500 feet, so we could look around.
The flight went very well. I used my trusty AN53835-1 Computer, Dead Reckoning, which is a WWII USN version of today's E6B, to figure true airspeed, then guesstimate drift angle and ground speed. NOTE: No GPS in the upper left corner of the cockpit! The waypoints were found and noted, as we flew the route. Here we are flying past Bear Lake (2nd waypoint on map), pretty much on course:
We started our descent over Meziadin Lake, and followed the Glacier-Stewart Highway, 37A, through the beautiful Bear River Valley to Stewart. This may of added a few minutes to our flight, but it was beautiful, and allowed a more gradual descent than if we had held our course over the mountains.
We flew over Stewart Airport, then did a tight 180 and set up our approach to RWY 36:
Back on the ground again!
We fixed the glitch with our GPS, then got a ride into town for a beer and a hotel with hot showers and real sheets.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 20, 2017 15:42:11 GMT
Leg 4 was, well, pretty intense. We had rain and clouds most of the way.
Sure wouldn't want to have to land down there:
We made it into Mackenzie! Thankfully, the weather got a bit better around the field, allowing a somewhat normal landing. Here we are with the engines shut down, per requirements of the mission profile. The parking area is kinda tight for our C-47. We had to move her to the off-pavement parking to make room on the taxiway for a King Air that landed after us, then we went into the FBO to check out the conditions up at Fort Grahame. Here's what we found out: Fort Grahame was a trading post established in 1867 by the Hudson Bay Corporation on the east side of the Finlay River north of its confluence with the Peace River. The post, named after the senior HBC official James A. Grahame, served the local Sekani people until its closure in 1948. In the 1960s flooding behind the Bennette Dam created Williston Reservoir and drowned the site. Today, there is a small settlement up near the north end of the strip. Or not. We bought a case of Famous Grouse scotch, topped up our supply of Molson's, and enough Moose steaks for everybody. Also a couple bags of charcoals for the Weber barbecue.
Mackenzie and our ultimate destination for today, Fort Grahame, are both located on Williston Reservoir which is very long and skinny, running between high terrain on either side. The best course from Mackenzie to Fort Grahame ran pretty much up the lake, so we flew up the lake, staying low enough to see the water, and using the GPS to stay pretty much in between the terrain (note: we had to get down to 500 feet above the water as visibility gradually deteriorated as we approached Fort Grahame):
Awright! Here we are at beautiful Fort Grahame! Not a thing in sight anywhere! Nobody. Nothing. Glad we got some grub in Mackenzie! The rain is actually a good thing, due to less mosquitoes and maybe reduced smell of our barbecue which, now that you think about it, might attract bears:
We're going barbecue those moose steaks, break out the Molson's and the Famous Grouse and sleep in the airplane. We saw some big bear tracks, so I'm glad I brought the TAC-14, just in case:
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Posts: 98
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Post by Paughco on Sept 18, 2017 20:27:56 GMT
Here we are flying over Bella Coola. We had to fly up the canyon, then make a tight 180 to head back the way we needed to go. Had to keep flying up the canyon until we got enough altitude to turn east toward Houston VOR.
Finally got out of the canyon and over the mountains. Now we had to decide whether to stay at high altitude to miss the clouds, or to descend below them. We went below, but then had to fly off course a bit to avoid high terrain:
Here we are on base for landing at Smithers (CYYD):
Miller time! No, make that Molson time!!
Guess I'd better make sure we've got full fuel tanks for the next couple flights. No 100LL available at the next couple stops!
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 17, 2017 3:44:46 GMT
Just completed Leg 2 in the C-47. Here we are, out of Port Hardy:
Figured it was better to fly up the natural route rather than through the granite clouds...
We made it. Hope they have a decent tavern in this town.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 14, 2017 16:23:38 GMT
Here we are on Leg 1:
Love that P3Dv4!
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Sept 14, 2017 16:18:15 GMT
I'm assuming that early PIREPs are not a problem. I like to fly my legs early, just to be safe. Completed Leg 1, no problem-o. Ernie and I are getting our C-47 ready for Leg 2.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Posts: 98
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NOTAMs
Aug 24, 2017 21:34:23 GMT
Post by Paughco on Aug 24, 2017 21:34:23 GMT
Thank you, Allan! I'll take the test flight and sign up tonight! Ernie and copilot and Nancy the stewardess are looking forward to the flight! Irene is unhappy, but that's too bad. We've got a mission to go on!
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
Junior Member
Nice day for somethin'.
Posts: 98
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Post by Paughco on Mar 13, 2017 1:12:52 GMT
Just completed flight 10. I had lights for the instruments, but it was still kinda dark outside the airplane. We managed to land OK, but don't you guys think it's just a bit early to start drinking beer? What are we supposed to do now? Go out surfing with the seals and the white sharks?
Hey Bluegrass Airlines guys, it was a fun flight. THANK YOU very much for putting it together!
WALSTIB.
Seeya ATB
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Mar 11, 2017 20:56:05 GMT
Finished Flight 9 yesterday.
Here we are, flying over the hills between St. Helens and Launceston, dodging clouds and hilltops, at about 3,500 feet:
After the touch and go at Launceston, we climbed to about 6,500 to get above the rock-filled clouds, then landed at Strahan Airport. Didn't see all the tents, barbecues, etc. We looked around, then got a ride into town for a beer and a steak.
Time to plan flight 10.
Seeya ATB
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