I updated my photo gallery with a few samples of my Alaska fishing trip this year. As soon as I got back to the Salt Lake heat and density altitude I was ready to head back up there. Flying my Skywagon off the cool sea-level gravel bars of Alaska made me feel like I had a 600hp turbine up front! It was definitely not the performance I am used to. You AK boys are spoiled!

Damn right spoiled... Why do you think we get away with the dumb stuff we do?

Gump

I see Barrow is looking for a pilot for SAR etc. gump want to go home

http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/ ... 62Y5DVFLL9

GumpAir wrote:Damn right spoiled... Why do you think we get away with the dumb stuff we do?

Gump

Please tell us more about your trip..... How was the fishing? Fly rod? Trench? How long were you up there? I'm jealous.....

Already in that loop Don... Thinking about it. A buddy of mine has been flying for them for a while now.

Gump

Nice 180!

Curious what year it is?

Thinking about getting a 53 with a 0470K model engine.

You need to come fishing with us next year. Would love to have ya! You can even fly in...
http://www.alaskaheliski.com/experience ... ai-alaska/

Best,

Kevin

Just guessing a North slope Borough job would be over 6 figures $$$$

GumpAir wrote:Already in that loop Don... Thinking about it. A buddy of mine has been flying for them for a while now.

Gump

Pay is real good. Two weeks on, two weeks off. Airfare paid to FAI or ANC, but cheap to upgrade to Lower 48. They're flying a Lear and B200 King Air, and two Bell helicopters.

Gump

You would use your R&R in KOTZ Or up river a bit

GumpAir wrote:Pay is real good. Two weeks on, two weeks off. Airfare paid to FAI or ANC, but cheap to upgrade to Lower 48. They're flying a Lear and B200 King Air, and two Bell helicopters.

Gump

Hanging out on the Kelly or in Kiana would be worthy. But, being legit and playing nice is gettin' harder to do. Decisions, decisions.

Gump

Kevin, as some on this site would say... my plane is not a "real" 180. It's actually a '59 C182B that has been converted.
Utahmaule, As far as a trip/fishing report... I flew up wing to wing with my buddy in his husky and we put on over 6000 miles in 11 days averaging 118mph. Having never loafed my plane along so slow I was quite surprised that I consistantly burned 1 to 2 gallons less than the husky on every fuel stop! I figure I saved almost $1,000 in fuel on the trip just by slowing down, even though it added several more hours flight time.

Leaving SLC we originally planned to clear customs in Penticton, however the class 4 and 5 thunderstorms over the entire state of idaho changed those plans. We ended heading straight for great falls, then to calgary to clear customs (Beware!!! I just got my bill in the mail for a $50.00 landing fee at Calgary... live and learn). From calgary we flew due north and picked up the highway. We would have made the Salt Lake to Anchorage trip in two days if the US customs schedule in Northway was not so rediculous. Day three we flew from whitehorse to lake hood to see the chaos there and I have to say I have never felt as unwelcome at an airport in 18 years of flying! We walked around for an hour asking everyone we saw where the transient parking was before we were finally directed to some hidden corner on the back 40. I asked at least 6 shops if I could borrow a bucket to change my oil and left each shop feeling like a fool for even asking.... so we got a rental car and headed to walmart and then an auto parts store to get our own supplies for changing oil... picked up some oil at an FBO at merril field and proceeded to change the oil. When it came to find a place to dump the oil we repeated the rejection process as described above until one shop finally took pitty and graciously accepted our used oil and donated 5 gallon bucket and tubing that we no longer had use for. By this time it was too late to get out of anchorage so we got a hotel and stayed the night.

The next morning it was off to illiamna area through lake clark pass and we spent 5 days flying around the lake illiamna area, moving fish camp every night and fishing two different rivers every day. We were in search of rainbows and our old fishing guide buddy's recommenations and "secret" fishing spots and tundra strips were right on the money! I never used anything but my fly rod and it was nonstop action the entire week!

On the trip back from Iliamna lake clark pass was socked in so we stayed the night at a cabin on pike lake. We were able to make it though the pass back to anchorage the next day by 11am fueled at birthwood and hightailed it for whitehorse. Unfortunatly the wx did not cooperate and we ended up staying the night at the copper river princess lodge. Weather forced us back down the highway with overnight stops in Fort St. John and Cutbank Mt on the way home.

We are already planning for next year and are contemplating having our planes ferried up there so we can spend more of our time flying and fishin IN alaska. And we are also tyring to find a kind AK resident who will allow us to borrow an oil bucket next year!

We're a little off the usual tourest route, but your welcome to drop in and change oil in White Mountain anytime.
Chris

Nice, 180driver!

Your Skywagon (no lame type-snootyness from me!) looks awesome with her big sneakers, too.

More pictures, please!

GumpAir wrote:Hanging out on the Kelly or in Kiana would be worthy. But, being legit and playing nice is gettin' harder to do. Decisions, decisions.

Gump

This will help

DonC wrote:

GumpAir wrote:Hanging out on the Kelly or in Kiana would be worthy. But, being legit and playing nice is gettin' harder to do. Decisions, decisions.

Gump

This will help

That was my son's first ice fishing trip on the Unalakleet river. He was pulling them out as fast as i could get them off the hook .
Mom wasn't to happy about letting him snuggle his big fish up to the parky she had just made for him. Moms are funny that way
Chris

180driver wrote:Kevin, as some on this site would say... my plane is not a "real" 180. It's actually a '59 C182B that has been converted.

I think you're thinking of another club/site that is notorious for that sentiment.

That's a great picture Chris......It's what AK is all about Used to get a kick out of the kids that age in the villages would all run behind the plane in the winter and stand in the prop wash....It was great fun I guess

slowhawk wrote:

DonC wrote:

GumpAir wrote:Hanging out on the Kelly or in Kiana would be worthy. But, being legit and playing nice is gettin' harder to do. Decisions, decisions.

Gump

That was my son's first ice fishing trip on the Unalakleet river. He was pulling them out as fast as i could get them off the hook .
Mom wasn't to happy about letting him snuggle his big fish up to the parky she had just made for him. Moms are funny that way
Chris

[quote="DonC"]That's a great picture Chris......It's what AK is all about Used to get a kick out of the kids that age in the villages would all run behind the plane in the winter and stand in the prop wash....It was great fun I guess

You know the deal Don. In the village ya gotta get your fun where you can . Winter time i'll end up with a pack of kids on the sled going to the dump, just for the ride.

Chris

180driver wrote:Kevin, as some on this site would say... my plane is not a "real" 180. It's actually a '59 C182B that has been converted.
Utahmaule, As far as a trip/fishing report... I flew up wing to wing with my buddy in his husky and we put on over 6000 miles in 11 days averaging 118mph. Having never loafed my plane along so slow I was quite surprised that I consistantly burned 1 to 2 gallons less than the husky on every fuel stop! I figure I saved almost $1,000 in fuel on the trip just by slowing down, even though it added several more hours flight time.

Leaving SLC we originally planned to clear customs in Penticton, however the class 4 and 5 thunderstorms over the entire state of idaho changed those plans. We ended heading straight for great falls, then to calgary to clear customs (Beware!!! I just got my bill in the mail for a $50.00 landing fee at Calgary... live and learn). From calgary we flew due north and picked up the highway. We would have made the Salt Lake to Anchorage trip in two days if the US customs schedule in Northway was not so rediculous. Day three we flew from whitehorse to lake hood to see the chaos there and I have to say I have never felt as unwelcome at an airport in 18 years of flying! We walked around for an hour asking everyone we saw where the transient parking was before we were finally directed to some hidden corner on the back 40. I asked at least 6 shops if I could borrow a bucket to change my oil and left each shop feeling like a fool for even asking.... so we got a rental car and headed to walmart and then an auto parts store to get our own supplies for changing oil... picked up some oil at an FBO at merril field and proceeded to change the oil. When it came to find a place to dump the oil we repeated the rejection process as described above until one shop finally took pitty and graciously accepted our used oil and donated 5 gallon bucket and tubing that we no longer had use for. By this time it was too late to get out of anchorage so we got a hotel and stayed the night.

The next morning it was off to illiamna area through lake clark pass and we spent 5 days flying around the lake illiamna area, moving fish camp every night and fishing two different rivers every day. We were in search of rainbows and our old fishing guide buddy's recommenations and "secret" fishing spots and tundra strips were right on the money! I never used anything but my fly rod and it was nonstop action the entire week!

On the trip back from Iliamna lake clark pass was socked in so we stayed the night at a cabin on pike lake. We were able to make it though the pass back to anchorage the next day by 11am fueled at birthwood and hightailed it for whitehorse. Unfortunatly the wx did not cooperate and we ended up staying the night at the copper river princess lodge. Weather forced us back down the highway with overnight stops in Fort St. John and Cutbank Mt on the way home.

We are already planning for next year and are contemplating having our planes ferried up there so we can spend more of our time flying and fishin IN alaska. And we are also tyring to find a kind AK resident who will allow us to borrow an oil bucket next year!

Oh, I don't know...maybe it's just me, but when I'm out and about and need an oil change, it's pretty inexpensive (considering how much money one spends on av-gas to adventure from the US. through Canada to Alaska, or what it will cost to have the aircraft ferried up for next year's trip) to go ahead and hire the mechanic to change the oil instead of borrowing his stuff and then expecting him to take and pay for disposal on used oil.

You'll find a lot of kind AK residents, a little common courtesy goes a long way.

Think about it.

gb

Oh, I don't know...maybe it's just me, but when I'm out and about and need an oil change, it's pretty inexpensive (considering how much money one spends on av-gas to adventure from the US. through Canada to Alaska, or what it will cost to have the aircraft ferried up for next year's trip) to go ahead and hire the mechanic to change the oil instead of borrowing his stuff and then expecting him to take and pay for disposal on used oil.

You'll find a lot of kind AK residents, a little common courtesy goes a long way.

Think about it.

gb

GB,

I would have gladly PAID for an oil change and in fact we asked every shop if they would change the oil for us. The repeated answer was they were all too busy to accommodate us! I even offered 20 bucks to borrow a bucket and still no dice! I agree that "a little common courtesy goes a long way" which is why I was so shocked that we were extended NO courtesy by anyone at hood. I mean we were just two backcountry pilots that like to get their tundra tires dirty... trying to get a 20 minute oil change... just trying to make it honest... and we got as warm a welcome as a terrorist trying to smuggle an AK-47 through security at LAX. You think about it.