Actually formation flight with part 135 passengers is a no no, but we did it all the time when dead heading back from a trip with no pax. My buddy and I used to have a great time doing formation T.O. and landings in tight formation with amphib 206's out of Juneau with the FAA looking out the window at us. That is quite legal. Those planes didn't have passengers, no problem...........RB

Yeah, as long as empty and boss doesn't mind. But if they had a camera crew aboard I don't know what their status would be.

Like I said, I haven't seen the episode yet. I was told that there was an issue with the formation landing.

Gump

I realize there is no tower there, but at a tower controlled field once, I was told they need at least 3000 feet between landing aircraft.
It was a smaller GA airport. Obviously this wouldn't work with Boeings, but....
That's why they call them "Uncontrolled Airports"

Besides seeing some interesting flying and side stories I'm taking away invaluable “local” pronunciation of place names... being an Okie I'm used to Native American names but some of what I read and then hear goes right by me... good stuff, maybe I won't sound like an idiot all the time, that is if I ever get enough children out of college to make the trip.

OC

Oldcrowe wrote:Besides seeing some interesting flying and side stories I'm taking away invaluable “local” pronunciation of place names...

OC

Although it doesn't cover all the village names, here's a handy pronunciation guide for some of them:

http://www.9hats.com/lyr_every.htm

P.S. click on the 'audio mp3' at the bottom of the page.

Formation flight is not illegal. My flying buddy and I do it all the time in class Delta. Taxi, Take off, do Touch & Goes, Depart, Arrive and Land as a flight of two.

"Tower, aircraft such & such, flight of two request such & such."

"Aircraft such & such and flight, taxi via A & B to 34."
"Aircraft such & such and flight, cleared for take off runway __. "

We do it all the time. landing is the most fun. Aircraft #1 must remember to land long and leave room for aircraft #2. We also have the lead aircraft use the left side of the runway while the following aircraft uses the right side if the same runway.

You do? As a commercial flight carrying passengers? The regs are pretty specific about that under Part 135.

I saw the episode earlier today, and with their editing, who knows... They had cameramen aboard, and sure looked like both airplanes were stuffed with mail. That would mean it wasn't a non-rev flight so technically they weren't deadheading. So maybe that's the issue the Feds have.

Did we do that stuff? Of course we did. All the time, and a whole lot more. Just not under the microscope of network TV.

Gump

I keep checking this thread wondering if the real question will be awnsered

Was Ponts getting the evil eye from his sweetie when Ariel gave him his mittens and hug?

And what's with the cabin owner story? Is that even close to reality?

well you gotta be a LITTLE excentric to live up there in the first place so the cabin fued doesn't seem that far fetched... I was a little surprised to see the second "cabin" from the air... it looked more like a compound for the rich and famous to me... I mean what could the guy in the first cabin have that the second guy could possibly want... and as for the formation landings... they probably did a shit load of editing for this show... "ok we need some footage of two aircraft landing close to each other for story continuity so lets have two cessna's go up and we'll film the landing... Doesn't mean they landed in formation with passengers.. remember what appears to be on TV isn't always as it really is...

UtahMaule wrote:I keep checking this thread wondering if the real question will be awnsered

Was Ponts getting the evil eye from his sweetie when Ariel gave him his mittens and hug?

I was kinda wondering about that........ And all the fun in the hot springs.

Just like the flying stuff, why'd anybody do this shit with cameras rolling? It always comes back to bite ya.

Gump

A few naked girls always makes it more interesting...what do you suppose goes on up there during those looooong cold AK nights? ..anyway I like the flying and the other scenery ain't bad either.

hicountry wrote:what do you suppose goes on up there during those looooong cold AK nights? ..anyway I like the flying and the other scenery ain't bad either.

I KNOW what goes on, and it's not something you want your wife or girlfriend finding out about on TV

Gump

Sorry about my mouth flapping open about formation flying. We never have passengers during any formation flying. I wasn't even thinking "passengers". I guess I need to fix the trim tab on my mouth.

I missed hot springs and Naked Arial?!!!

Someone needs to tell them that we want an increase in the amount of showtime dedicated to Jim flying that 180 onto river bars.

It is getting tiresome to watch Ariel and Ponts acting like little kids in front of the camera. If they want to be Hollywood, get arrested for spousal abuse or DUI. Let's see more honest flying! FF

Zane wrote:Someone needs to tell them that we want an increase in the amount of showtime dedicated to Jim flying that 180 onto river bars.

Zane has the right idea!

I think the show does a good job of balancing the different aspects of having a flying business in Alaska.

It has great segments of the interesting challenges of flying several models of aircraft that each have different puposes.

It shows the nitty-gritty of making money in a rather unique business environment.

It makes a good attempt to explain the basic concepts of flying aircraft under those weather conditions.

It works to humanize the people that live and work there.

It helps you understand how aircraft play such a critical role to far flung communities.

And it does it all at a reasonably intelligent level instead of pandering to the lowest common viewer denominator.

I give it both of my thumbs up!



P.S. My wife, who gets lost watching the complex plot of a Road Runner cartoon, sits and watches the show with me and seems to enjoy it! That says something about how the general population views the show.

Skystrider, I hope your wife doesn't reed your posts.........

What's missing on this show is us old farts. I know they're just showing the photogenic rookies and cute native gals. But the reality up there (except for Bethel) is that the commercial pilot population is in their late 40's, 50's and 60's. And unless Warren has retired from ATS, even into their late 70's.

Most of my co-workers, and me, were long of tooth, lacking in the hair department, and had thick logbooks. Not a lot of rookies in Nome, Kotz, and Barrow just because of the harsh flying conditions, and companies not trusting their expensive equipment to lower time guys.

But, I guess that'd be boring to show for the TV audience. Don't think many people want to watch a fat, bald old guy like me jump into a hot springs. And we don't skateboard too well.

Gump