Here is some video that was taken on the featured trip report.



schu

For those that maybe don't check the homepage or click the footer links, @akschu wrote a great little trip report for us, which is what this video is referencing.

https://backcountrypilot.org/features/c ... ake-george

Outstanding trip report!

CW

Both video and trip report are fantastic!

Great video!

"What do you think?"

I'd be thinking 'I hope the plane starts or we will die out here!"

Mountain Doctor wrote:Great video!

"What do you think?"

I'd be thinking 'I hope the plane starts or we will die out here!"

Which is why you should always learn to safely hand prop your airplane.

MTV

I agree, but it's not hard to imagine it would be difficult to do that safely on ice. Also there are other reasons a plane won't start other than a dead battery.

Is that place within radio range of anyone who could help you if you needed it?

Don't get me wrong, if I had the opportunity and offer I'd jump in the right sesat to go with you in a heartbeat. I'm sure you have survival equipment on board, but I would breathe a silent sigh of relief when the motor lit.

Zzz wrote:For those that maybe don't check the homepage or click the footer links, @akschu wrote a great little trip report for us, which is what this video is referencing.

https://backcountrypilot.org/features/c ... ake-george

I wonder if it might not be a good idea to have a thread in the "trip reports" sub-forum,
where people can post a notice that they've written and posted a featured TR.
I generally just click "view new posts" under the view options box,
and would have missed this TR if not for this thread.

hotrod180 wrote:

Zzz wrote:For those that maybe don't check the homepage or click the footer links, @akschu wrote a great little trip report for us, which is what this video is referencing.

https://backcountrypilot.org/features/c ... ake-george

I wonder if it might not be a good idea to have a thread in the "trip reports" sub-forum,
where people can post a notice that they've written and posted a featured TR.
I generally just click "view new posts" under the view options box,
and would have missed this TR if not for this thread.

Nope.

"When I got home, I tossed a gallon of antifreeze into an old rice cooker"

There's a phrase I never expected to read...

Mountain Doctor wrote:Great video!

"What do you think?"

I'd be thinking 'I hope the plane starts or we will die out here!"

Of course I didn't touch on the safety aspect very much in my article, but rest assured, I'm certainly thinking about it.

I'm very diligent to turn off the master, but if I didn't, the engine is completely warm and hand props easily. Yes, ice is an issue, but I would just move the airplane so that the prop is over a snow drift, so that I had traction.

Even if I didn't get it propped over, the area is pretty busy. I wouldn't have to wait long before radioing or waving down another airplane.

If that failed, then I have an in-reach where I can send a text message to a friend, or press SOS and have the coast guard coming.

If that failed, I have a 406mhz elt.

In the mean time, I have warming gear in the airplane, and can keep my guests warm for a few hours without too much issue.

Also, I don't fly in extreme cold. It was in the 20's and they had boots, gloves, and coats.

Lastly, this area is very close to town. I know for those that haven't been in Alaska, it might feel very remote, but I'm honestly only 15 minutes from Palmer. If I made the call, I would have a rescue within an hour.

So yea, we were fine. The biggest danger was breaking through the ice, and I wasn't really worried, it was well frozen.

schu

I'd love to have an experience like that