There is no cell service at the airport or in town. We walked to the Shell Station (no big deal; a little over a mile) to inquire about getting 100LL. The guy working there called several numbers to contact the owner (Sheldon Sands). Eventually Sheldon showed up and proceeded to tell us, “I do not want visiting pilots to stop here. There is an entry in the CFS stating ‘No Fuel.’ Didn’t you read the CFS? I’ll get you fuel but it will be a $40 call out fee.”

I asked Sheldon how long he has run the fuel business. Over 25 years. I then told him I had stopped in Atlin at least 5 times previously and happily given him (and other Atlin vendors) my hard earned dollars. He said, “I don’t care. There is still a $40 call out fee.”

There used to be a phone in the pilot shack at the airport so one could contact Canadian Customs or Flight Services. No phone there now. Did Sheldon remove it? I called Canadian Customs today and informed them that there is no practical way for someone to clear customs at Atlin (CYSQ is still listed as an AOE).

Last time I ever stop in Atlin.

Thanks for the PIREP Ted, amazing his attitude.

Kurt

I heard from another summer pilot resident of Atlin. Apparently, as the story goes, pilot(s?) in the past called the gas station and asked Sheldon to meet them at the airstrip at "x" time--then didn't show up (weather; winds; change in plans?). So he's tired of dealing with visiting pilots.

Seems to me restaurants have similar issues with customers who make reservations then don't show. Anyone know of a restaurant that told all customers to don't come here just because of a few reservation no-shows?

Also, apparently "they" are in the process of installing WiFi at the pilot shack at the airport so one could use that to contact Customs. I also heard from a pilot who indicated he called Whitehorse radio to indicate arrival at Atlin and then Whitehorse radio informed Customs.

I landed at Atlin in August on my way up to Dawson City.

We landed on water as I'm on straight floats, and pulled into the dock in front of the little hotel.

There were a lot of signs that indicated a 20$ docking fee for any period of time. I went inside of the hotel and asked to use the phone and asked how I should pay the fee.

The lady was incredibly nice, let me use the phone to call customs, and then told me she didn't want to charge me the 20$ docking fee. We got a great steak dinner + salad at a different hotel.

Not much going on in the town of Atlin, very strange to be in a town without cell service - we got on our way to Whitehorse Pretty quickly.

Whitehorse lake was not fun to get fuel at either - one company sold fuel operation to another company and the main fuel tank at the lake there was broken. They ended up sending a truck down with a very nice driver but everything was in safety jugs - not quick jugs. Very expensive fuel as well.

Stopped in Atlin this summer and had a decent experience. A float pilot saw us approaching and drove out to the strip to meet us. He told us they were out of fuel and it would be 4-5 days before there was a delivery. Fortunately, we had fueled at dease lake and had plenty of fuel to make it to Whitehorse the next day.

The float pilot told us the phone company removed the phone. He offered us a ride into town and we closed our flight plan at a pay phone.

Everyone in town seemed friendly/helpful.

Jeeeeez, if a fuel vendor doesn’t want to deal with transient pilots, and that fact is posted in available information sites, a) why would you stop there for fuel, and b) why would you complain about the fuel situation? Let alone suggest that the fuel vendor had the phone removed......

I can appreciate a fuel vendor not wanting to deal with transients. Youre totally tied to that fuel pump, and in the north, in summer, they’ll be calling you out at midnight, or whatever, and probably whining cause you took an hour to get there.

I appreciate the information reiterating that there is no transient fuel available there, but why bash the guy who was up front with that fact publicly, then you stopped in anyway wanting gas?
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“Tourists” can be a PITA, and I can see where a vendor could get really tired of that business. Especially if he’s making enough money from locals and air taxis that the transient business is more of a nuisance than its worth.

Frankly, I’m always amazed that so many fuel vendors are still in business, especially in remote spots. Liability alone could put you in debt for life in a heartbeat.

MTV

Get used to flying in Canada. Floats = marina gas, or stand on (STC) principle and they'll find your bones in the spring.

In Canada there is also a wide net of RCO (Remote Communications Outlet), because there aren't a lot of phones. Altin has one (123.55 - Whitehorse Radio) you can probably raise from the ground, I've used it lots airborne just before landing or after takeoff. All the locals carry sat phones, they're cheap now.

Not a lot of fuel around there, carry jugs and do your homework.

Karmutzen wrote:Not a lot of fuel around there, carry jugs and do your homework.

It's almost as if...Canada is the remote north we've all read about.

It certainly gets remote!

We were all the way up in Dawson City on Straight Floats in early August - which has a Seaplane Base [depending which chart you look at].

The Hotel we stayed at offered to shuttle us back and forth to the Dawson Airport, where I think we could have filled our Jugs with 100ll. Instead we found a local gas station in town that had Ethanol Free and we went with that.

From Dawson into Alaska we decided not to go to Fairbanks, and instead went to Northway, then Lake Louise [Great spot for 100ll and Lunch], and then on into Anchorage.