This could be seen as inspiration for a long trip or “how not to buy an airplane“, depending on your personal tolerance for long days flying.

I bought a 55 170B that had been sitting a few years on the East ramp in Fairbanks. The pre purchase annual found some corrosion in the cylinders, so the seller took a discount, and I had the guys at Northland do the Italian tune up approach after reading Mike Busch’s article about engine resurrection https://www.savvyaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/articles_aopa/AOPA_2019-03_powerplant-resurrection.pdf.

I then went to Fairbanks and flew the thing for a few hours with an instructor, and then had Northland dump the oil and recheck compression. Oil and screen looked good, and compression was above 75 on all cylinders. Big thanks to the Aircom avionics guys in Fairbanks for working through lunch to address a radio issue so I could fly on that trip....

Now there was the minor issue of getting the airplane back to my place on the other side of the continent...

Sounds like a great trip. Post photos and notes about the trip.

Day one: Fairbanks to Tok.

After sitting around for most of the day in Fairbanks waiting for low visibility and ceilings in the big delta area, it cleared up so I launched planning on going to Whitehorse. Weather cams looked good, winds weren’t too bad and I could make it in daylight with an hour or two to spare.

I filed my eapis, called canpass and left. Ran into weather between Northway and beaver creek. Thought about going under the layer that was sitting there, but it forced me quite low, and I didn’t like the idea of flying in unfamiliar mountains, into rising terrain with few good options available if I needed to bail, so turned around and landed in gusty conditions at Tok. Walked across the street and stayed at the hotel/restaurant there.

Day 2: Tok to Fort Nelson.

Weather looked acceptable on the morning of the second day so I launched from Tok, headed for my first stop in Whitehorse. There were some variable scattered layers around, but nothing that was low and widespread. Overall pretty easy flight with spectacular scenery.

From Whitehorse, I headed to Watson lake. There was a reported ceiling at Watson just above 1000’, but temperatures were rising and dew point was close to temp, so it looked like it would be better by the time I got there. This 170 has flint tanks, so I filled everything, had 60 gallons of fuel, burning around 7 an hour, so felt like I had options to return if needed. By time I got to Watson, it was CAVU, but there was still some low clouds in the valley at little Atlin creek.

Dirt911 wrote:From Whitehorse, I headed to Watson lake. There was a reported ceiling at Watson just above 1000’, but temperatures were rising and dew point was close to temp, so it looked like it would be better by the time I got there. This 170 has flint tanks, so I filled everything, had 60 gallons of fuel, burning around 7 an hour, so felt like I had options to return if needed. By time I got to Watson, it was CAVU, but there was still some low clouds in the valley at little Atlin creek.

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Great trip report so far. Is Fast Eddies in Tom still a good stop? Used to be lots of friendliest in Tok.

MTV

Great trip report! Keep the stories coming!

Joe

Should be exciting. The guys at Northland are very helpful. I've found multiple mechanics in fairbanks that beat all other mechanics I've met/used anywhere else, both in kindness and skill.

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Great trip report so far. Is Fast Eddies in Tom still a good stop? Used to be lots of friendliest in Tok.

Yeah Fast Eddies was the place, decent room, good food, and an easy walk from the airstrip.

Having some drop box issues, standby for the next segment.

This could make your life easier: https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/how- ... orum-15156

At Watson lake I talked to a supercub pilot headed in the other direction who reported good weather along the highway. When I called the briefer he told me that he saw lightning strikes along the route. I decided to go, knowing that I’d be able to see any thunderstorms a long way off and turn around if needed.

The weather was great until I got to the point where the Liard river runs east, and the highway goes south through a narrow valley, about 100 miles west of fort Nelson. There were clouds in the valley with what looked like rain showers. It looked possible to go under them over the highway, but the warning about thunderstorms had me worried. Rather than risk that weather in an area of rising terrain, I decided to leave the highway and fly into descending terrain in clear air over the Liard river. I climbed up to 9500 and went to Fort Nelson without a problem.

Day 3, Fort Nelson to Nipawin sk.

I woke up to blue skies, but a fog bank sitting on the airport in Fort Nelson.



The fog burned off and I set out for Fort McMurray AB. Weather was nice, gusty winds at fort Mac, but right down the runway. I considered stopping to see town, but they will charge a ramp fee of like 100 bucks a night.

From fort McMurray went straight east to La Loche SK, then followed the road over Buffalo Narrows to a point just south of La Ronge, then turned south, over the strip at little bear lake and down to Nipawin, landing in the grass at dusk. The accumark airspray pilot was shutting down his air tractor for the night, helped me with fuel, and loaned me a truck.

Nipawin


Tied up for the night

Day 4: Nipawin SK to Thunder Bay ON.

After a quick stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee and breakfast I was back in the airplane. Went and did a few passes over my wife’s grandparents farm, flew over the town we got married in and then followed the magenta line to Winnipeg St. Andrews airport for gas. That airport was lively with lots of GA airplanes and a friendly vibe. Talked for a while with Harv, the owner of the flight school and talked about maybe flying his supercub out to California sometime.

Ridgedale SK



Lots of water around the Winnipeg area

With the long range tanks, did you think about going all the way from Whitehorse to Ft Nelson? I've done that a few times in my 180, about a 3:45 trip.

7GC wrote:With the long range tanks, did you think about going all the way from Whitehorse to Ft Nelson? I've done that a few times in my 180, about a 3:45 trip.

Yeah thought about it, but would have been quite a bit longer than 3:45 in this 170, and the weather in Watson lake was great so a stop to stretch and refuel seemed like a good idea...

From Winnipeg it was a straight shot along the roads to Thunder Bay. Not the most scenic route, but not unpleasant.

Lots of water

Day 5: Thunder Bay to Chapleau ON.

Woke up to 500 overcast with 10 miles visibility. TAF for Thunder Bay was for the ceiling to go up to 2000 by the afternoon, after which there’d be fog and rain for the next three days.

The view from shell aviation




Well by 5 pm it got to 700, with good vfr to the north and east, so I made the decision to go while I could. I asked for special VFR, though I believe you don’t need it for low ceiling in Canada, just low vis. I felt confident with great vis under the ceiling and improving reported weather in the direction of flight. I followed the northern margin of Lake Superior to Marathon, just before dusk, as fog was rolling in. Here I made the only decision I regret, and elected to avoid the fog and head southeast to Chapleau ON. The problem was that I got there in the dark. It’s an area with no roads, towns or lights. With dark forest below and no moon, it was essentially IMC. I’m instrument rated, and made myself transition to instruments for the last 15 to 20 minutes. It felt good to see the lights come on at the airport. Made a low pass for wildlife and to check for drift, then made a nice wheel landing.

Day 6: Chapleau ON to Vermont

In Chapleau I got a lift to a little hotel by the proprietor, who seemed happy to have some business. I woke up to some fog, which was already starting to burn off. I packed my stuff and walked the 4 miles back to the airport where I found the attendant. She called the fuel guy, who charged hundreds of dollars to come over to the airport and pump 25 gallons of 100LL. The airport was nice, but completely dead. Avoid this place...

The Chapleau Airport


Interesting sign on the walk to the airport

The fog burned off and I flew from chapleau directly to North Bay, ON. Very nice airport, I got there right as the glider club was stopping for lunch, so no traffic. Did the splash and dash and headed out for Ottawa.

I had gotten a good briefing, so I knew that the restricted airspace along the Ottawa river was not active, so I followed the river to the northern part of the city and landed at Ottawa Rockcliffe airport. This place is awesome, on the river, in town about a mile from parliament and uncontrolled. The airspace for the international airport is cut out to allow vfr traffic in.

I departed on 27, called the class B ATC from over the river next to parliament and got a turn through their airspace from a quick, professional and friendly controller. If you tried something similar in Washington DC, you’d probably get shot down.

Ottawa