Hi Bill,

I've gone back to work on Idaho. Right now I'm working on a GH-ID Idaho backcountry chart. One of the problems we have flying in the backcountry right now is the mix of pilots that have flown it all of their lives and are great about giving position reports. The problem arises if 9 out of 10 other pilots don't know those reporting points, it doesn't do much good. I used to figure that the louder the radio signal was, the closer the airplane was. Unfortunately, it may also mean that the other pilot has a big radio or a big voice.

Anyway, I'm working on an aeronautical chart that will geo-reference many of the common reporting points as well as the routes the commercial pilots routinely use. There will be a cross-reference system so when someone reports "Middle Fork Lookout at Niner Thousand for McCall," you can look it up in an alphabetical matrix and see that Middle Fork Lookout is in Sector 3. Then you say, "Oh, crap! I'm in Sector 3 too, I'd better be looking for this guy."

To answer your question, I do plan on locating these reporting points on a CD so you can download them into a GPS and have them show up on your moving map.

The USFS quit painting numbers on lookouts a couple years ago and some of them have burned down. I'm trying to sort that out to update my chart. The USFS has been very cooperative on this effort but the information is coming in pieces from several sources. My hunch is that it will ultimately take a fly-over to get the current lookout status.

Sorry for the long-winded response. I look forward to seeing everyone at JC.

Galen

Galen,
I won't speak for the others but if there is anything I could do while flying the area to help with your efforts I would be more than happy to report back to you, as you indicated "ultimately take a fly-over to get the current lookout status."
I certainly see the importance of "knowing those reporting points" and "to sort that out to update your chart." It is clear that many of the BCP are improving their camera video work on a daily basis and posting them on this site. I'm certain that the more experienced can come up with better ideas then mine. Although it is obvious that the accuracy base of these points would improve the safety of mountain flying.

galen wrote:One of the problems we have flying in the backcountry right now is the mix of pilots that have flown it all of their lives and are great about giving position reports. The problem arises if 9 out of 10 other pilots don't know those reporting points, it doesn't do much good. I used to figure that the louder the radio signal was, the closer the airplane was. Unfortunately, it may also mean that the other pilot has a big radio or a big voice.
Galen

Right on, Galen, what a great idea!

This has been driving me nuts for 30 years! I got into the Frank every year, but only a couple of times, and I almost never knew where the locals were unless they used a strip as the reporting point. Now that I'm a year-round Hailey resident, I'm going to do a lot more flying in the area....I'd like to help too. Please PM me and tell me what I can do to help.

Rocky

Galen,

Great to have you here. What a great idea! When I used to fly jumpers out of McCall, I got to know some of the local reporting points, but have since forgetten most of them. That map will be a great aid.

Like others have said, I would love to help if need someone to check out a particular area and get picks, hike to it, etc. My first trip north will be the last week of May. Look forward to seeing you at JC in June.

I've still got a couple weeks work collecting and assembling information on the lookouts. There are actually a lot of these lookouts on the existing aeronautical charts. Once I have them identified with coordinates and names I would like to post that information somewhere and then see if we can get some volunteers to overfly them and take some pictures and notes. I can certainly provide a checklist detailing the info I need.

I'm not sure how to assemble an on-line contact list of volunteers. If any of you sharp computer guys have any suggestions, I'd be very interested.

I would sincerely appreciate any help I can get in sorting this out.

Galen Hanselman

Galen,

An online contact list would be great. For the time being though, I've pm'd you my contact info and will try to fire a message off to you shortly before I head North in a few weeks and any other trips this summer.

We Nevada spam can drivers are feeling left out...

I'm gonna set up reporting points for our great state.

"Cessna 69 Fox over the Mustang at 8,500, enroute Kit Kat."

"Roger Wilco."

Captain Gump

DELETE

GumpAir wrote:We Nevada spam can drivers are feeling left out...

I'm gonna set up reporting points for our great state.

"Cessna 69 Fox over the Mustang at 8,500, enroute Kit Kat."

"Roger Wilco."

Captain Gump

or "Over Fossett inbound Elvis."


CAVU

GumpAir wrote:We Nevada spam can drivers are feeling left out...

I'm gonna set up reporting points for our great state.


Captain Gump

Gump, we also need to lobby the AWOS people, I am getting tired of this "good morning click your mike three times for an advisory four times for a radio check"
Every time I take off and land, or give a position report. How about click your mike twice to shut the hell up.

I am thinking we could do arrows on the hills to the west pointing to our strip.

Then you could fly direct

mr scout

mr scout wrote:I am thinking we could do arrows on the hills to the west pointing to our strip.

Then you could fly direct

mr scout

Make 'em big arrows, otherwise I'll never see them and get lost.

Gump

mr scout wrote:How about click your mike twice to shut the hell up.

Now that sounds like a great idea. There is a contingent at the Corvallis airport that report every move they make, on the ground or in the air. When it gets busy in the air, I really don't care if some bozo is taxiing to parking.
tom

How about "at transient parking, taxiing for fuel" ??
Of course, then there's the other extreme- the guy who just has to back taxi (with someone else on short short final) and not a peep out of him.

Eric