Does anyone have a digital copy of the procedures? I googled but couldn't find them. Are they super convoluted like I've heard? I'm on the road for work and my AK Supp is at home so I can't check to see if they're in there.

I'm debating picking my Dad up in Anchorage or Fairbanks... I know FAI well, but there's almost a 12 hour difference (on the late side) of him flying into FAI vs. ANC that I'd like to avoid if possible. And it'd be neat to have flown into that airfield.

Here it is latest AFD. See page 357.
http://aeronav.faa.gov/afd/30apr2015/AK_rear_30apr2015.pdf

Its not difficult at all. Especially if you have a GPS to avoid Ted Stevens airspace and Merrill. Its not crazy busy there yet so it should not been all that bad. For me its not the procedures that are difficult it is the massive amount of traffic all converging on the boat hull PT MACK area.

Thanks! Doesn't look too bad. How's traffic at the end of June / early July?

CamTom12 wrote:Thanks! Doesn't look too bad. How's traffic at the end of June / early July?

If I can do it, anyone can. Arrived from the Palmer area and instead of the Point McKenzie arrival, we tried the Tudor Overpass arrival. Threaded the gap between the mountains and Elmendorf and was handed off to Lake Hood tower just before we hooked a right turn onto a 5 mile right base for 32. The controllers were super friendly, maybe just because it was a light traffic Wednesday lunch hour.

Zzz wrote:

CamTom12 wrote:Thanks! Doesn't look too bad. How's traffic at the end of June / early July?

If I can do it, anyone can. Arrived from the Palmer area and instead of the Point McKenzie arrival, we tried the Tudor Overpass arrival. Threaded the gap between the mountains and Elmendorf and was handed off to Lake Hood tower just before we hooked a right turn onto a 5 mile right base for 32. The controllers were super friendly, maybe just because it was a light traffic Wednesday lunch hour.

You left out the part where the controller gently told you that you were off course and in the wrong spot.... Not like I heard the transmission being right behind you and all : )

Ha Ha! Did he also do a China Airlines taxiway take-off at ANC?

The most important thing about flying around ANC airspace is abiding by FAR Part 93 airspace rules. Those are inviolate.....you violate one of those, and you get violated.

So, for example, going in to LHD strip from the north, you have to be either really low, or really high, to go over or under Elmendorfs approach path.

But, what hardly anyone ever does is the easiest: Call approach and request a waiver of part 93 altitudes for crossing. Tell em what height you want to cross at. If they don't have traffic on the EDF approach, they'll almost always accommodate.

But be careful of the 93 airspace, it can bite, and filing an ASRS report after wont help necessarily.

It is easy to get in and out, though. Look at the airspace, figure out what you want to do, then ask. If they give you something else, tell em you're from out of town......and you can have them doing paperwork after their shift.
Just joking...great controllers there.

I'd go into Hood Strip. Close to International, easy to get in and out.

Here's a link to 93 airspace for ANC: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rg ... 2.0.1.3.11 Look at the Lake Hood segment....it's easy. From the north, report to approach ~20 miles out, then follow the power line to the boat hull, cross the inlet to the ball field, which puts you on downwind for the strip.

MTV

I think you have Lake Hood and Merrill confused MTV.

LHD you need to avoid 1200' to 2000' or get a Part 93 deviation. Almost everyone just slides under at 900' or 1200' depending on your direction.

PAMR is 600' to 2000' which causes you to be super low or high when coming across the water. Just ask for a Part 93 deviation and if granted, you can fly right thru.... They will grant it 90% of the time. If you forget what to ask, just listen to the freq for a few minutes and someone else will ask and it will remind you what to do.

Page 347 of the supplement shows what is going on and why you need to avoid it..

All the VFR arrival procedures & routes can be a bit overwhelming for newbies. The controllers there are the best in the country in my opinion. Just tell them you need some help and they are awesome. They will jump thru hoops..

And... Yes.. It will probably be busy in June/July.. Go for it though.. There is no place like it in the world.

SI.

bigrenna wrote:
You left out the part where the controller gently told you that you were off course and in the wrong spot.... Not like I heard the transmission being right behind you and all : )

"zero six bravo, looks like you're out of the Lake Hood segment"

I was following Tudor Road and literally like 100 feet outside the segment.

You were in the middle of the arm, what do you know

Alright, I have to admit some ignorance here. I was under the impression that PALH was in the ANC Class C but looking closer at the chart, it's a small adjacent Class D inside a big purple Class E ring.

What does this accomplish for accommodating traffic at minimum VFR conditions? The altitude restrictions to the north over the arm are for avoiding the Elmendorf traffic? Or for separating the traffic for PALH and PAMR? I thought it seemed easy because the controllers are great but looking at it now, I realize I don't know shit. I'm sure this is where the east coast guys shine.

I usually ask for a altitude deviation coming in/out Point Mckenzie. If over the top....aiming for the ball park....feels like an express elevator getting down to pattern altitude. Coming in I'm usually to high on final for 32. Good slip fixes that in a hurry...month or so ago in a 177... Before that in the Pacer doing touch and goes until my mike started keying up with a mind of its own...annoying more than a few...

Zzz wrote:Alright, I have to admit some ignorance here. I was under the impression that PALH was in the ANC Class C but looking closer at the chart, it's a small adjacent Class D inside a big purple Class E ring.

What does this accomplish for accommodating traffic at minimum VFR conditions? The altitude restrictions to the north over the arm are for avoiding the Elmendorf traffic? Or for separating the traffic for PALH and PAMR? I thought it seemed easy because the controllers are great but looking at it now, I realize I don't know shit. I'm sure this is where the east coast guys shine.

It gets all the bush birds in and out of town without transponders

CamTom12 wrote:Does anyone have a digital copy of the procedures? I googled but couldn't find them. Are they super convoluted like I've heard? I'm on the road for work and my AK Supp is at home so I can't check to see if they're in there.

I'm debating picking my Dad up in Anchorage or Fairbanks... I know FAI well, but there's almost a 12 hour difference (on the late side) of him flying into FAI vs. ANC that I'd like to avoid if possible. And it'd be neat to have flown into that airfield.

Not a Foreflight user? Digital copy of the supplement right on your iPad.

Definitely fly to ANC and pick up your dad. On the way in to Hood, just use "unfamiliar" and the controllers should treat you kindly. If you have a newer generation GPS, it should show you the outline of the Hood airspace.

Study the routes for West versus East.

Once on the ground, taxi around the west side of the lake until you come to Victor Taxiway that leads to International. Take a quick right and then a left to enter the general aviation parking. Go all the way to the end and park in transient. It's a 5 min walk to the baggage terminal.

Hsivany wrote:I think you have Lake Hood and Merrill confused MTV.

LHD you need to avoid 1200' to 2000' or get a Part 93 deviation. Almost everyone just slides under at 900' or 1200' depending on your direction.

PAMR is 600' to 2000' which causes you to be super low or high when coming across the water. Just ask for a Part 93 deviation and if granted, you can fly right thru.... They will grant it 90% of the time. If you forget what to ask, just listen to the freq for a few minutes and someone else will ask and it will remind you what to do. SI.

Well, cross that inlet behind one motor when the ice pans are running and 1200 feet will seem pretty low as well. And, in fact, that segment used to require below 500 or above 2200 as I recall.

Also, bear in mind that those altitude restrictions only apply from mid channel northward.

But, as noted, the controllers are great to work with.

Years ago, I flew a cub on floats from Kodiak to LHD for maintenance, and the weather was bad. Spent one night in Homer, then got to the Kenai the next day.....and ANC weather was really bad but improving.

In afternoon, the visibility was forever, but ceilings were 400 at ANC, and improving. I launched, not realizing that the new airspace had gone into effect that day. From Point Possession, I called ANC Approach, telling them where I was and that I was inbound to Hood with information Victor.

Controller came back and told me to fly the Peanut Farm Arrival......long pause, after which I responded: "Not familiar with the Peanut Farm Arrival". He came back with: "Do you know where the Peanut Farm is?"

I'm having visions of some kind of arctic tolerant variety of peanuts that grow in Alaska......"Ummmm, nope". Controller: "Do you know where International Airport Road is?" "Yep, I do". "Do you know where the New Seward Highway is?". "Yep, I do". "Well, the Peanut Farm is a bar located at the intersection of the New Seward Highway and International Airport Road.....pause......never mind, do you know where Lake Hood is?" "Yes I do." "Good, proceed direct Lake Hood, I don't know what I'm doing here, you're the only one out there today anyway, contact Hood Tower on...." .

And, in the many trips in and out of there i made over the years, I never had a bad experience with the ANC controllers.

MTV

MTV

Zzz wrote:Alright, I have to admit some ignorance here. I was under the impression that PALH was in the ANC Class C but looking closer at the chart, it's a small adjacent Class D inside a big purple Class E ring.

What does this accomplish for accommodating traffic at minimum VFR conditions? The altitude restrictions to the north over the arm are for avoiding the Elmendorf traffic? Or for separating the traffic for PALH and PAMR? I thought it seemed easy because the controllers are great but looking at it now, I realize I don't know shit. I'm sure this is where the east coast guys shine.

Zane,

During the establishment of the Charley airspace over ANC, the FAA held a long series of public forums to get input from the pilot population on the architecture of this new airspace. Charley airspace requires a transponder, and at that time there were a lot of airplanes around that didn't have transponders, and a lot of pilots who objected to having to add one to fly into Hood, MRL, etc. The FAA accommodated those requests by keeping Lake Hood out of the Charley airspace....barely. In fact, International Airport Road forms the boundary of the Charley airspace. .

This is VERY complex airspace, in any case, perhaps some of the most complex in the country, because of the proximity of so many and diverse kinds of operations, all of which are accommodated quite handily by Approach Control. Consider that on one side of Lake Hood, you've got ANC International with C airspace, and just to the north of Hood and MRL, you have EDF crossing traffic (things like C-17, C-5 and F-22) at low level, and of course, to the south of LHD you have the city, plus a couple other strips and seaplane bases (Campbell Lake and Strip, Fire Lake, etc). You've got a major Army airfield just to the east of EDF and restricted airspace next to it.....along with another couple public strips. Busy place indeed.

The airspace was once again revised a few years ago, but it's still pretty GA friendly airspace, though it can seem pretty intimidating to folks unfamiliar with it.

Again the key is to tell the controllers you're not familiar with the airspace, and if you don't like the altitudes for a particular segment, request a waiver of part 93 altitudes for that segment from the controller.

MTV

Thanks for all the info guys. He bought his ticket into ANC today!

I didn't realize I could taxi up near baggage claim. I was going to have him take a cab out to lake hood. It'll be a lot easier to taxi and make that 5 minute walk.

Ketchikan has PART 93 airspace too. Clearly published, I entered a few Southerly GPS coordinates in Foreflight (PAKT FSS reporting points table). I too will advise I am unfamiliar with the airspace to FSS. I have 1500 hours (in and out) of class B, restricted, warning area and military airspace but, I still put my hat in my hand if new to the area.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=14%3A2.0.1.3.11#sp14.2.93.j

Glad you will make the trip to lake hood to pick up your dad. Here are some additional tips.

After landing, you will want to taxi around the west side of the lake. This will require you to pass through a gate (121.75 I believe x 3 clicks - but just follow the directions on the sign) to enter the lakeshore taxiway. The taxiway is not controlled so once on the ground after landing you don't need to talk with ground. As I mentioned before, you will want to taxi to victor taxiway that leads to ANC international. Take a right onto Victor, cross the road for cars and then take a left into the GA parking and go to the far south end where transient is located. This is called Alpha parking.

From the alpha parking after secured, walk westward through the lot until you hit the guardrail that separates you from a curved road called Postmark Drive. Step over the guard rail and cross Postmark Drive toward a road that looks like it has a small cut through to the left to allow access to the main road entering the terminal. Once across Postmark Drive, don't take this left cut through to the main terminal entrance but instead continue straight on the smaller service road (Tower rd?) that parallels the main terminal road. This way you will have plenty of room for safe walking.

If you follow Tower Rd? It will bend slightly to the left as it heads toward the terminal. You could walk outside as the road bends further left and end up outside the baggage terminal. Or you could continue walking westward toward the enclosed walkway that joins the north and south terminals. Just walk to one of the doors and enter the walkway. Turn left and walk down the hall until you arrive inside the baggage area.

Take a look on google earth as this can be helpful to get your head around where the parking is in relation to the taxiways and the international airport. Good luck.

Sounds like there's been more than a few changes since I learned to fly up there 42 1/2 years ago! At the EDF Aeroclub, we had only one airplane with a transponder. Otherwise, everything had 90 channel navcoms, period. That gave us a lot of practice twiddling knobs to use the radio effectively. It's probably busier now, but it was plenty busy back then, too, at the convergence points like Point Mac and especially West High. For sure, we learned to keep looking outside all the time!

Cary

Squash, I'll check those directions on Google later and let you know if I have any issues following. Seems pretty straightforward, thanks!