I'm hoping to make Tuktoyaktuk (CYUB) the 2nd week of August and spend a day or two there.

I'm planning to spend the night at places like Peace River (CYPE), Norman Wells (CYVQ), and Fort St. John (CYXJ). I don't intend to camp but go to B&Bs, inns and hotels.

So far, in my multi-day trips, I have never stressed about parking my plane at airports. I have thrown on my cover and hoped that any ill doers would be attracted to the uncovered planes.

Is this too care-free an attitude when traveling that far north? Do the critters think the airport is a buffet?

Thanks

P.S.
Would really enjoy other company and planes along during any part of the trip - E16 (south of San Francisco) to Montana to CYUB to Seattle back to E16 (or reversed depending on weather) - 2 days between the border and E16 - 2 to 3 days between the border and CYUB

Whole lot safer up there than down in "civilization..."

Gump

I wouldn't worry too much about leaving your airplane overnight.

Not much to do in Tuk, I would spend the night at the Mackenzie hotel in Inuvik, then make a day of visiting Tuk and the local area. Make sure you fly low so you can see the Pingo's, and don't forget your deet

Canada is great, very nice people up there, eh!?!?

And the Tuk dancers/drummers are a must to see/hear if they are not on tour.
Never had a problem 4 or 2 legged at any airport in Canada on my many trips to AK from all parts of US

In the far north, airplanes are the lifeblood of all remote communities. I've parked airplanes on the ramp of some villages that were'nt exactly the friendliest to be in, but never worried about the airplane at all. People, even the youngsters, understand how important airplanes are, and they respect that.

Once (and only once) we had some survival gear taken on an overnight stay in a village up north. The next morning, I contacted the village Chief, and within an hour we had everything back, no questions asked, and with assurances it would never happen again. The airplane was not locked overnight.

I wouldn't worry about the airplane at all.

Bring lots of bug dope, though.

MTV

When I went to Lac Berneuil, St Jerome, Quebec 8 years ago, I brought plenty of Deet, mosquito gear (hat, gloves, covering between shoes and pants).

I intend to replenish the Deet and bring along the gear.

What worked best was to bring along somebody the bugs liked better! Unfortunately my wife is not going along this trip.

sounds like a great Trip! Well St-Jerome mosquitoes and real northern mosquitoes aren't quite the same but we can talk about this another day! (St-Jerome is on the same parallel as northern CA!) If you come up here, I would suggest a different flight plan than the one you are suggesting for few reasons...PM me and I'll fill you in but I would recommend the BC/Yukon Route rather than the BC/NT route like you suggest (what are you flying?).

As far as parking, I wouldnt go to the full extent of saying that everyone in the communities respect "aircraft activity" for say... put it that way, I would make sure you have a lock and that it works! but in most places you will be fine.

Anyways, fire away any questions you have and any flyers coming through CYXY always has a free place to stay!

Cheers, BCT

In a few minutes, BCT, I will PM you to ask why you think the Yukon route would be better.

I fly a 180 hp 2006 constant speed Maule (MX7-180C); I'm not light, neither of my potential copilots are light, I like lots of gas onboard and I tend to pack heavy. 180 hp at 2500 lbs gross even on not so hot days takes a long time to get to 10500 or 11500 from 6000 unless I can find some lift and stay out of downdrafts.

Home airport is 340 msl between two NW-SE ridges, west side topping out about 3000 and the other at 4000. It can be unpleasant over the ridges in the afternoon as the prevailing winds switch around. I don't play on the east side of the Sierras unless I know of no potential weather condition that would keep me over there and I still head there only if I'm willing to be wrong.

When I flew to Montana with my wife (who is a featherweight) in August 2010, we were flying across Nevada in the afternoon and I planned 9500 cruising altitude out and 8500 back. The days were beautiful with lots of fluffy cumulus. The ride wasn't particularly bumpy but I soon realized that flying was much more enjoyable if I enjoyed the 1000 fpm updrafts and didn't become concerned about the 1000 fpm downdrafts. Also when we left Burley (KBYI, 4154 msl) with fuel to gross at 4 pm and 90 degrees, I got a much better look at a grain elevator a mile from the airport than I had anticipated.

All that is to give background on why I prefer the lowest, flattest possible route if I'm trying to get somewhere.

From the Pacific coast, it seems that the flattest route with the driest potential would be: Abbotsford (CYXX) Chilliwack (CYCW) Hope (HE) Cache Creek (CAZ5) Prince George (CYXS) Ft St John (CYXJ). The highest terrain is about 6500 ft between Hope and Cache Creek

I can't see any path through the Yukon that doesn't offer weather the potential to make me feel as if I were in a washing machine agitation cycle.

Timely questions... I am sitting in the Lakeview Inn in Fort St. John. On the way up the highway with another Cessna. We landed here yesterday with 30 knot winds after a bruising flight from Whitecourt. Wind is still blowing so we decided to take a day off and leave tomorrow (which has a much better forecast).

The Lakeview is fairly nice, !00 bucks a day, and they have an airport shuttle (well, it turned out to be a cab but they paid for it), and a continental breakfast with some microwavable bacon and sausage along with the normal sweet rolls and breads. Coffee not so good.... I don't know if they all have them but my room has a microwave and a fridge.

There is a good restaurant next door,Roustabouts, that gives a 10% discount to guests of the hotel, and will even put the bill for the meal on your hotel bill. (I am assuming they are associated with the hotel). Seafood chowder is excellent and my buddy had a burger that he said was very good too. It wasn't cheap but I saw plenty of other food options within a few blocks of the hotel.

We are tied down at Executive Flight Center. Bring your own ropes. They have some big concrete anchors and some big rock drilling bits (probably a couple hundred pounds of steel) to tie to, which I don't really care for as they can move around a bit with the wings tugging on them in high winds. Fuel was the most expensive we have found at 2.07 per liter. We are tied down between two big hangars which gives some protection from the wind. The tie down area is inside a security fence so pedestrians walking by can't easily access the area. I have no concerns about the security of the airplanes.

Hope that is of some help in your planning.

Planning to make it to Whitehorse tomorrow...
KG

180 hp at 2500 lbs gross even on not so hot days takes a long time to get to 10500 or 11500 from 6000

I fly a 180 hp CS Cessna P172D. Perhaps because all but the first 70 hours of my flying career have been in the high country (I learned in Anchorage, then in Laramie for 26 years, now in Fort Collins for the last 16 years), density altitude and relatively slow climb rates aren't a bugaboo for me. It's an every day event.

I also tend to fly heavy when I'm camping, especially, but I don't have your concerns. So I'm wondering if you're leaning properly. Leaning should be based on density altitude, not indicated altitude, so you can expect to be leaning at cruise well below 3000' indicated on a warm day, and continue to lean as you climb. That's the only way to get full power out of your engine as you climb. You should be leaning for take off as well. Proper leaning can make a huge difference in your airplane's performance.

Cary

I have an EDM which I use to adjust EGT in climb and cruise. A limiting factor is I don't like cylinder temperatures above 400 which can occur on climb out on the 2nd flight of the day. I seem to be doing OK in that I don't foul plugs and there isn't inordinate amounts of lead on the plugs cleaned out during oil changes.

Most of my flights are day lunch trips from sea level with just me so I get spoiled with that performance. Also my flying buddy is in a 150 HP RV 9A that seems to reach cruising altitude on a downwind departure leg. It's hard not to have climb envy when doing laps around Mono Lake to head west (even though it is gorgeous scenery).

Thanks for the suggestion,
Dick