I have a friend running an Extra 300 up to Anchorage. He has asked me to throw this question out to ya'll. What I don't have knowledge of is recommended airports in Canada to hit and ones to avoid. While the airplane is capable of nearly 400nm legs, The pilot will be looking to hit most available fuel stops to increase his options. I appreciate the inputs.

Jughead

Don't think SEA-KTN is a good route!! Not up the coast anyway, unless blue bird day and a tailwind!!
You might head inland and then turn out around Smithers to get to KTN, Not many outs along the coast!!.
Inland works quite a bit better ride.
my.02!
More should chime in.

M6RV6

Thanks for your input. I am not flying this trip. The coastal route wouldn't be my choice either. I'm simply soliciting information for the gentlemen flying the airplane. I will definitely let him know about your recommendation though.

Thanks

Jughead

M6RV6 wrote:Don't think SEA-KTN is a good route!! Not up the coast anyway, unless blue bird day and a tailwind!!
You might head inland and then turn out around Smithers to get to KTN, Not many outs along the coast!!.
Inland works quite a bit better ride.
my.02!
More should chime in.

This is excellent advice, with the following addition: There is virtually no place to land a wheel plane along the coastal route, except the airports there....which are few and far between. So, as he's noted here, unless the weather is near perfect, it's no place to be with a wheel plane.....and maybe not even in perfect weather.....lots of very cold water and the terrain generally drops right off into the ocean...a few beaches, but..

I'd plan either the Trench route or the Alaska Highway route. The choice there would be based on weather at the time of the trip. Start looking at weather ahead of time, and plan for either, and go with the one that offers the best weather.

The airports offered there (and on the coastal route for that matter) are sparse, so you really don't have a LOT of options. Tell him to look at a chart and figure his legs, and pick the airports that make most sense for him.

There's no way I would fly the coast route in a wheel plane, though.

MTV

If he comes via the Alaska Highway route and needs anything when in the Fort Nelson area, have him look me up. Fuel available at CYYE. We are at CBL3. I run a Glasair 3 out of here, 3000 x 60 grass. Should be no issue for the extra.

UpNorth

I did the KTN - BLI flight nonstop in a wheeled Bearhawk with 68 gal fuel on board in the summer of 2014 when the ALCAN was socked in and the coast was clear blue with a tailwind. I'll have to check my logbook, but my recollection is 4.5 hours or so. Great and beautiful flight, but airports are few and far between as mentioned, and when the tides are out there are a fair amount of beaches, but not many you'd be able to fly back out of. I'll try to post a few pictures when I get home later today.

Ron

The total flight time was 4.4 hours, 130 KTAS, 12.3 gph, 9,500 ft. Here are some photos:









Here's a couple more I couldn't post from my album:

https://www.backcountrypilot.org/me/my- ... toid=38206

https://www.backcountrypilot.org/me/my- ... toid=38205

Ron

jrc111 wrote:Here's a couple more I couldn't post from my album:





Ron

Fixed them for you. Look for the "image URL" link to the right above the picture!

jrc111 wrote:I did the KTN - BLI flight nonstop in a wheeled Bearhawk with 68 gal fuel on board in the summer of 2014 when the ALCAN was socked in and the coast was clear blue with a tailwind. I'll have to check my logbook, but my recollection is 4.5 hours or so. Great and beautiful flight, but airports are few and far between as mentioned, and when the tides are out there are a fair amount of beaches, but not many you'd be able to fly back out of. I'll try to post a few pictures when I get home later today.

Ron

Also did that route with my M6 quite a few years ago, KTN - Point Roberts, just south of Vancouver BC, Would not do it again!! Had 45 min fuel when landed!!
Also did same trip in a Machen Bonanza with tip tanks, took 1/2 the time had 3 hours fuel left when I got there. 17,000' with Oxygen. Was lots better!!

Trench, Casiar Hiway, AK Hiway!
Best routes!
IMHO!

Did it once but would not do it again Of course we were all bullet proof and invincible back in the day

WX was CAVU all the way to Anc. Picked up a C206 I had repainted. Decided to do the coast route on wheels with the good wx. (not best decision I ever made) Left before daylight from just north of Seattle. Refueled at Ketchikan and Yakutat. Very long and boring flight varied from 10,000 to 10 feet along beaches to break up the boredom. 12.5 hrs. later landed at Lake Hood strip. so rummy I could barley get out of plane. Don't think I would do that again... Way to much over water on wheels in my opinion.

Same here.

Once in a C185 Bellingham to Ketchikan non-stop. Beautiful no-cloud, no-wind day, but absolutely no place to go if something broke other than cold water or sheer cliff face. As beautiful as the view was out the window, that was an extremely focused trip, saying, "what-if" to myself every few seconds for the entire flight.

That said, it's an absolutely beautiful trip, and scenery (literally) to die for if the risks are evaluated and worth it for the adventure.

Our place on the BC coast at the end of the Dean Channel has the same terrain, only much taller. I've flown that route from Bella Coola to the property for 30 years now, and when the wx is down it's rock and water the entire 80 miles. I still haven't decided where to park if the engine quits enroute. Both options suck.

Gump