work in alaska

[rchcfi]

Both ends are usable. Trust me, this airport gets pretty hairy when the wind picks up. The approach to the "other" end requires you to fly the left base leg over the little part of land sticking out. What you do is cross above the trees at 250 MSL (about 10-20 feet above the trees) and make a fairly steep banking descent to be able to touch down about 1/3 down the runway and get on the brakes.

 

[YaMama]

make a fairly steep banking descent to be able to touch down about 1/3 down the runway and get on the brakes.

Sounds like you gotta have good airspeed control.

What you do is cross above the trees at 250 MSL (about 10-20 feet above the trees)

Can you safely fly that low when it's turbulent? I guess you wouldn't use that runway until the wind is more than 5 knots or so ...

Do operators in Alaska typically do some kind of route/airport qualification, or do they just send you off with a wave and a "Watch the mountain on final" ..?

 

[rchcfi]

Rchcfi,

is this plane you fly: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/415608/L/ ? What kind of performance can you get out of it? TO/LND distances?

That's one of the planes I fly. It is the perfect ride for this type of flying. It's slow and loud, but hauls a load in and out of short unimproved strips. I can get it off the ground or get it stopped quicker than a Cessna 206.. That alone should say something about it. It's approach speed is 60 KIAS. With a 10 knot headwind, I can get it stopped at gross weight in about 500 feet.

 

[rchcfi]

Sounds like you gotta have good airspeed control.



Can you safely fly that low when it's turbulent? I guess you wouldn't use that runway until the wind is more than 5 knots or so ...

Do operators in Alaska typically do some kind of route/airport qualification, or do they just send you off with a wave and a "Watch the mountain on final" ..?

That airport is in the "watch it carefully" category. Many factors determine whether or not I'll fly in there. If it's blowing over 20 kts. it'd better be a headwind or no go. There are just too many variables with this location that I can't name them all.

And yes, I was required to do over a dozen supervised t/os and landings there before I was signed off. They just want to see how you handle it in all sorts of different conditions.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Rchchfi,

thanks for the performance specs. Looks like a nice plane for those strips- you guys could use a Twin Otter for places like Nanwalek and maybe Seldovia? I've talked to guys who fly them and they say its not to hard to stop it in 300 feet!

 

[rchcfi]

Rchchfi,

thanks for the performance specs. Looks like a nice plane for those strips- you guys could use a Twin Otter for places like Nanwalek and maybe Seldovia? I've talked to guys who fly them and they say its not to hard to stop it in 300 feet!

Well - From what I hear, TBO on turboprop engines are based on cycles rather than hours. In that case, our multiple 10-15 minute hops would not be viable with turboprop equipment.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Hey Rchcfi,

actually for the Twin Otter requires a CAP inspection every 150 hrs, cycles have no factor. This is based on Era's Twin Otter Maintenance prgram. So it may vary for 135? Those DHC-6's fly up to 18-20 legs a day, each - they take a lot!

 

[billybob]

I would like to thank everyone that contributed to this thread, because it gave some very valuable information to people that are thinking about going to Alaska. FlightInfo is a great source of information and for all the $hit that people give each other here I must say that this is a great group of pilots. I write this because the info that was posted helped me find a job in southeast Alaska; I hope to see some of you up there. Thanks again

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

Billybob: mind if I ask where?

I'm heading up there in three-four weeks. All indications point to Bethel...

Dan

 

[billybob]

Im going to juneau.

 

[rchcfi]

Billybob,

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Get ready for breathtaking scenery and some "fun" flying! Living in Juneau your favorite numbers will change to 500 and 2!

 

[ILStoMinimums]

I believe LAB does most of the flying down in JNU? There are a couple others down there - don't remember the names.

 

[billybob]

AJN where I be going

 

[YaMama]

How much time do you have now, Billybob?

 

[billybob]

around 800tt

 

[rchcfi]

billybob,

A great site for weather up here is:

http://aawu.arh.noaa.gov

If you were rusty on reading charts, you won't be for long.

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

Quick question for the folks in Alaska...

I am going to go to Alaska soon. The only thing is, I have to be in the armpit of the lower 48--Indiana--for a wedding in early April. So, I could fly up in mid march, find a flying gig of some sort, and have to come back down here (and to make things harder--I'll be flying back to NM, then getting to IN), then head back up tot he great white north. OR, I could simply stay here until after the wedding, and then go up north.

The question is: would it be worth the added cost of a plane ticket (about $700 all told probably) just to get up there for the end of March? Or would my money better serve me by only buying one plane ticket? I've got a place to stay in Anchorage, so I can afford to hang around a little bit.

I would think the best thing I could hope for would be to go up about March 18, find a flying gig (or at least a wrenching gig that will turn into a flying gig very soon), get myself all trained and with a 135 letter in my pocket (I'm assuming this takes a week or so for a VFR 135 operator?), head back for the wedding, and then come back all ready to go. But maybe that's just wishful thinking eh?

I also think I'd really like to spend some time off the road system: is there any cheaper way to get to Bethel than the $324 Alaska Airlines ticket?

I'd better figure this out--I plan on telling my boss I'm taking off tomorrow

Dan

 

[billybob]

What part if IN dan? I spent some time in that hell hole of a state

 

[rchcfi]

Dan,

You could always ship yourself on NAC to Bethel ;-) No, but seriously, Alaska and Frontier Flying Service are the only passenger operators. I called Frontier and their fare is $378 rt, so Alaska is cheaper.

As far as coming up now or later, my bet would be on NOW. Folks are starting to ramp up on the hiring. If you wait too long, you might find yourself getting the "Sorry, we have the pilots we need for the season" speech. And with you having your A&P, you put yourself in a little higher category than just those with pilot certificates.

Just my .02 from my experience.

Cheers

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

That's kind of what I was thinking too.

That, and I'm just not having enough fun with my wrenches.


EDIT: problem solved. I arrive in Anchorage on March 15. Guess I better get stuff packed up around here. Haven't decided if I'll even bother calling folks before I head up, or if I'll just start a-door knockin...

Dan