Flying to Alaska Summer 2005 by

1. Use Sectional charts not WACs. Mark your course in 10 mile increments and keep your finger on the map. GPS is good but DR Nav is better in the mountains. I use IFR charts and GPS for guestimates but always do a full time-distance nav plan to easily recognizable waypoints...In this country if you take you finger off the map you are lost. The mountains and lakes all look the same.

2. Do not fly IFR beyond Prince George or Fort Nelson (depending upon your route). If you can fly above 25,000 feet, have full icing equipment, and consider yourself professional OK. Remember there are both rocks and ice in the clouds and you have limited alternates.

3. Never fly under a ceiling without room to do a 180 degree turn. The 180 degree is your best maneuver to avoid unintentional VMC. Added to that, never let clouds fill in behind you. If you see that happening land. Watch the wind. I normally take ridges at a 45 degree angle.

4. Canadian weather is great at Whitehorse, Yukon Territory but B.C. and Alberta are broadcast from Vancouver and Edmonton respectively. They have no idea what is happening in local conditions. Ask the locals what to expect ahead.

1. West up the coast-no place to land period: Bellingham to Port Hardy to Ketchikan range permitting. If you don't have the range Prince Rupert is a long way from Port Hardy. Next Sitka, Yakatak, Anchorage. Not much there either...except spectacular scenery to the north only...ocean to the south. This is an over water flight. There is no place to land until you are north of Ketchikan and then you might be there awhile waiting rescue.

2. West Coast route to Abbotsford B.C., Hope BC, up the Frazer Canyon to Kamloops or direct to Williams Lake; Prince George; inland to Fort St John, Ft Nelson, Watson Lake, Teslin, Whitehorse; Haynes Junction, Burwash, Northway, Delta Junction Fairbanks... or Northway, Glennallen, Palmer Anchorage. There are two passes to Glennallen from Northway- Mentasta and Delvil's Mountain. I normally take Devil's Mountain but be very careful on both of these passes as well as Chicaloon Pass into Palmer. Ask advice and make sure you have good visibility and ceilings on both sides before you enter...or 180 degrees and out.

3. East of the Rockies: I use this route most of the time coming from Bozeman. You can go LAX, RNO, TWN, IDA, BZN, HLN, GTF or MID, PUB, DVN, CHY, SHR, BIL, GTF. The latter route keeps you away from the big rocks and high altitudes.

From Great Falls Mt you go to Lethbridge, stop at CEX3 Wetaskawin (which is the museum where my Staggerwing is being rebuilt and has 120 airplanes); Whitecourt, Grandprarrie, Fort St John...-Fort Nelson etc. This was the lend lease route where USA flew 9,000 airplanes to Fairbanks for pickup by the Russians who then flew them a like distance accross Far East Russia and Siberia to the Western Front. I intend to fly the Russian half of that route next year.

A couple things to be aware of: going from the lower 48 to Alaska you go through a bunch of different climates and frontal zones. You have big thunderstorms in Calgary and Edmonton, big Mountains after Fort Nelson and ice in the clouds all summer. Normally, the weather at Fort Nelson is different than that at Watson Lake and Whitehorse. It also changes drastically Haynes Junction to Northway...refer to rule #4. I have spent four days in Whitehorse, four in Fort Nelson (last year), and a couple everywhere else. This is probably the most spectacular flight you will ever make in your life...don't push it. If the weather is down put your feet up and go to sleep...the weather will change and who needs the stress..certainly not your passengers.

You can pick up your charts in a lot of places. Get them before you leave, however, because you might not be able to fill in the blanks enroute. There is a nice chart call the Alaska Highway Chart which starts in Dawson Creek Alberta but get the Sectionals in addition....you need them both.