AW837 PA18 20251130 TPO002 017

RTE - VFR PAUO 78Z PAWS
WX - PAWS 302018Z 16501KT 4SM SCT210 -1/-2 A2959
RMKS - CHTR SVC 0 PASSENGERS / 45 LBS CARGO. DST 19 NM, LDG RATE -44 FPM. BLK FUEL 18 LBS.

Departed Willow toward Nancy Lake to air drop medicine at Cabin #3 (saw that one in a Sky King episode) and proceeded onward to Willow to deliver generator parts, groceries, and return rental fishing gear.

Flight detailed here -> https://ops.alaskanwinds.world/showthread.php?tid=214

[You're standing in the hangar at Willow Airport, 0730 local. I'm leaning against the Super Cub's strut, coffee in hand.]
Alright, listen up. Today's flight is straightforward - you're taking the Cub down to Wasilla for a supply run. Generator parts, groceries, the usual. Into Wasilla you'll take some rental fishing gear to return to the shop.
You'll probably be departing runway 31 here at Willow - that's gravel, remember, so keep that stick back during rollout or you'll be picking rocks out of the prop. Rotate around forty-five, and you'll climb like a homesick angel! Turn southeast and stay at fifteen hundred feet initially, following the Parks Highway - it's your friend today, again, parallels the whole route.
You'll pass Nancy Lake about five minutes out - pretty area, State Recreation cabins all over the place. Keep going southeast, you'll cross the winding Little Susitna River about five minutes later, and less then 10 after that to Wasilla aiport.
Landing Wasilla, northeast approach. It's paved, thirty-seven hundred feet, so you'll have plenty of room. Complete pattern if into Rwy 4, make your CTAF calls on one-two-two-point-eight - it's busier than here, watch for—

[Phone rings. I pull it out, check the screen.] Hold on.
[answering] Yeah, this is—oh, hey Sarah. What's... wait, slow down. He forgot his what?
[listening, expression changes] Okay. Okay, I understand. Heart medication, yeah, that's not something you mess around with. You're at Cabin Three? Eastern shore, right. No, no, we can get it to you. Give me... 
[checking watch] ...give me an hour, maybe hour and a half. We'll do an air drop, a bag with bright streamers, right over the water near your cabin. You'll need to grab it from the shore or take the canoe out.
Yeah, Metoprolol, I got it. We keep emergency stock here - you know how it is. We'll get it to you.
No problem, Sarah. That's what we do. See you in an hour or so.

[hangs up, looking at you]
Change of plans. Nancy Lake Cabin Three - her husband forgot his heart medication when they flew in yesterday. Beta blocker, he needs it today.

[walks to wall cabinet, pulls out waterproof canvas bag with orange streamers, small medical kit]
Emergency stock. We keep basics here - Metoprolol, epinephrine, antibiotics, the essentials. Bush operations reality: nearest pharmacy is Wasilla, nearest hospital is Palmer. Sometimes an hour matters.
So here's the new flight: depart runway 31, climb to fifteen hundred, head southeast. Nancy Lake is now your first waypoint, not just a landmark. You'll orbit the lake once - full circle, announce on one-two-two-point-nine, check for boat traffic. Then set up for a drop run from the north, one-fifty feet over the water, sixty knots, roughly parallel to the highway. Drop the bag on near the cabin. Orange streamer, she'll see it.
After the drop, climb to fifteen hundred, continue southeast to Wasilla. Same approach, same landing. Pick up the supplies we originally planned, we'll figure out the return flight later.
Questions? No? Good. Get that medication loaded and get airborne. Clock's ticking.

PAUO, Northwest



PAUO Southeast


Nancy Lake in sight



Can spot Cabin 3 from here but will circle around the lake first


Low(er) and Slow(er)


Open window... canvas bag ready to go out!


Drop!


Back on track, always the Parks Highway




(continues)

RTE - IFR PASI LYRIC SSR PAJN
WX - PAJN 292220Z 33301KT 4SM SKC -2/-2 A303
RMKS - CHTR SVC 2 PASSENGERS / 35 LBS CARGO. DST 96 NM, LDG RATE -188 FPM. BLK FUEL 108 LBS.

Departed Charter Service from Sitka to Juneau, embarking newlyweds on their honeymoon, final destination in Vancouver.  Hazy flight conditions today.  Tweaked the Beaver, flying great.

RTE - IFR PAKT AKW LATCH PASI

WX - PASI 272131Z 33301KT 20SM SCT210 1/-1 A3024
RMKS - CHRTR SVC 2 PASSENGERS / 40 LBS CARGO. DST 173 NM, LDG RATE -181 FPM. BLK FUEL 240 LBS.

Departed Ketchikan in a new Beaver Mk1, nice flyer - needs a few tweaks inside. Charter Service for 2 passengers and their baggage destined for Sitka for Thanksgiving with their family.  Great flying weather today which is unusually nice, expected arrival before dinner.  News reports several 6.0 Earthquakes 37 miles northwest of Anchorage in the Sustina Valley.

RTE - IFR CYPR CTP PAKT
WX - PAKT 252004Z 10501KT 3SM OVC2 7/7 A3047
RMKS - CHRTR SVC 2 PASSENGERS / 45 LBS CARGO. DST 78 NM, LDG RATE -140 FPM. BLK FUEL 144 LBS.

Charter Service departing Prince Rupert with couple with their Norwegian Forest Cat (big cat) and their cargo destined for Ketchikan.  A "white-knuckled" landing with a ceiling of 200ft - phew!  An updated Beaver awaits in Ketchikan.

RTE - VFR PATK PAUO
WX - PAUO 241905Z 35501KT 4SM -RA OVC54 OVC90 15/7 A2991
RMKS - MAIL SVC 0 PASSENGERS / 35 LBS CARGO. DST 35 NM, LDG RATE -151 FPM. BLK FUEL 18 LBS.

Departed at dawn Talkeetna with mail onboard, heading South along the Sustina River in the Mat-Su Valley.  It was overcast and rainy departure - standard Bush Pilot Flying, flying on a wing and prayer... Passed over the Sustina River Bridge and spotted the Kashwitna River. Turned toward Willow after locating the 109 Mile Creek, overflying Kashwitna Lake. Parks Highway was spotted on approach to Willow. Flew the downwind leg over Willow Lake, landing to the North.  Mail delivered. Overcast skies preventing seeing any mountainous areas. It was a rainy throughout the flight, definitely an IFR day "I Follow Rivers (or Roads)..." Flown using FS8.

This is a flightcheck of a first route in the upcoming series Tundra Pilots (Ops) - a new AW feature coming soon 

Not to give out too much I'm flying from Talkeetna to Willow, mail run, early morning, beautiful weather (starting easy) following the Parks Highway.


At the Office


Talkeetna Mountains to the East


Entering RWY 1


Turning West, crossing the Susitna River, Denali   to the North!


Following the Parks Highway




The Susitna Parks Bridge


Also the Alaska Railroad




The Railroad, the Highway and the River!


(continues)

PANC - PAST
660 lbs ice plow parts and 170 lbs of related tooling. 1:42, 194sm

PAST - PANC
680 lbs 4 locals passage to ANC.3:22, 194sm.
Strong quartering head wind components all levels to max ceiling.

Enroute: MVFR,WNW 25kt gusts, moderate turbulence. 6/8 cover in haze. Freezing base 7.5K’.

RTE - IFR PAKT ICK CTP CYPR

WX - CYPR 212132Z 17501KT 9SM SCT36 SCT47 7/5 A2985
RMKS - CHRTR SVC 2 PASSENGERS / 60 LBS CARGO. DST 81 NM, LDG RATE -135 FPM. BLK FUEL 228 LBS.

Departed Ketchikan, Charter Service to Prince Rupert.  Embarked two tourists and the baggage as their onward flight from Vancouver.  Outstanding views over Annette Island provided our passengers opportunity to snap photographs.  Encountered heavy crosswinds aloft South of Annette Island really slowed the flight.

RTE - IFR PAKW UDENE ERANE DWARF PAKT

WX - PAKT 202342Z 11501KT 4SM -RA BKN19 OVC37 8/8 A295
RMKS - CHRTR SVC 1 PASSENGER / 40 LBS CARGO. DST 56 NM, LDG RATE -148 FPM. BLK FUEL 96 LBS.

Charter Service departing Klawock with 1 passenger, cargo, and mail destined for Ketchikan.  Stiff crosswinds enroute at 60KTS.  This is what we signed up for, gotta love Alaska flying.