Daniel H. Bailey’s Alaska Flying Blog

Alot has happened in the past few months, but unfortunately, I’ve been too busy to sit down and write about it.

Back in February, on my birthday in fact, I surpassed my 100 hour mark. It was a cold, clear winter day and so I took the 172 up towards the Alaska Range and flew over the Lower Kahiltna Glacier to the point where it meets the Pika Glacier. I had done a rock climbing trip on the Pika glacier three summers ago, so it was a really meaningful experience to log my 100th hour while looking up the Pika at the granite towers that we had climbed during our trip.

Looking up the Pika Glacier, Alaska Range

I actually flew quite a bit this winter, but then a welcome stretch of work hit in March and I found myself playing photographer much more than pilot during the early part of Spring. Once April and May hit, though, I’ve been back up in the air quite a bit, learning more than ever.

A couple of weeks ago, I got my high performance endorsement in the C182, and since that time I’ve been logging some valuable HP time while flying right seat in a C170, C185, Maule M-5 and a Beaver. The the Beaver is an amazing aircraft to fly. For as big as it is, the thing is so docile in the air. It steers so gently, like a Cadillac with power steering, and once you get it trimmed correctly, it pretty much just flies itself.

The main thing with High Performance aircraft is learning how to manage the power during flight. As with any airplane, you don’t want to make any sudden changes, and as you do adjust power, you want to anticipate your intentions and make gradual changes in a specific order. Basically, when adding power, you advance the props first and then the throttles. When decreasing power, you decrease the throttles first and then the props. Following this method will be easiest on the engine.

Another day while doing touch and go’s in the 172 at Birchwood with an instructor, he had me practice an engine failure after takeoff procedure. He warned me beforehand, an then pulled the power at 600′ AGL off of runway 19R. After my “Oh shit” moment, I quickly pushed the nose forward to establish best glide and then turned the aircraft back to the runway. I made it in plenty of time, even with full tanks and two people in the plane.

Having flown with a number of different pilots and three different instructors recently, I’ve heard many different theories regarding engine failure procedures. One instructor had me establish different options for different altitudes, which might include a turn back towards the airport. One stressed not to turn back at all under 1,000′ AGL, which is often echoed by the Air Saftey Foundation. I can see that beign a very safe guideline, but in real life, that may not be the best option. Turning back may be the safer thing to do in certain situations, so it was very good practice to actually practice that firsthand with an instructor in the plane.

As summer approaches here in Alaska, I’m starting to shop for airplanes, and so far I’ve looked at a couple of Aeronca Super Chiefs and have called on some other small fabric two seaters. They look like great little planes and are certainly in my price range. I’ve also considered Cessna 140’s and have even called on a couple within the state. I think if I were to get a 140, though, I’d probably want to find one with a slightly bigger engine than the stock C85. Having talked with alot of people, it seems as if that would be a better option for the kind of backcountry flying I want to do.

Although I still have alot to learning to do before I would attempt anything resembling an off airport landing, flying with friends in their own planes and landing on gravel bars and beaches has certainly inspired me to start moving in that direction.

Although one airplane owner said with a smile, “buying an airplane is never a good idea,” the way I see it, it’s only money and you only live once. I just don’t see myself being a pilot in Alaska and not having my own place at some point. I just want that point to be sooner than later.

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Riding my bicycle out to Merrill Field in near-zero temperatures, fiddling with the preflight checklist while wearing thick gloves and landing on runways that are completely covered with snow and ice reminds me of when I learned to fly. Since it was only a year ago when I started my lessons, those memories are still very fresh, and although I don’t think my excitement for aviation will every diminish, there will always be something special about flying airplanes in the winter. 

It’s the little things that trigger those memories for me, like how well the plane climbs out in the cold dense air, wearing my headset over a hat and sporting the same jacket that I wore during each one of my lessons last year, watching all the ski-equipped Super Cubs take off and head towards the Chugach, or seeing the snow covered Tordillo Mountains so clearly on the other side of the Inlet as I take off from runway 25. 

However, during my second winter of flying, I find myself reliving those experiences in a slightly different light. I’ve come full circle now from student to pilot, and so all those elements that were brand new to me last year are now familiar. It actually feels like I’ve been here before when I make fresh touch and go tracks on snowy runways, or when I feel that chilly air inside the cockpit.

Being more experienced now, I also take more seriously the safety aspects of winter flying in Alaska, namely what survival gear I take in the plane with me. Alaska State law mandates a list of required gear that is to be carried by all airmen. Most of the necessary items are can be purchased at places like REI, Eagle Enterprises, or even Fred Meyer, but it’s not enough to just check off a list of supplies. In a State where there are often great distances between airstrips and temperatures consistently hover in the 0 to -40 degree range during the long dark winters, what you’ll need to survive and how you might use it effectively in the unlikely event that you find yourself out in the bush with a less than fully functioning airplane is something that every pilot should carefully consider.

This past weekend I got in some more cross country hours in a nice older 172. I did a circle from Merrill to a very chilly Talkeetna, and then over to Skwentna, where I practiced some VOR navigation and soft field take offs and landings on the snow covered gravel strip. It was the perfect opportunity to test the tips that I’d learned during my recent flight with a CFI, and keeping in mind the things that he had shown me, I definitely saw improvements in my technique.

The early winter landscapes are beautiful from above, the air is so clear and the snow is beginning to accumulate everywhere. At this point, all of the lakes are frozen and except where it’s been really windy, most of them are completely covered. On the return trip, I enjoyed some great views of the backside of Mt. Susitna and of the ice flows that are starting to choke up in the mouth of the Big Su.

I landed at the Lake Hood Strip for my first time, and even though I had made sure to study the airspace regulations in my Alaska Supplement, I’ll admit that I didn’t fly the approach perfectly. During my transition across the channel from Pt. MacKenzie, I strayed a little to far east, then over compensated, which put me to the west of the ballfield, and came in a higher than the specified 600′ Lake Hood Pattern altitude. Oh well, I’ll do better next time. I did manage a smooth landing, though, despite a slight crosswind. I’ll take that as success.

This past Saturday, I got to sit right seat in a Beaver and steer it around for about a half hour. I felt like a little kid riding in my dad’s truck, it’s so much bigger than a 172. I hadn’t moved the seat all the way forward, and so it was a stretch to get my feet all the way on the rudder pedals. For being as big as it is, though, it’s a surprisingly docile aircraft once in the air. It steers very easily when you get it trimmed correctly, and when you put it into a bank, it stays banked until you bring it back out again. And of course, there is the sound of that big radial, oh that radial! Flying the Beaver for real is a ways down the road for me, but it’s definitely something do dream about while I’m out enjoying my second winter as an Alaskan pilot.

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My dad had his first visit to Alaska last weekend, and since he’s a pilot too, I took him flying. Being from Ohio, he’s never seen mountains or glaciers like we have here, so it was pretty special to take him on a flightseeing tour of the area. He’d wanted to see Mt. McKinley, and so on Monday morning when I checked the Talkeetna web cam and it showed mostly clear skies over the Alaska Range, I made the decision to try and fly into the Ruth Glacier, which is one of the biggest glaciers in Denali National Park.

Looking down the Ruth Glacier, Alaska

I’d been in the Ruth a few years ago on a climbing trip, and so even though it’s very remote and incredibly rugged, I felt somewhat familiar with the area. I planned the route out to make sure that we’d have enough fuel on a single tank to get there and back, filed a flight plan for the route, and then flew what was a dream flight over some of the most awesome terrain on the planet.

At this point, I haven’t done very much mountain flying, and so as we flew over the entrance to the glacier, I was well prepared to play it safe and turn around at the first sign of high winds, mountain wave turbulence, or any other weather condition that might be hazardous. We encountered nothing but smooth air and mostly clear skies, though, so we kept going up the glacier, through the Great Gorge, past the 5,000-foot tall granite north face of Mt. Dickey, past the 10,000-foot Moose’s Tooth, and all the way into the Ruth Amphitheater.

View of Mt. McKinley from the Ruth Amphitheater, Alaska

The views were incredible, and my dad clicked away with his camera as we circled around the Amphitheater at 7,500-feet and looked at Mt. McKinley, Mt. Dan Beard, Mt. Huntington, Mt. Barille and all the other peaks in the area. It was really cool to be able to show this stuff to him and it was extra special for me, since I remember flying into the Ruth with Talkeetna Air Taxi a few years ago and thinking, I am going to do this someday!

As we flew out, we turned and crossed over into the Tokositna glacier valley and flew low over the lush green valley, looking for wildlife before heading over to Talkeetna. Didn’t see any, though. I imagine all the bears and moose were basking in the shade under the thick overgrown forested areas.

The Tokisitna Valley, Alaska

I’m finding that mountain flying doesn’t intimidate me as much as I would have thought. In fact, I feel quite comfortable flying in the mountains. Initially, I wondered if I was just experiencing some novice false confidence, but when I gave it some thought, I realized that having spent a great deal of time in the mountains, I’m actually pretty knowledgeable about mountain wind and weather patterns. With that knowledge, safe mountain flying seems largely rooted in common sense. As long as I leave myself a way out and and remain ready to turn around if anything changes, and as long as I know what my airplane’s capabilities are of in terms of density altitude and distance needed to climb, I feel genuinely safe and confident.

Without a doubt, it was definitely the coolest flight I’ve done yet, and it even put me over my 50-hour mark. Special thanks to my dad for helping inspire me to get my license and for being my first passenger on a fabulous blue sky Alaska summer day.

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Flight time: 1.2 hours

I had the opportunity to help shuttle one of the Civil Air Patrol C172’s from Anchorage to Seward yesterday evening. Being my first time flying in a CAP plane, I flew with Chet Harris as my copilot. There are a couple of possible routes, one that follows the Seward highway, and one that goes over Hope and Resurrection pass. Due to possible turbulence over the Turnagain Arm, we chose to fly south to Skilak Lake, and then follow the valley on the other side of Resurrection pass souteast all the way to Seward.

The weather was a little bit hazy over the Kenai Peninsula, but otherwise clear and great for VFR flying. Along the way we passed over some incredible terrain and had excellent views of the Harding Ice Field and Exit glacier. As someone who is relatively new to living in Alaska, this is a great way to scope out some of the objectives that I’d like to explore further on foot and bike and get an idea of where things are in relation to each other.

Overall, the flight went great, although coming into Seward, I came in a little high and fast on my base and final turns to runway 30 and had to do a go around. My second attempt was even still a bit fast and I ate up quite a bit of runway before landing. I just didn’t execute a great pattern. Also, I’m not used to having a copilot, and it will take me a bit of time to get used to having someone help with the radios while I fly the plane. Just need more practice.

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Flight time: .9 hrs

Yesterday I took my first foray into the world mountain flying. Conditions were prefect for it, the skies above the Chugach were totally clear and completely calm, so I took the opportunity to start getting myself familiar with flying in this kind of terrain. I started with a small goal, and made a short but sweet trip up and over Powerline Pass.

As part of my preflight, I used my map and flight computer to calculate the distance, airspeed and time that I’d need to climb to an altitude that would get me safely over the Pass, just so that there wouldn’t be any surprises. I wasn’t too worried, but it was good practice just to make sure.

Once in the plane, I didn’t didn’t have any problem gaining the necessary altitude, and as I flew up the valley, I was able to look down on and right at Flattop Mountain, O’Malley Peak and Turnagain Peak, and see some of the areas where I’ve hiked before. Seeing all that terrain and some of the from the air was an incredible experience.

Once over the Pass, I crossed over into the Indian Valley did a few circles, practiced my steep turns and enjoyed spectacular views of the Chugach and the Turnagain Arm. Looking across the Arm, I could see the small Hope airstrip nestled down in the trees. It’s such a change in scenery now, everything is getting so green!

After a bit, I turned back, headed over another pass right between the Suicide Peaks, flew over Rabbit Lake and down the McHugh valley before turning back towards Merrill. Unfortunately, my landing wasn’t very good. I turned late on final and was a little low, so I had to make that correction, and then I ended up floating a bit and touching down about ten of fifteen feet to the right of the centerline. The windsock hung straight as was coming down to the runway, so maybe I just got hit by a small gust of wind right when I crossed the numbers.

Oh well, Great flight, so so landing. I’ll make the next one better.

Turnagain Peak.

The west side of Powerline Pass.

A ridge above Indian Valley, east of Powerline Pass.

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Aircraft: C172 N13205

Flight Time: 1.2 hours

Total Hours: 39.2

After flying less than perfect patters at Birchwood the other day, I felt I needed more practice landing at non-towered airports where I don’t have familiar visual cues to guide me along my downwind, base and final legs. Goose Bay, a 3,000 unpaved runway on the other side of the Knik Arm seemed like a good choice, since I’d never been there before. Plus, it would be a chance to get in some genuine soft field takeoff and landing practice on a real Alaskan gravel strip.

We took ‘205′ today, since it has the bigger tires and flew a few miles north after crossing the channel until the strip came into sight. It was certainly different than anything I’d done yet, being right up against the water on the south and surrounded by trees on all sides. I entered the pattern, announced myself on the common traffic frequency and began my descent for runway 25. I was a little low and far out over the water on my base leg, and Mark pointed out that if the engine were to fail, we wouldn’t have enough altitude to glide back to land. I made a mental note to fly a tighter pattern next time.

It was exciting to come in over the trees and make my first gravel touch down, and although I came in pretty fast and ate up a couple hundred feet of the runway, I got the plane down pretty smoothy and kept it straight as we slowed down. We came to a full stop on the first landing and then after we took off again, we did 6 more touch and gos. My patterns got much more precise as I went on. I really concentrated on being consistent with the power and trim wheel during my descents and eventually was able to get my airspeed under control on final so that I wouldn’t float too much during my flare. One thing that threw me off a bit was that ‘205′ indicates airspeed in MPH instead of knots. I haven’t flown this plane in quite awhile, and so that difference might have made thing a bit more challenging.

The thing I had I struggled with today was getting the nose up enough during the flare. I kept landing somewhat flat, which is exactly what you don’t want to do on a soft field landing. Fortunately, the strip was in pretty good shape, but this is an area where I need work. Overall, my landings today were pretty smooth and straight, I just need to refine my flare.

I felt that I accomplished the two things that I wanted to improve on today, which were to fly a more consistent pattern and to make sure I was not swerving on the runway after I had landed. I’ve been having trouble with that, and I think it’s because as the plane slows down, the rudder control loses effectiveness and that’s the time it’s most prone to veering left. The amount of control input that’s needed to keep the plane tracking straight on the centerline of the runway during final quickly changes and I haven’t been compensating for that. Today, I made sure to increase my control input on the rudder once we were on the ground and slowing down each time.

Once back at Merrill, Mark and I talked about my progress and went over the numbers in my logbook. At this point, I have met all of my other requirements and only have less than one hour to reach the required 40 hours of training. Although I feel good about my skills at the point, and know that I just need a little bit of work on my landings, I asked Mark what he thought.

He agreed with me about the landings, and thinks that we can knock those into shape with one more dual lesson. Other than that, he feels that my flying skills are up to par, and since I scored a 90% on my written exam, I obviously have a solid knowledge on the material. His assessment is that I’m ready for my checkride!

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Aircraft: C172 N52654

Flight  Time:  1.0 hours

Total Hours: 9.3

A breakthrough lesson for me today, I’m finally getting a feel for landing the airplane! We did 10 more touch and go’s, and aside from one go around, I performed really well and brought 654 down safely and relatively softly each time. Mark still helped me out with advice and tips as we flew around the pattern each time, but for the most part, he kept his hands off of the yoke during just about all of the landings.

I’d spent quite a bit of time during the past couple of days visualizing what I knew I needed to do, and running through the procedure over and over in my head. It must have helped, because whereas last lesson, I really struggled with controlling my airspeed through the turns to base and final, which had me coming in too fast, this time I did a solid job of keeping my speed and rate of descent where they needed to be. Also, I seem to be getting a good feel for the level off and flare.

There was one exciting moment, though, when we came in for our final landing and full stop. After touchdown, I applied the brakes, but things felt a little off. We weren’t really stopping, because the airplane was skidding on the ice. I let off and pumped them gently until we were able to slow down and exit from the runway. Yet another experience of learning to fly in the wintertime in Alaska.

Overall, I felt calm and totally in control, even during the times when my approach or flare wasn’t as good as it could have been. My confidence seems to have grown considerably and I could tell that my general airplane handling skills are quickly becoming very comfortable.

We’ll see what Mark has in store for me next time…!

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Aircraft: C172 N52654

Flight  Time:  1 hour

Total Hours: 2.6

It was a beautiful, clear, cold morning yesterday, so I called over to the airport and scheduled for a noon lesson with Mark. By the time twelve o’clock rolled around, though, a cloud ceiling begun to build up at 9,000 feet. 

I reviewed with Mark what I had learned in my last lesson, and then he sent me off to do the preflight check on ‘654′ by myself. I’ve been running through the checklist quite a bit on the simulator at home, so I’m getting pretty comfortable with this procedure. I’m also getting to know the airplane better each time. When the preflight was done, we pulled her out of the hanger, fueled up and started the engine.

Today was the first time that I’ve started doing the radio calls. I tuned to the ATIS frequency and listened to the recorded voice give me the the sky and wind conditions, temperature and dewpoint, altimeter setting, and runway info. I then called up Merrill Ground, verified that I had obtained the ATIS info and requested permission to taxi to runway 7. I’m still getting used to the controls, so I wouldn’t say that I stayed perfectly on the centerline, but I got us to the edge of runway, where we did our final check before takeoff.

Mark assisted and advised me through the takeoff, but for the most part, I was pilot in command and controlled the plane as we climbed off of the runway and up into the sky. There was considerably more wind up high than on the ground, and so it was a bit of a challenge for me to keep the plane straight and level.

We flew to the practice area where Mark demonstrated cruise descents and descents involving configuration changes (use of flaps). He had me perform some turns, climbing turns and descending turns. I struggled a bit with the trim control and had a much harder time holding my altitude, but part of that was the wind.

On our way back to Merrill, I called the tower and indicated our approach, and then Mark instructed me through three touch and go’s before our final landing. I did most of the flying through them, with Mark helping to make corrections, and even though it was definitely a challenging and mentally taxing lesson, I’m sure that I’ll be even more proficient next time. Steering a vehicle through three dimensions of space is a brand new thing for me, and it will just take more time to get comfortable with learning to control the aircraft.

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