Jerry Gaston
Registered User
Bozeman, Montana
Many of you won't be interested in this thread because it is old hat but some may want to know what I encountered while flying to and from Alaska in both a cub on straight floats and then on big tires.
I have some pictures that I will be posting and some more info as my mind clears up from the flight.
In summary:
On straight floats it took 25.5 hours on the tac
On big wheels it took 24.1 hours
Route was approximately the same only west on floats and east on wheels
Customs was a joke with the US customs only concerned with selling me a sticker for 25$ and Canada customs only worried about when quitting time was. No transponder was ever used and at one time the only flight plan used was a call by my sat phone to the actual station for permission to land next to their station and walk up to visit and purchase a sticker.
A good thing to note is that the SPA Airport directory probably hasn't been up dated in several years so don't rely upon any of the info when in the remote places such as Northern USA or Canada or Alaska. It seems that all they care about is getting your membership dues. Case in point: the most important entry point into Alaska from the interior of Canada is Northway with Yarger Lake as the approve point of entry for planes on floats. Try to find that info in your SPA directory.
I'm convinced that no cub pilot should fly between the Lower 48 and Alaska without a belly tank, a Sat Phone and an Auto gas STC. :lol:
More later got to run and get my photos processed
I have some pictures that I will be posting and some more info as my mind clears up from the flight.
In summary:
On straight floats it took 25.5 hours on the tac
On big wheels it took 24.1 hours
Route was approximately the same only west on floats and east on wheels
Customs was a joke with the US customs only concerned with selling me a sticker for 25$ and Canada customs only worried about when quitting time was. No transponder was ever used and at one time the only flight plan used was a call by my sat phone to the actual station for permission to land next to their station and walk up to visit and purchase a sticker.
A good thing to note is that the SPA Airport directory probably hasn't been up dated in several years so don't rely upon any of the info when in the remote places such as Northern USA or Canada or Alaska. It seems that all they care about is getting your membership dues. Case in point: the most important entry point into Alaska from the interior of Canada is Northway with Yarger Lake as the approve point of entry for planes on floats. Try to find that info in your SPA directory.
I'm convinced that no cub pilot should fly between the Lower 48 and Alaska without a belly tank, a Sat Phone and an Auto gas STC. :lol:
More later got to run and get my photos processed
