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Alaska 2016 Second Coming!

Toured three glaciers.

Matanuska Glacier. Smooth ride all the way to the top.






Tazlina Glacier met me with punches of 30-40 knots on the nose and forced to turn around minutes after entry.

Nabesna Glacier was obscured half the way to top but ride was relatively smooth.
 
Nabesna Glacier was obscured half the way to top but ride was relatively smooth.

Nabesna gold mine/ghost town is the area my distant uncle owns. If you get a chance to fly by that, please get some good pictures Vlad.
 
You should stop by Van's

You are so close - maybe you can arrange a trade-in while you are there. One slightly used RV-9A . . . :eek:
 
Great trip report Vlad!
You are setting the bar very very high for all of us who want to make that trek.
We have a group plannnig for next year. I don't thnk we'll make it to Barrow.

Wishing you a safe return to the lower 48.
 
We came on Tuesday. It was an interesting flight the MOAs were just heating up. My wingman was ahead of me on 12,500 (the bait) I scooted lower just enough for Center radar to see. Three F18s were playing up higher then descended which looked like an interception course on my lead. They surely picked up the wrong guy. It was fun to listen and watch. Fairbanks was all booked but extraordinary negotiating skills of my wingman got us a room. I ran away next morning he waited two days for wx to clear which never happened. :)


Yup that was definatly you then. We don't get too many experimentals up here. We had the largest ground force army training exercise going on for the last two weeks so there was a lot of activity in the area. We didnt get to fly a whole lot but it was enough to make the 2 weeks in the field worth it.
 
Quick update. Vlad is safe and sound in "sunny" California. Interestingly, we have the same weather here as in Barrow, AK. Cold and low overcast. Go figure! Arrival was a piece of cake. :D

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Vlad:

I don't know how long you're going to be in the Bay Area but our monthly EAA meeting (Chapter 338) is tonight at 7:30 at RHV. It would be great to meet you.
 
After a bit of touch up maintenance and a wave, the Russian blasted off to his next stop. Not even Jason Bourne could keep up with Vlad! :D

Quick follow-up update. It was a true pleasure to host Vlad. Now i know why he has so many RV friends around the planet. A few of the airport locals and I enjoyed getting to know a bit of the man, the myth, and the legend of the Russian named Vlad. I was happy to do my small part, and Vlad is welcome back any time. Happy journeys!

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Next time!

Vlad, you are one fast traveler. I am glad you did not need to stop for service and have kept up the pace!
I'll save this for next time...
Travel safe.
j9yijn.jpg
 
Jae,
Thanks for bringing me back to USSR! I will elaborate on it after returning to my home base. :)

Bruce,
Those were the best most detailed instructions how to get to your hangar and what to do in your absence. We never met but it feels like I know you for long time. :)
 
Fun with RV's

Anybody else checking Vlads track like a hundred times a day? He's flown more in the last week than a lot of RV's fly in months. I don't know about you but this guys motivating the **** out of me. I can almost smell the 100LL.
Thanks Vlad :)
 
INternational Crossings

Seems like almost every other trip is crossing an international border with Vlad.

Would it be safe to say he is the most experienced US and Canadian border crossing expert?
 
Maybe Vlad is on the job after all!

It sure does look like he has been contracted to do a survey for the "Wall" :D
 
International Borders

Seems like almost every other trip is crossing an international border with Vlad.

Would it be safe to say he is the most experienced US and Canadian border crossing expert?

Guess I better add Mexico to that list...Oh and I forgot France when he was north a few weeks ago.

US
Canada
France
Almost Mexico and Almost Russia...
 
Anybody else checking Vlads track like a hundred times a day? He's flown more in the last week than a lot of RV's fly in months. I don't know about you but this guys motivating the **** out of me. I can almost smell the 100LL.
Thanks Vlad :)
Since no one has asked, I like to know what kind of job Vlad has that can pay for so much fuel and time off.

Hat's off to him for all his adventure.
 
Fly the border

Any bets that he is going to fly the border and coast line all the way back to NYC?
 
Forget that Vlad made it to the western front and to the southern boarder, I need Paul to check in with his old team at NASA and explain how Vlad got his RV-9A to the final frontier!

img_5081.jpg
 
Quick update. Vlad is safe and sound in "sunny" California. Interestingly, we have the same weather here as in Barrow, AK. Cold and low overcast. Go figure! Arrival was a piece of cake. :D

Hey Vald -- just heard that you graced us with your presence here at HAF. You shoulda' stopped by and checked out the build (fitting the canopy now; could have used a practiced hand); you probably buzzed my house on downwind. Maybe next time!

Good to see that you hooked up with some of the Half Moon Bay Pilot's group.

Thanks for posting the story of your Alaska adventure; very fun to read!
 
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Maybe Vlad is on the job after all!

It sure does look like he has been contracted to do a survey for the "Wall" :D

It's porous Ivan. Very porous. I even spotted a coyotes lair. Let's make the Curtain iron again :D









Any bets that he is going to fly the border and coast line all the way back to NYC?


:D:D Good guess Holmes :D

Hey Vald -- just heard that you graced us with your presence here at HAF. You shoulda' stopped by and checked out the build (fitting the canopy now; could have used a practiced hand); you probably buzzed my house on downwind. Maybe next time!

Good to see that you hooked up with some of the Half Moon Bay Pilot's group.

Thanks for posting the story of your Alaska adventure; very fun to read!

Bill the visit to "the prettiest airport on West Coast" was brief. Initially Jae planned a full scale meetup but he understood the weather factor and fatigue. Plus I already had a sour taste of unfulfilled promises. My goal was to maintain everyday flying and a decent sleep was paramount. I do have great pictures from the trip I had two cameras working non stop. These are from the phone. I'll do a full scale write up in a week or so.





 
100 h

The tach just clicked 100 hours on the trip since I left two weeks ago. For statisticians stock Lycoming O-320 passed recommended TBO consumed the whole case of oil (12qts) I took with me to Alaska. Running mostly 65% power.
 
The tach just clicked 100 hours on the trip since I left two weeks ago.

Whoa. Roughly 7 hrs/day; I'm fatigued just thinking about flying that much! Plus, steam gauges and no autopilot; awesome...
 
New callsign for Vlad

Hardcore!

I was thinking Harda$$ might be more appropriate.
Whatever seats he has that's what I want.
In fact, whoever made his seats should be paying for his gas, in exchange for advertising.
 
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I think the fact that Vlad can do what he is doing is a testament to what is possible in our great country.
 
Adventures in RV's

I think the fact that Vlad can do what he is doing is a testament to what is possible in our great country.

While doing it in a plane he built in his upstairs apartment on the east side of Manhattan. :D
 
The tach just clicked 100 hours on the trip since I left two weeks ago. For statisticians stock Lycoming O-320 passed recommended TBO consumed the whole case of oil (12qts) I took with me to Alaska. Running mostly 65% power.
Is that with or without an oil change? 12 quarts will last me 100 hours if I change it twice!
 
I have the Russian!



When he called the tower it was clear in the sound of his voice how long this current trip is!

No worries....Trying my best to recharge him for the leg home.

It Seems he was a little home sick:

 
I've been watching the track with great interest. Seems today Vlad was merely soaking in the state of Florida and I wondered at times if he had a plan or was simply "winging it." Glad and elated to see our friend is in good hands! An epic sojourn, no doubt!
 
Big Fred

I received an email from Vlad yesterday at 1:00 pm asking for permission to touch Down at Bent Willies (52FA) around 2:00 pm. I replied yes of course and even warned him that he should make sure the runway was clear of a few cows I was letting graze. I'm guessing he was there about an hour by his checking his track log. I received an email a little later that he had landed and took a dip in my pond. Well little does Vlad know that that little pond has recently been home to Big Fred, a 10' long gator! So either Vlad saw the gator and went swimming anyway, which makes him completely fearless, or he didn't check the notam about swimming in Florida!

What say you Vlad?

BTW, you are the first 9a to land at Willies!
 
He just beat the weather. Vlad was running around putting her away, and I had time for a guerrilla snap.

 
I received an email from Vlad yesterday at 1:00 pm asking for permission to touch Down at Bent Willies (52FA) around 2:00 pm. I replied yes of course and even warned him that he should make sure the runway was clear of a few cows I was letting graze. I'm guessing he was there about an hour by his checking his track log. I received an email a little later that he had landed and took a dip in my pond. Well little does Vlad know that that little pond has recently been home to Big Fred, a 10' long gator! So either Vlad saw the gator and went swimming anyway, which makes him completely fearless, or he didn't check the notam about swimming in Florida!

What say you Vlad?

BTW, you are the first 9a to land at Willies!

Bill....Wait.... What, I missed him. I would have hopped over to take pics of him in the pond with Big Fred. :D

Actually, his track didn't show Bent Willies. Maybe turned off for low level gator hunting.

Sorry I missed you Vman. Next trip South hit me up. I could have provided close air support over Bent Willies.
 
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Last Leg

Our traveling Russian is on his final leg heading home after his adventure.
 
Congratulations-you did it!

Vlad,
You have 35 miles to go and you'll be home. We shared every mile of your journey. Thanks for the inspiration.

Jim Diehl 7a
Lock Haven, Pa
 
Vlad,
You have 35 miles to go and you'll be home. We shared every mile of your journey. Thanks for the inspiration.

Jim Diehl 7a
Lock Haven, Pa


Thanks Jim. I still have 3 miles to walk to retrieve my car. Instead of registering with Uber i am typing this :D
 
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