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  #51  
Old 02-28-2014, 09:39 AM
NYTOM NYTOM is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Posts: 1,128
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Vlad, I admire your tenacity.
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  #52  
Old 02-28-2014, 10:18 AM
sailvi767 sailvi767 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 1,166
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I have flown in that area also. I concur with the above poster. It's just not a RV friendly place. Alaska itself has many great places to fly that would be much more scenic flying. Another consideration not mentioned is if something does go wrong rescuers are going to have to put their lives on the line trying to assist. It's not a friendly place for them either. I really admire Vlad and his adventures in his RV. This one might be a bit to much of a adventure.

George
  #53  
Old 02-28-2014, 12:07 PM
kengps kengps is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Anchorage summer
Posts: 31
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Hi Vlad, sure PM me. There are indeed many other great places to see in Alaska. But the Aleutians are nasty and ugly too. There are no trees, just grass covered rock islands. Theres a reason there are no trees there. Also there are years I've seen where Dutch harbor didn't see the sun 357 days of the year. If you want some adventure fly the coastal route from BLI to ANC. Even thats not easy, but you do get some decent days and its incredibly beautiful. Stop in Ketchikan, Sitka, and even Yakutat is neat. Land in Seward and walk the RR track into town. Lots to see there. Homer is a must see too. Go visit the big villages up the west coast of Bethel, Unalakleet, Nome, and Kotzebue. If you hit Kotz at the right time of year, when the lake is emptying of ice, it is a once in a lifetime event if its sunny too. Bright, shiny ice sliding down the beach at 10 knots with the sound of a million crystals hitting each other. I seen it once and it's something I'll never forget. Hit one of the tiny isolated villages like Savoonga. People will come out to greet you. Give you a ride on their ATV into town for some microwave food at the town store. There is so much to see. Why go to the Aleutians? The only thing I can think of is a WW2 base that people want to turn into a museum. It is off-limits now, but I know surveyors who went there and said it was a time warp of 1945 when it was abandoned with everything in place. That I'd like to see. But can't do it yet.

Last edited by kengps : 02-28-2014 at 12:29 PM.
  #54  
Old 02-28-2014, 12:50 PM
jchang10 jchang10 is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 525
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http://www.bushplanedesign.com/

Vlad, I am sure you have seen the new Double Ender, right? It's the purpose built and newly designed Alaska bush plane? Maybe once it's available to build, this will ease some of the worries?

I LOVE this airplane, btw!
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  #55  
Old 02-28-2014, 04:46 PM
Jim Wright Jim Wright is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Alaska AK00
Posts: 101
Default Been there

I've been out there and while it sounds like a grand adventure, I would advise against it, especially in a small aircraft like the RV. Find another part of Alaska. There are many other beautiful places to fly and experience without the risks that the Aleutians present.
  #56  
Old 02-28-2014, 05:13 PM
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Kevin Horton Kevin Horton is offline
 
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlad View Post
No, not at all. I am very cautious by nature ...
Vlad,

You say that you are very cautious, yet you persist in this dream despite strong recommendations to the contrary from many experienced Alaska pilots. If you truly are cautious, you should follow their advice.

Fly safe, have fun,
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  #57  
Old 02-28-2014, 05:40 PM
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Vlad Vlad is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Horton View Post
Vlad,

You say that you are very cautious, yet you persist in this dream despite strong recommendations to the contrary from many experienced Alaska pilots. If you truly are cautious, you should follow their advice.

Fly safe, have fun,

It would be interesting to run a poll sometimes late June. I would love to get at least 5% GO-VOTES from those who were there
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  #58  
Old 02-28-2014, 05:42 PM
vic syracuse vic syracuse is offline
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Locust Grove, GA
Posts: 2,626
Default Alaska

Vlad, I would also encourage you to listen to the recent advice. Alaska can be very beautiful, but also very unforgiving. We had 3 people die last year on our trip because they were pushing the weather. Weather stations are few and far bewteen, and even less so where you are planning to go. And the weather out there is not predictable, and the scenery isn't exactly breathtaking. But the rest of ALaska is so breathtaking that sometimes you can be in sensory overload and not even know which way to look. Take a look at the HD video that we put together from our trip, and I assure you that you will want to go elsewhere.

I'm sure I probably speak for everyone on this list in that it would be a very terrible thing and a loss to all of us if your planned trip gets the best of you.

Vic
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  #59  
Old 02-28-2014, 05:46 PM
rockwoodrv9 rockwoodrv9 is offline
 
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Location: Meridian ID, Aspen CO, Okemos MI
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From one of my favorite movies, Heaven can Wait - The odds of someone being right are in direct proportion to the number of those trying to prove him wrong.
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  #60  
Old 02-28-2014, 05:47 PM
kengps kengps is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Anchorage summer
Posts: 31
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Here is a most valuable site for Alaska weather. I spend a lot of time looking here. Cameras are updated every 10 minutes. There are cams at Dutch too. Its cool to look at even if you don't plan to go. There are over 200 cameras in Alaska now, and they add more every year. Its a beautiful day today in Dutch and Cold Bay. All my experience starts in May so I can't tell you about weather this time of year. Someone said July/August but I disagree. That's the best months for mainland AK but I've found May best for the Aleutians.

http://akweathercams.faa.gov/index.php

Last edited by kengps : 02-28-2014 at 05:53 PM.
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