VFR to Russia (In Memory of Bob Axsom)

[Greg Arehart]

Did you see the lake and flood? Happens most every year and would be fascinating to watch, especially from the air.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon_Glacier

Greg

[precession]

Amazing scenery, photographs and adventure. Still loving this trip, keep them coming Vlad! Thanks.

[dave4754]

So inspiring Vlad.

The pictures are just great and the versatility of the RV is amazing isnt it.

A homebuilt aircraft traversing the continent like this is AMAZING! I wonder what (Dick) Van must think of this adventure in one of his designs.

CAVU Vlad on the rest of your trip.

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by Greg Arehart

Did you see the lake and flood? Happens most every year and would be fascinating to watch, especially from the air.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon_Glacier

Greg

I probably missed the flood Greg. I skimmed Salmon River back and forth couple times but the water was really low with plenty of landable sand bars.


... That's the early morning view from my hotel room in Stewart BC. The sun is rising and the ground mist will be burnt in couple hours. Breakfast, check out and 10 min walk to the airport. Half of the helicopter crowd was already working at their camps.








Smooth air beautiful views. Destination Terrace.





I slice a thin layer of fog and climb to 11,500 feet. Surreal landscapes.







In an hour and 20 minutes I am descending toward Terrace CYXT. Terrace radio holds a Westjet commuter till I vacate the runway. I got a nice comment from a lady-captain. Made my day.



The only FBO servicing transient fixed wing was quick and efficient. They fueled my airplane asked where I came from and where I am going. They took it as a good joke. Then I walked to the main terminal by Canadian Cadets Memorial.







I was rewarded with a nice lunch. A Czechoslovakian woman owns the restaurant and cooks nice borsch. Stop by if you are in Terrace you won't regret. 5 Canadian dollars for a bowl.





Time to roll again. Bye Terrace! Clear the surface area to the East.





Next stop planned was 108 Mile-Caribou Regional they have a nicely priced hotel at the airport. It's only 3 hours flight but I didn't make it. I landed some place I couldn't believe myself.

[vernon smith]

Like 55 grand others, I'm enjoying your odyssey to the land of the Czars. I have a simple question though, are all these well done photographs from your cell phone or a quality SLR?

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by vernon smith

Like 55 grand others, I'm enjoying your odyssey to the land of the Czars. I have a simple question though, are all these well done photographs from your cell phone or a quality SLR?

Thanks Vern. All shots are from Nikon D5500 all in auto mode. One of the few heavy cameras you can operate one handed. All pictures will go dark soon anyway they are on Pee Bucket

[vernon smith]

This can be avoided easily, download your photo inventory from XXX Bucket to your hard drive before they lock it up. Read through my suggested photo hosting solutions where the library lives as long as you give the web site hosting outfit twenty or thirty bucks a year. Of course, keep a copy of your web site in a cloud backup outfit like Synciplicity or Drop Box ( five bucks a month). Most any semi competent IT guy or 14 year old can do it for you

Read this; http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...editing&page=3

If all this fails send me a PM, it would be a forum catastrophe if you got discouraged and cancelled your RV flight to Byrd Station.

[Malndi]

Enjoying the journey with you. Quite like the way you tell the story.

Magnificent scenery and great photos.

But, am I the only person seeing an alien ship?

[BillL]

Originally Posted by Malndi

Enjoying the journey with you. Quite like the way you tell the story.

Magnificent scenery and great photos.

But, am I the only person seeing an alien ship?

How accidentally cool is that ! (Alien ship)

Keep'em coming Vlad, Outstanding!

[flightlogic]

Some good observations about risk from those watching Vlad's journey.
The reality of northern flying is not so evident unless you have lived there and flown regularly (for a living most likely). My time as an air taxi pilot was full of lessons. Low ceilings, weather that changes to IFR in minutes, without forecast. It is just a daily reality. And without roads, it is imperative to rely on planes. As Vlad mentions, you keep an eye out for a survivable landing spot... just as we do here in the lower 48. Just with more urgency on most days. The old R-985 engines had plenty of years and hours on them.... yet we kept on trucking. An outfit based in Juneau has flown the cold water channel for decades with Pipers on wheels. At least I had floats for the day the engine decided to pack it in. I had the opportunity to be chief pilot for the Capstone project when synthetic vision was developed. The technology brought a measure of safety to the arena but did not eliminate risk. We take it for granted in our RV's now. But many thousands of hours are in the logs, done by all those flying the beach line at low altitude. The FAA has cut the Alaskans slack for decades, as they know the realities first hand. The fatality rate is not one to be proud of... but the risk is accepted as part of the landscape. Vlad has done a good job of bringing the magnificent scenery to those armchair bush pilots around the world who have followed this thread. Cheers to a good Russian.