Mustang II Alaska Journal

Mustang II Alaska Photos & Journal
2010
Experimental Airplane - N727RH
Updated August 7, 2010
WARNING: Proper flight planning and preparation is required for all flights to and in Alaska.
Attempting to fly this route or duplicate this trip would obviously be AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Large Route Map
Photos
- Flight to Alaska May 23-25, 2010
- Flight to Seward May 30, 2010
- Flight to Seldovia June 19-20, 2010
- Glacier Flying July 12 & 17, 2010
Journal, Journal-Detail
Flight Times
Tracking

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Planned Route to Alaska - May, 2010 - Click for larger image

Photos

Flight from Mississippi to Anchorage - May 23-25, 2010

North Dakota / South Dakota border	Sunset while crossing into Canada	Sunset while crossing into Canada - GPS view	Regina Saskatchewan	Landing at Regina, SK
Over Saskatchewan	Over Saskatchewan	Edmonton City Airport	Fort Nelson from 10,000'	Sentinel Range south of the Liard River
Watson Lake Camping Area	Camping at Watson Lake at 10 PM	Dinner 'backpack-style'	View of the Watson Lake facilities	Sunset at Watson Lake
Sunset at Watson Lake	Watson Lake Airport	Cassiar Mountains	Virga (and turbulence) approaching Whitehorse, YT	Kluane Lake mirror-like reflection of the clouds
Kluane Lake ice	Kluane Range	Mentasta Mountains west of Northway, Alaska	Tazlina Glacier and Lake	Matanuska Glacier
Matanuska Glacier	Talkeetna Mountains north of the airway	Chugach Mountains south of the airway approaching Anchorage	Anchorage International Airport and Lake Hood Seaplane Base	The gear for the flight

Flight to Seward - May 30, 2010

Enroute to Seward, Alaska

On downwind for runway
13 - Seward, Alaska

Landing at Seward, AK

Parked at Seward, AK

Marina at Seward, AK

Flight to Seldovia, Alaska - June 19-20, 2010

"A Flight of two 727s" - John Davis, Sue Miller, Linda and I flew our Experimental airplanes to Seldovia, Alaska for the weekend 6/19-20/2010. Seldovia was a Russian fur trade post in the late 1700's and is inaccessible except by plane or boat. It lies across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska which is literally "The End of the Road" after driving as far west as you can in North America. "Seldovia is to Alaska what Alaska is to people from the Lower 48" [Mayor of Seldovia] Seldovia Chamber website - City website Map showing Seldovia and our route. Our airplane numbers: N727JD and N727RH were a slight challenge for Air Traffic Control and Flight Service. June 19th was the 12 year anniversary of my Mustang II's First Flight.
"The Flight of Two 727s"	Crossing the Turnagain Arm south of Anchorage	In formation with John near Ninilchik, Alaska	Seldovia, Alaska	Linda with me at Seldovia
John and Sue in Seldovia with their RV-7 N727JD	View from the Boardwalk Hotel	Seldovia airport - 1850' gravel viewed from the bridge	View north from the bridge in Seldovia	View of town from the south end of Seldovia airport
John and Sue as we hiked the "Otter Bahn Trail"	The Seldovia Slough	Three bald eagles At one point we saw seven	Iliamna volcano across Cook Inlet	Final to runway 7 Left at Anchorage International Runway 7 Right is under reconstruction this summer

"Working" airplanes at Anchorage
International airport

Linda and the Mustang II
in front of the hangar
at Lake Hood

Glacier Flying - July 12 & 17, 2010

YouTube Video of flying
over Cascade Glacier (0:46)
July 12, 2010

YouTube Video of circling
Mt. Muir and flying
over Colony Glacier (1:25)
July 17, 2010

SPOT map depicting approximate flight route (July 12, 2010) (Click for larger image)
The SPOT waypoints were 10 minutes apart, so the actual ground track is not accurately depicted.
As you'll see in the photos our eastern-most point was over Barry Arm, the light blue area below
Barry and Cascade Glaciers, time-wise between SPOT Points 10 and 11
SPOT point "4" shows the Young Eagle flight earlier in the day over the Mat-Su Valley.

Goat Mountain Raven Glacier East of Crow Creek Trail	Approaching Eagle Glacier	Eagle Glacier	Linda
		Barry Glacier (L) Coxe Glacier (R)		Colony Glacier
Lake George Glacier	Landing at the Lake Hood Gravel strip	Circling Mt. Muir at Colony Glacier July 17, 2010	Flying down Colony Glacier July 17, 2010	Looking up Colony Glacier July 17, 2010

Journal

Spring, 2010
- Decided to fly the Mustang II back to Alaska for a couple months this summer.
- This will be the fourth trip to Alaska, and seventh time to fly The Alaska Highway in the Mustang II.

May, 2010
- Planning to do at least one night's camping in the Yukon Territory. Here is the survival and camping equipment I'll take (minus the shotgun).
- Got a "SPOT" tracking device. See the Tracking link info below.
- Got new charts, both VFR and IFR for the route from Northern Lights Avionics. (2002 photo)
- Arranged to rent a Satellite Phone for the flight from Surveyor's Exchange.
- Will borrow the Cessna's portable Garmin 396 GPS with XM weather.
- It's interesting to think about all the new electronic safety devices I'll have on this flight that I didn't have back in 2002:
Color WAAS GPS with CAT I LPV approach capability, XM weather display, 406 Emergency Locator Transmitter, SPOT tracking device, Sat phone.
- An additional new fun device is the ability to listen to the iPhone / iPod in stereo through the airplane's intercom.
- Studied how the US Customs eAPIS system works, started an account and obtained my Departure and Arrival permissions.
AOPA's eAPIS course
- Ordered a 2010 Customs decal. The link for their site: here.
- Renewed my 406 ELT registration here
- Called a few FBOs in Canada to get a feel for the fuel prices: $1.65 CDN per liter (~$6.12 USD / gal.) in Edmonton; $1.68 CDN per liter (~$6.23 USD / gal.) in Watson Lake, YT.; $5.15 / gal. in Minot, ND
- For future comparison, this week in Anchorage Regular auto fuel is $3.37 ; Avgas $4.73 ; Oil $72 / barrel.
- Planned the route again: Estimated mileage: 2980 NM (3427 SM), ETE: 22 hours. Hoping to complete it in three days, weather and luck permitting.
- Map of Route (1.3 MB)
- This flight is about 6 hours in the MD-11. As I've been saying: "It's a long flight at Mach .83 [in the MD-11], but it's a REAL LONG flight at Mach .25" [in the Mustang II]...

Journal - Trip Summary

- May 21 - Friday: Rode jumpseat ANC-MEM on FDX #28
- May 22 - Saturday: Prepared airplane for departure
- May 23 - Sunday: Flew Olive Branch, MS (KOLV) - Omaha, NE (KOMA) - Minot, ND (KMOT) - Regina, SK (CYQR).
Departed a day earlier than planned to beat a storm system that was moving into the Dakotas Monday. Glad I did. Regina was just north of the precipitation as I left there Monday.
- May 24 - Monday: Flew Regina, SK (CYQR) - Edmonton, AB (CYXD) - Ft. St. John, BC (CYXJ) - Watson Lake, YT (CYQH).
Camped at Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. Excellent.
- May 25 - Tuesday: Flew Watson Lake, YT (CYQH) - Whitehorse, YT (CYXY) - Anchorage, AK (PANC).
Overflew Northway, going non-stop from Whitehorse to Anchorage

Journal - Detail

- May 22 - Saturday: Prepared the airplane for departure

Arrived in Memphis on the FDX jumpseat at 1:30 AM and Matt cheerfully picked me up. After a short night's sleep I went to the Olive Branch airport to get the airplane ready and updated the terrain, obstacle and nav databases for the Garmin 430 at Bondurant Avionics. It was very hot: 98° in the hangar, 94° outside as I spent three hours packing the plane and getting it ready. Later at home I took a careful look at the weather - there was a system of thunderstorms brewing over Wyoming that was forecast to move into the Dakotas on Monday. Although I'd planned to "take Sunday off" and visit with my boys, I started making plans to depart Sunday to avoid the weather. Got to bed early, but tossed a lot thinking of a million details and got up several times to get 'last-minute' items. I even was thinking about how Lindbergh's sleep wasn't the best the night before his epic flight as described in "The Spirit of St. Louis".

- May 23 - Sunday: Mississippi to Saskatchewan

    When I got up and looked at the weather again it became apparent that today was going to be a much better day than tomorrow for flying through the Dakotas. I filed IFR flight plans for the first two legs: to Omaha and then Minot. The wind forecast for both places had me a little concerned with gusts forecast to over 30 knots. Regina's winds were 29 gusting to 38 knots. Tim and Noah picked me up, we had brunch together, then went to the airport. We shuffled the planes around, moving the Cessna into the hangar.

    Leg 1 I departed Olive Branch at 1232 / 1244. (OUT and OFF times). On departure control I was cleared direct to Omaha. While working Memphis ATC I heard FDX 9161 departing, who was cleared "Direct Minot" enroute to Anchorage. The frequency wasn't too busy, so I mentioned that I was also heading to Anchorage. The controller asked me how long that was going to take and I replied "about 21 hours over three days". There was a pause and I could almost read the controller's mind just before he said: "FedEx 9161, how long is it going to take YOU to get to Anchorage?" They said "about six hours ... but it sounds like the other guy's going to have a lot more fun.." I changed altitude several times trying to find a compromise between the poor 147 K groundspeed but smooth air at 8,000' and the 160 K groundspeed but rough air in the clouds at 6,000'. The only relief was when Whiteman Approach let me fly at 7,000' (the 'wrong altitude' for the direction) while in their airspace. When I got to Omaha, the winds were 170° at 18 gusting to 23 knots. Landing on runway 18 was no problem. ON and IN times were 1558 / 1601.

    It was a busy stop there, getting fuel, rechecking weather and NOTAMS, then making four calls: to the FBOs in Minot and Regina to confirm they'd be open late Sunday night, then to Canadian and US Customs. I was now a day early for my eAPIS permission from US Customs, so had to reapply and get a new permission to leave the country. This is a new requirement that started in 2009. The fellow I talked to in Regina was quite surprised to hear I was planning to fly in tonight - he said the winds were "really blowing...gusting over 40 knots". I gave CANPASS (Canadian Customs) an ETA of 2130 Local Time. Minot still had winds of 240° at 21 gusting to 27 K and Regina was reporting gusts to 38 K. I'm betting that it will die down as that intense low pressure area quickly moves east over the next several hours.

    Leg 2 With all there was to do I wasn't able to depart Omaha until 1731 / 1744 and as I took off the winds were 180° at 19 gusting to 24. Visibility over the Dakotas was unlimited and with Tim's Garmin 396 with XM weather I could see the storms moving northeastward from Wyoming several hundred miles to the southwest. I kept checking the winds ahead and at 1909 there was a Special that Minot winds were now only 11 knots. [sigh of relief] At 1842 I passed Sioux Falls, SD and a few minutes later started to feel chilly: OAT 12° C. I was now north of the front. At 1942 crossed the SD / ND border plainly laid out by a road which I photographed. At 2020 passing abeam Bismarck, SD at 10,000' I actually had to turn on the heat as the OAT was now only 4° C. What a pleasant change from the 30° C (86° F) in Mississippi eight hours ago! Landed on runway 26 at Minot 2042 / 2047. Got fuel and quickly filed IFR direct to Regina, Saskatchewan.

    Leg 3 Departed Minot at 2112 / 2115 CDT. Sunset at Minot was 2127 LT and 2050 LT in Regina. Saskatchewan is in the Central Time Zone, but doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time, so is actually CST which is the same as MDT... [Got that?..] Makes giving an estimate for crossing the border (for the eAPIS departure permission) an interesting challenge.

    It was a pretty flight to Regina - cleared direct. It was a slow sunset flying straight into the setting sun. The sun set just a few miles before crossing the US / Canada border. The photos really don't do justice to how serene it was. At 2140, just 6 minutes before crossing the border Minot ATC said: "Radar service terminated, contact Winnipeg Center on 123.8 when 70 miles southeast of Regina. Good night." Sort-of eerie... In contact with no one as I leave the US as the sun has gone down and I go back in time one hour. I sent a SPOT "I'm OK" message as I crossed the border. I continued to pass the time listening to my iPod / iPhone through the stereo audio intercom, with my 700+ songs on "Shuffle" varying from Tchaikovsky to Madonna.

    Twenty six minutes later I called Winnipeg Center and got a reassuring "Radar Identified". Regina slowly appeared ahead and was clear and scenic in the late twilight. The winds were down to only six knots as I landed on runway 26 and back-taxied to go to the Customs shack. On and in at 2138 / 2141 CST. Inside I called CANPASS and after answering a few simple questions was "cleared" over the phone and given a clearance number. Nice and easy. I taxied the 100 yards to the Shell FBO who was about to close - it was approaching 10 PM. He asked if I had a room reserved and I said no. He reminded me that it was a "holiday weekend" with tomorrow being Victoria Day. As I secured the plane he called a cab and got me a hotel reservation at the West Harvest Inn where I'd stayed a couple times before. Nice, friendly service. Due to the holiday and late hour, my first meal in many hours was a sandwich and a liter of Gatorade at "Mr. Sub" at 11 PM.

    1184 nautical miles in 7 hours, 35 minutes flying time today, 8 hours and 14 minutes in the seat. Needless to say, there was no trouble getting to sleep.

- May 24 - Monday - Day 2: Regina, Saskatchewan to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory

    Victoria Day in Canada - similar to President's day in the US, many businesses were closed. Got up at 6:30 and had the breakfast buffet at the West Harvest Inn. The clouds from the weather system I tried to avoid in the Dakotas were visible to the southeast. I'm glad I got north of it yesterday. The FBO's fuel truck wasn't able to pump fuel, so after my weather briefing and flight plan filing with NavCanada, I taxied over to the Regina Flying Club for fuel. Had to do a little math to decide how many liters to pump in each tank to stick to my weight & balance plan. (1 gallon = 3.785 L) A fellow there remembered John Veale and his Mustang II that was based here 15 years ago.

    Leg 4 Departed Regina IFR for Edmonton City Airport at 0936 / 0945 climbing on top of a scattered cloud layer and settled in for the 2 1/2 hour flight across the Canadian prairie. Entered Alberta at 1128 just barely on top at 6,000'. "Switched" from CST to MDT - oh, it's still 1128. It was a nice day in Edmonton, a few clouds at 5,800', 10 miles visibility, temperature 12° C and the winds were very light. I was cleared for a visual approach to runway 16 after I reported it in sight quite a distance out. On / In at 1223 / 1226. Parked at the Esso and had some Chinese food at the Airport's Flying Club restaurant next door. As I got ready to depart I felt a squeak and resistance in the right aileron ball bearing, so took a delay as I got access to it and lubricated it.

    Leg 5 Departed Edmonton at 1442 / 1451. Edmonton Departure cleared me direct to SASEM - an approach fix at Ft. St. John. At 1534 was flying over snow on the ground northwest of Whitecourt. Near Grand Prairie Edmonton Center asked if I saw any remaining indication of fire on the ground since they had a section closed to air traffic. I said no, I could see no smoke and visibility was so good I could see the mountains 80 miles to the southwest. Entered British Columbia abeam Dawson Creek at 1636 MT and changed the clocks back to Pacific time to 1536. Radar Contact was lost, and won't be resumed again for another 1,000+ miles when I approach Anchorage. Ft. St. John was calm and clear. They have a "Mandatory Frequency" but no radar and they sounded busy. They kept asking a King Air inbound from the west and me (from the southeast) "How many miles back?" and our ETAs. It sounded like I was slightly ahead, so I cancelled IFR and said I'd let the King Air land first. It turns out the King Air pilot agreed to land on runway 02 and I went straight in to runway 29 - keeping a watch out for each other. Landed and shut down at the AeroShell at 1548 / 1553 PDT as the King Air cleared runway 02. The left main tire was a bit low and a couple guys there got an air tank and helped me take care of that.

    Leg 6 Departed Ft. St. John at 1653 / 1705 and climbed to 8,000' but it was quite turbulent near the base of the clouds. Edmonton Center cleared me to climb to 10,000' where it was slightly smoother, but was now flying in scattered to broken clouds for the next hour, constantly checking for ice. I'd put on my survival vest, which isn't as comfortable, but I feel a good idea now that I'm in the "Sparsely Settled Area" of Canada. There are special survival gear requirements from here on northwestward, and as you fly for hours and hours over wilderness, it is readily apparent why. To me, a different mind set kicks in after departing 'civilization' at Ft. St. John. If something "goes wrong" now (such as engine failure) I have a couple special red buttons to push (on the SPOT and the 406 ELT) and then I would be 'on my own' for a while. Well, let's not dwell on that... This next 1,000 miles is to me the most significant case of "Prepare for the worst but hope for the best" that I encounter.

    The weather enroute has been considerably better than most previous trips, especially in 2002 when this leg from Ft. St. John to Watson Lake was hard IFR with 500 foot overcasts, rain and freezing levels near the Minimum IFR Enroute altitude making it a marginal situation. Here is the weather map back then. Passed over Ft. Nelson at 1817 viewing it from 10,000'. Ten minutes later, the Alaska Highway veered southwestward going out of view. The airway now heads out over some rough terrain and puts you up to 35 NM north of the Highway until rejoining it 35 minutes later at Liard River. I'm going to stop thinking about "What if.." and enjoy the view of the Sentinel Range. The weather was nice and clear at Watson Lake and I landed straight in on runway 26 at 1935 / 1937.

    Talked to Bill at the CARS [Community Aerodrome Radio Station] building who gave me an overnight weather forecast and invited me to use the pilot lounge. Taxied the plane over to the camping area and considering a stiffening wind from the east, I set up the tent near the trees to provide a bit of a windbreak. Made a 'backpack' dinner of spaghetti and meat sauce and enjoyed the silence and solitude. There was a pretty sunset over the lake at 10:25 PM, but the light lasted all night. It was a great camping experience.

    Today was 1082 nautical miles in 7 hours, 5 minutes flying time, 7 hours and 45 minutes block time.

- May 25 - Tuesday - Day 3: Watson Lake, Yukon Territory to Anchorage, Alaska

    Some strong winds woke me up at 3:30 but the tent was holding up OK - back to sleep. Awoke at 7:30 to a beautiful day. Seriously considered staying longer, but my backpack stove was not feeding fuel adequately and even after trying to repair it I couldn't get it lit. I was later told that aviation gas can tend to coke the burner, so I should use white gas instead. Instead of building a wood fire for breakfast, just had cold food and prepared to break camp. Taxied to get fuel, then updated my US Customs eAPIS permission online at the CARS building, got a weather briefing and filed IFR to Whitehorse. It turns out that by now, Linda and Tim tracking me in Alaska and Tennessee were getting concerned that they had not seen a SPOT update and were beginning to wonder why I wasn't airborne. The SPOT tracking was a great peace-of-mind device for all of us.

    Leg 7 Departed Watson Lake for Whitehorse at 1242 / 1250 and flew at 10,000' just below the base of the clouds most of the way. IFR flight consists of relays through Whitehorse Radio to Edmonton Center. Flew through some virga and turbulence west of Teslin. Upon arrival at Whitehorse, another King Air and I were in 'conflict', so I cancelled IFR. It turns out I was considerably ahead of him, but I entered a VFR holding pattern to let him get under me for his practice instrument approach to runway 31 Left. He flew extremely slow on final, then did a go-around. The Tower controller said: "I've never seen a homebuilt that fast." [Big grin on my face...] Landed at 1407 / 1409.

    Refueled and then got my first real meal of the day about 3 PM at the Airport Cafe across the Alaska Highway from the airport. Whitehorse has a unique landmark: an actual DC-3 up on a post that pivots into the wind, probably making it the largest wind vane in the world. Attempting to get through to US Customs at Northway was unsuccessful and I called Linda to attempt to do so and forward my Estimated Time of Arrival. Linda had found a second telephone number for them and after talking to them also learned that they were now closing at 4 PM vs. 5 as published in the current Alaska Supplement. In fact, even at this writing (June 22, 2010) the "Customs Guide for Private Flyers" on their web site (4.7 MB) (here) on page 35 shows 1700 and lists the number the number they said we "shouldn't have used". For clarification, the correct number to use is (907) 774-2252. It would not be possible for me to make the 4 PM closing now (even after considering the Time Zone change), so I replanned to fly non-stop from Whitehorse to Anchorage. I visited with NavCanada for an enjoyable in-person weather briefing - a thing of the past for pilots in the Lower 48. The satellite photos showed a significant increase in thunderstorms moving across the route to Northway at Beaver Creek as well as between Northway and Anchorage at Glenallen, causing me to decide to wait a few hours until they 'calmed down'. It turns out I would've missed the Northway Customs ETA anyway... At 5 PM I got another briefing and saw that the thunderstorms had dissipated, so filed IFR for a 1745 departure. Calling US Customs in Anchorage was a positive experience, and they were receptive to me changing destination without a new eAPIS permission - the verbal permission from them was good enough.

    Leg 8 Departed Whitehorse for Anchorage at 1734 / 1742 PDT. Passed Burwash at 1834 and took several photos of beautiful Kluane Lake then flew along the notheast side of the Kluane Range. Entered Alaska at 1905 PDT / 1805 ADT. It always is an exciting moment to watch the Canada / Alaska border slide by on the GPS at 141° west longitude. At 1819 passed over Northway at 10,000' and made the 67° left turn to proceed southwest toward Glenallen. Made my non-radar position report to Anchorage Center and heard several FedEx flights on their way from Anchorage to the Lower 48 from the afternoon launch. Enjoyed a great view of the Mentasta Mountains and later the Tazlina Glacier and Lake, the Matanuska Glacier and Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains.

    When 40 miles east of Big Lake VOR I heard "Radar Contact" for the first time in approximately 1,000 miles. [Another grin and sigh of relief]. I could see Anchorage even before reaching Palmer (40 miles northeast) and cancelled IFR to expedite my arrival. I did a high-speed descent and Anchorage Approach gave me a Mackenzie Arrival. The Tower said: "Turn west over the approach end of 14, left downwind for 32, remain north of 7 Left, there is a 747 on final for that runway, cleared to land 32, wind 270 at 10." As it turns out, Linda had just turned on the scanner and watched my arrival which she said looked like I "went diving / spiraling straight down". I turned off right in front of the FedEx ramp and taxied to the North Terminal, Gate N2 to clear Customs. I always chuckle as I pull up to a jetway in the Mustang II, I'm sure looking quite insignificant compared to the heavy jets that usually park there. My ON and IN times were 1956 / 2002, so I was :13 early for my 2015 estimate. I just sat in the plane and a few minutes later called Customs just to let them know I was there. The Customs officer came out a few minutes later apologizing that I had to wait. He verified some information on his clipboard and welcomed me home. It felt good.

    I never even got out of my seat and called Linda again on the cell phone. She was a bit worried after seeing me spiral in and drop out of view behind the terminal building and hadn't heard from me. In all the excitement she'd forgotten that I had to clear Customs. She drove to the Charlie parking area to wave "Hello" then generally followed me (on roads) as I taxied from the International airport to Lake Hood. It is a couple miles of taxiing through a couple crossing gates including crossing the main road "Postmark Drive" then on combined road / taxiways around Lake Hood to the hangar on the commercial finger of the combined seaplane base / airport. Our friend Sara has graciously offered her hangar while the Mustang is in town, since her airplane is already on floats. Linda and I put the Mustang II into its new 'home' at 8:30 PM - and the sun doesn't set until 11:08 PM tonight !

    Today was 714 nautical miles in 4 hours, 31 minutes flying time, 4 hours and 55 minutes block time.
The total trip was 2980 nautical airway miles, 19 hours 11 minutes flying time and 20 hours 54 minutes block time.

    I was very grateful to have had quite good weather and another safe trip to Alaska in the Mustang II. It is extremely rewarding to fly a trip like this in an airplane that you have built yourself. If you are bulding, or considering building your own airplane - this is the reward!

[ Journal and photos of flight south to be added at a later date ]

Planned Route and Actual Flight Times

Flight North to Alaska

Leg	From	To	Distance Airway Nautical Miles	Estimated Time	Actual Flight	Actual Block
Day 1 May 23, 2010
1	KOLV Olive Branch, MS	KOMA Omaha, NE	506	3+35	3+14	3+29
2	KOMA Omaha, NE	KMOT Minot, ND	492	3+30	2+58	3+16
3	KMOT Minot, ND	CYQR Regina, SK	186	1+25	1+23	1+29
Total for Day 1			1184	8+30	7+35	8+14
Day 2 May 24, 2010
4	CYQR Regina, SK	CYXD Edmonton, AB	394	2+50	2+38	2+50
5	CYXD Edmonton, AB	CYXJ Ft. St. John, BC	313	2+20	1+57	2+11
6	CYXJ Ft. St. John, BC	CYQH Watson Lake, YT	375	2+45	2+30	2+44
Total for Day 2			1082	7+55	7+05	7+45
Day 3 May 25, 2010
7	CYQH Watson Lake, YT	CYXY Whitehorse, YT	201	1+35	1+17	1+27
8	CYXY Whitehorse, YT	PAOR Northway, AK	250	1+55	3+14 (Overflew Northway)	3+28
9	PAOR Northway, AK	PANC Anchorage, AK	263	2+00	3+14 (Overflew Northway)	3+28
Total for Day 3			714	5+30	4+31	4+55
Total for Trip			2980	21+55	19+11	20+54

Actual Flight Times

Flight South from Alaska to Mississippi

Leg	From	To	Actual Flight	Actual Block
Day 1 July 26, 2010
1	PANC Anchorage, AK	CYXY Whitehorse, YT	3+24	4+00
Total for Day 1			3+24	4+00
Day 2 July 27, 2010
2	CYXY Whitehorse, YT	CYXJ Ft. St. John, BC	3+41	3+57
3	CYXJ Ft. St. John, BC	CYQR Regina, SK	4+19	4+32
Total for Day 2			8+00	8+29
Day 3 July 28, 2010
4	CYQR Regina, SK	KMOT Minot, ND	1+13	1+24
5	KMOT Minot, ND	KOMA Omaha, NE	2+59	3+07
6	KOMA Omaha, NE	KOLV Olive Branch, MS	3+08	3+21
Total for Day 3			7+20	7+52
Total for Trip			18+44	20+21

Tracking

- Here is the link to track the flight via the SPOT:
Track the flight - The password is: "N727RH" (without the quotes)
- Tracking via FlightAware using Air Traffic Control radar is available here. But ATC radar will not track from just beyond Edmonton until 50 miles northeast of Anchorage. ATC tracking also ceases if I cancel IFR or terminate ATC services. The SPOT should track the entire trip.
- I believe the Flight Aware tracking data stays on-line for four months. (Available longer only if you pay a fee.).
- The SPOT tracking data as viewed from the link listed earlier will only stay on-line for 7 days. In case you haven't tried it, be sure to go to the "OK" messages at the various stops (I sent those when starting up and shutting down, as well as when crossing the US border outbound and inbound) and zoom in using the Satellite view. You can see within a few feet where I parked. Pretty amazing technology, I think, powered only by three "AAA" batteries. At Watson lake, for example, I sent an "OK" from the camp site parking on the southwest side of the airport.
- Here is a link to "SPOT Adventures" which should keep the tracking data:

Mustang II to Alaska

Google Earth's 3-D View of the starting waypoint. Ironically, a satellite
photo was taken April 10, 2010 when Tim and I were washing the
Mustang II - visible in the image at left horizontal stab. Our C-150 is
also in the photo.

- After clicking on the "Mustang II to Alaska" SPOT Adventures link above the graphic, check out this link on that page: Download KML (view trip in 3D in Google Earth). If unable to download, try the file saved here.
- Once you figure out how Google Earth works in 3D, you can "Fly" this trip yourself in 3D (a lot faster than real-time !).
- Here is a screen shot with "Eye Altitude" at 10,000 (the altitude flown) when passing the Matanuska Glacier, halfway between Gulkana and Anchorage. Compare my photo to the Google Earth 3D:

Click for a larger image

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