Montana to Alaska

[Blue4]

Well folks, the long-awaited time has come for my to fly my airplane from its point of purchase in Helena, MT to Fairbanks, AK.

I thought maybe a few of you would be interested in watching my progress, so here's an easy link: http://tinyurl.com/blue4spot That goes to my SPOT tracker, which is a pretty nifty device that works well (I had some misgivings based on the satellite constellation it uses).

I'll wave as I fly over! Cheers.

-Scott

[W.J.Langholz]

Looks like the beginnings of a 'Article" for the 170 news

Scott hope you can post and update along the way.

Good Luck and be safe

Willie

[jrenwick]

Hi Scott!

SPOT is truly a useful thing. Be sure to mention it in the "Remarks" section of your flight plan. Nav Canada will appreciate knowing you have it. Maybe that goes for Alaska as well. If your emergency contact person knows how to pull up your shared page, and can give the URL to flight services if they call, there could be a nice trail of electronic breadcrumbs to help them locate you. Also, mention in your SPOT's emergency profile that you're on a flight plan (with your N-number) and that the emergency services people should contact FSS to let them know they've gotten a "911" signal from you.

Have a great trip!

Best Regards,

John

[canav8]

Hi Scott!

SPOT is truly a useful thing. Be sure to mention it in the "Remarks" section of your flight plan. Nav Canada will appreciate knowing you have it. Maybe that goes for Alaska as well. If your emergency contact person knows how to pull up your shared page, and can give the URL to flight services if they call, there could be a nice trail of electronic breadcrumbs to help them locate you. Also, mention in your SPOT's emergency profile that you're on a flight plan (with your N-number) and that the emergency services people should contact FSS to let them know they've gotten a "911" signal from you.

Have a great trip!

Best Regards,

John

Dam John that is an awesome idea. I wish I had thought of that when I first started using it. Just give them the URL and they would be good to go as a back up. Simply awesome. Doug

[jrenwick]

Dam John that is an awesome idea. I wish I had thought of that when I first started using it. Just give them the URL and they would be good to go as a back up. Simply awesome. Doug

Thanks! I was a little slow to cop on to this -- it didn't occur to me until I was returning home from my Alaska trip two years ago. We decided to leave the highway and fly a leg over the wilderness between Watson Lake and Fort Nelson, and en route I got to thinking pretty hard about how they'd ever find me if we went down out there. That's when the light bulb finally came on, and when I called FSS to file the next flight plan and mentioned the SPOT, they said they were familiar with those, and were glad I told them I had it. Wish I'd thought of it before we left to go up there!

John

[N2255D]

For anyone considering a Spot tracker I ran across this.

SPOT Personal Tracker - 893049001059 - $50.00 Rebate
SkyGeek Price: $99.95

Spot Satellite Messenger $50.00 Rebate on all portable SPOT Messenger units. Here is the deal. Buy a new SPOT from SkyGeek.com between 10/29/09 through 03/31/10, Mail in the SPOT Position Rebate Form and get a $50.00 Pre-Paid Visa card back directly from SPOT. Thank You for being a SkyGeek Customer. You Rock!

http://www.skygeek.com/skygeek-pilot-special-deals.html

[c170b53]

What's your planned routing? Weather this time of year can make the trip a long one. From Spot it appears you're doing a thorough walk around.

[akviperdriver]

Scott,

Congrats on a safe flight home! It looks like the Spot tracking worked pretty well. I guess I know what I'm getting in a few weeks... peace of mind for my wife

I'm looking forward to hearing all about the trip in a few weeks. Please post a few quick observations for the forum about the trip. I know we're all interested. Like Willie Langholz said... it will make a great article for the 170 News.

Chris

[Blue4]

The SPOT worked great. My brother and I had a blast seeing some of the best sights this continent has to offer.

Perhaps I was over prepared, or exceptionally lucky, or both -- but I feel a little disappointed that I made a trip of such magnitude with no major complications. Knock on wood, its the first of many. The weather was gorgeous on day 2 & 3, and only windy (meaning turbulent) leaving Montana across the Canadian Plains. I couldn't have asked for better. Our only rough spots were customs (as expected) and the bunk houses at Whitehorse are being torn out to make offices (bummer for us cheapos).

We took many photographs, and I'll write down some notes for potential publication. Back at home, I've already begun some of my other "joys" of airplane ownership. I expect to be having some good 170 adventures with the neighbors this summer!

Hope you all enjoyed watching the track.
-Scott

[W.J.Langholz]

Scott
Good job. I hope you get a chance to write it all down for and article and pictures for the 170 news. It would nice to know things like how often you stopped and where, fuel burn,what you packed in the plane, your experience at the border etc.etc.

Glad you made it safely and we enjoyed watching the spot tracker

Thanks for sharing with us

Willie

[c170b53]

Well done,looks like a great fly. Can you let us know where you crossed, which airport was your port of entry and how did it go with customs?

[AR Dave]

Sure wish I'd had one when we took that trip all over the Rockies two summers ago. It would've been a fun way to track our progress instead of calling GAR in the evenings. No radio contact or cell phone reception. I did get one last year (still new in the box), but now I don't have a big trip to take. Thinking of putting it over on the Trademart!

[futr_alaskaflyer]

T
Perhaps I was over prepared, or exceptionally lucky, or both -- but I feel a little disappointed that I made a trip of such magnitude with no major complications. Knock on wood, its the first of many.

Don't worry, if you plan on making them in the future mother nature won't disappoint - especially in the winter. And yes it is still winter. Both times I flew up in the winter months I was snowed in for three days in one spot. Last time it was Teslin. In the winter. With only bad CBC to watch.

the bunk houses at Whitehorse are being torn out to make offices (bummer for us cheapos).

WHAAAAAAAAT?!?