YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

[matsuthunder200]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Roger I seen mark at the hanger in willow he said that you bought tims t-craft. Do you have your skis on yet?? I flew to the cabin yesterday its out by skwentna boy was the snow deep. Dick to bad you cant make it to watch the iditerod sled dog race. Ill probably fly out by myself to watch them go by mabe get some good pics. If anyone wants to go let me know and we'll hook up before the race.....

[AKTcrafter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Lance,
I did get my skis on today and spent about 3 1/2 hours out and about just landing and seeing how the plane did on skis. Most of my ski flying has been done up on the North Slope and around Kotzebue where there is very little deep or soft snow. It was really cool to touch down on an untracked lake and not even feel the skis hit the snow. It was much smoother and easier on the plane that my previous ski flying but when taking off in the deeper snow it gets up to about 30 mph and just stops accelerating...well, it really slows down on the acceleration. It was much quicker take off after I got my 220# friend out of the right seat and gave my 100# son a ride. He thought it was pretty cool too. I think we're going to try to get out next week and go get some of those caribou down around Lake Clark or Iliamna. If we don't do that next weekend we're in for some Iditarod flying so I'll stay in touch! Take care everyone and enjoy the snow!

Roger Clyne

[flathorn]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

I just joined this forum, am based in Alaska, and saw several posts from AK TCrafters, and the comments about flying out to watch the Iditarod next week. I live at Flathorn where the race comes through from time to time (it used to come through there all the time when snow was more reliable and Knik had its act together more). If the race doesn't come through Flathorn, we watch it in front of my brother's lot (no cabin) on the Yentna below Big Bend. The weather has been so warm for a couple weeks that creeks and lake outlets are starting to open up a bit. When I was on the Big Su yesterday, I saw some spots that were slumping, which is not good - you know how the Yentna can get in conditions like that.
Have you guys picked a spot to watch or are you sort of looking? I know a nice little spot right before Puntilla, but there's not a lot of room for a bunch of planes, being a swamp. But it's a LOT less crowded than down on the Yentna, or at Puntilla or any of those checkpoints, what with the absolutely bananas snow machine traffic - I don't trust landing around a lot of snow machines. I'd have to check the spot near Puntilla for snow depth though I generally try to not set down tracks until Iditarod Sunday, or when you come back you find a plane parked there (generally a Super Cub -urgh). I have an F19 w/100hp, and it doesn't have much trouble getting in and out, as long as you set down some tracks to take-off on.
I have a spot on the ice at Lake Hood when I come to town. The flying has been good, though a little too warm to keep conditions good. Let me know about your Iditarod plans - maybe I'll stop in where you're parked.
Regards/Kathy Chesnut
3585t

[matsuthunder200]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

will be at the willow airport untill 11am sunday. Then will take off for the yetna to watch part of the idterod. If anyone wants to join in it should be fun

[AKTcrafter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Lance,

I'll probably try to get up t Willow on Sunday morning to meet up with you and do some flying. It would be great to see afew more Tcrafts there too!

Roger Clyne

[supercub185]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Anyone coming to maine that has'nt been ski flying e mail me and would be glad to introduce you to it.Just let me know ahead of time if your plans are taking you through this area. [email protected]

[matsuthunder200]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Roger Looks like the start of the iditerod sled dog race dosnt start till 2pm from willow lake. we might want to pick a time to meet up. They will prob take a couple of hours to get up the yetna. Hey everyone we need a few more people to show up at willow.

[Dano"T"]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

I'm new to this forum, but I've already learned a lot. I have a flying 1946 BC12D-85 (See Pics) and a 1940 BL-55 (A65) project. I love ski flying, nothing else compares. Hope to learn a lot from all you fellow T-craft lovers out there. FYI, don't forget a good coat of wax before leaving your plane out in the winter. Ice sticks like glue to the fabric. Wish I had remembered to do it myself. My white plane doesn't help melt the ice either.

[AKTcrafter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Lance and others in the MatSu area,

Do you have a phone number where I can call you to arrange a possible meeting today? I'm in Anchorage now and am starting to get things ready to head out and get the plane going. My son and I are planning on going over to Mt. Susuitna to look at possible downhill ski routes down the back side of the mountain and then we'll probably head up toward Willow and from there we might visit a friend up near Talkeetna. My cell phone number is 229-3827. I'll have it with me and will probably have my radio on 122.8 or 122.9 or 122.75 as appropriate when up in the valley. The call sign in N94964. I hope to hear back from you or anyone else who's going to be up that way today...Sunday.

Roger

[matsuthunder200]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

I made it to willow sunday at about 11 am. The sled dog race didnt start untill 2pm. I decided to Fly out to the cabin for a few hours while i waited for the race to start. Roger i didnt see your post untill after i got home or i would of gotten ahold of you.. Was a wonderfull day!! after we left the cabin we landed on the lower yetna river to watch the sled dogs go by. For those of you that have nevey herd of the iditerod sled dog race. Its the longest sled dog race in north ameraca 1100 miles. There was 76 dog teams in it this year. i did bring a camera but i havent gotten any pic developed yet . I will post some when i do. there was about 30 planes on skis where i landed and it was real busy looked like a bee hive with all the planes. I did see 4 t-crafts I only met one owner but i did tell him about this site.. It was a great day of flying and meeting dif people.

[AKTcrafter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Hello Everyone,

I had a nice day of flying both yesterday and today. I tried to land on top of Mt. Susitna but the lighting was too flat to be able to see very well so I had to make do with a couple of low passes. Today worked out better as I landed at the 4,700 foot level of Bald Mountain, just north of Palmer, Alaska. I'm going to try to attach a few pictures to this message but am not really sure if it will work or not. Tomorrow, the plan is to drop off a friend at his cabin about 95 miles northwest of Anchorage. There's lots of deep snow up there so it ought to be interesting. He's six foot four so it ought to be interesting just fitting him into the T-Craft. It's a good thing it's not any farther to get to his cabin or I might have to cut him out of the plane.

Happy Flying, Roger

[crispy critter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

Roger,
I'm 6'4" and 200lbs and I fit in a t-craft just fine.I might have my seat sling let out a bit but I love a t-craft.Forrest is also about my size with the exception of his belt size .All in good humor Forrest

[AKTcrafter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

So much for beautiful snow conditions here in the Anchorage area! Steve and I got our planes off Lake Hood this morning after taxiing through about six inches of water and slush. We saw a Cub that had water lapping at the belly so it could have been much worse for us. I'm hoping for some colder temperatures to freeze things back up and at least enough snow to get my plane back across the road to the lake for just a little more ski flying before spring is definitely upon us.

Bye, Roger

[Yellow Duck]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

All you T-Crafters in AK, have a few friends up there. Gary Broussard in North Pole, Steve Hartley. Has an FBO, but don't know where. Dan Gulliery, flying 206's somewhere.

Too cold for this cajun. Temp about right here. Mid 70's to low 80's. That sounds good to me. If I want anything attached ti my undercarrage, it would be floats.

But is beautiful, and I enjoy the pictures.

[AKTcrafter]

Re: YES! Beautiful Snow Conditions!

I took a few photos the other day while Steve Long and were moving our planes off of water logged Lake Hood in Anchorage. Check out the Supercub Ski-"Float" planes pictured below. You can easily see why Steve and I were were anxious to get our planes off of the lake!

Roger Clyne