And then there were two

[ASpilot2be]

It's not as complicated as it would seem. Yute was a "VFR operator" simply because that's all their equipment would allow them to do (207's). The general movement in rural Alaska flying is toward IFR operations thus making mom and pop VFR 135s a thing of the past. That said, many airports still exist that have no instrument approaches and have the expectation of regular scheduled service. It's a slow process.

Perhaps the definitions of VFR and IFR seem elastic to people from the lower 48 is because SVFR is so common. Bethel even has "published" holds for aircraft waiting to come in on a special. Admittedly my experience flying down south is limited, but I can't say that I recall ever hearing anyone pick up a special.

Of course once you're away from the delta airspace or echo surface, you're on your own to determine what the weather is doing and left madly cycling through your MX20 trying to figure out if where you're going is better than where you are or if where you left has since gone on its ass.

Oddly enough I hear a bit of SVFR in the PNW. Especially the Coasties going in and out of Arcata.

 

[ppragman]

You were in Dilly?

I heard that referred to as the "promised land."

Honestly the coolest job at Grant is DUT. It's amazing down there.

 

[av8tr1]

You were in Dilly?

Bethel

 

[alaskadrifter]

I heard that referred to as the "promised land."

Honestly the coolest job at Grant is DUT. It's amazing down there.

Yup. We have trees, salmon, moose, a few mountains, tundra and lots of airplanes.

 

[z987k]

Someone is going to have to write up an explainer for me (not you, and not right now - this is not a demand, unless you're just bored and want to) for what the Alaskanese meanings are of IFR and VFR operations.

I know very little about Alaska flying, and truthfully, most of it is gleaned from reading JC, so I know it's a soda-straw view and incomplete at best. But I'm getting the impression that the very concept of ADM differs up there and that the definitions of VFR and IFR are elastic - determined by the needs of a business rather than aviation safety.

Is that at all accurate? Is there an accepted difference in the way people make go/no-go decisions and in-flight ADM in Alaska vs. the lower 48? Trying to learn something here.

Pretty much. The difference is only accepted by the operators and well the FAA is wholly complicit in that. I personally never accepted any of that, but I've only ever flown twin turbine ifr equipment.
But so and so is going.
Cool. Let them die.
Discussion ends.

 

[ShortField]

Yup. We have trees, salmon, moose, a few mountains, tundra and lots of airplanes.

It's where John Wayne would fly.

 

[Capt. Chaos]

To be fair it was never PROVEN that the prop went on another airplane...they just "lost track of it"

Well, maybe not since 9/11. Thanks a lot bin laden.

Its sad that LAB was run into the ground by the son.

Finally found the picture from Kake, looks ready to yellow tag.

 

[ppragman]

Finally found the picture from Kake, looks ready to yellow tag.

You remember the guy who used to fly that thing? Anyone ever found out what happened to him later on? Some cryptic facebook posts and then nothing. What was his name again? Driving me nuts - was a super nice guy.

 

[z987k]

Finally found the picture from Kake, looks ready to yellow tag.

I mean.... send it to the prop shop and see what they say.
My current prop is an overhauled prop strike.

 

[Capt. Chaos]

I mean.... send it to the prop shop and see what they say.
My current prop is an overhauled prop strike.

The problem was the engine came straight off that airplane and on to another, and the prop vanished after the feds started digging.

 

[av8tr1]

The problem was the engine came straight off that airplane and on to another, and the prop vanished after the feds started digging.

What has to be wrong with you to think that is ok?

 

[Akutan]

After a Grant 207 collided with an Arctic Circle Sky Van, the entire wreck appeared on the ramp in Bethel one evening. I remember walking around the mess in which a friend and an acquaintance of mine both died, contemplating life and death, when a guy comes up and asks me "not to observe" it. At the time I had no idea parts from something like that could be re-used on operating commercial aircraft, but sure enough that dude started selling some items from those airplanes around Bethel. One mechanic for a Part 135 operator complained to me that a part he purchased was not up to snuff, and had to be returned. Made me take my preflights a little more seriously.