Naki's Snow to Surf Tour (non NZ)

[Naki]

After reading Kiwibarguys & Towerguys continuing world tours I thought I would resurrect my little tour (might be interesting how my new tree and water textures look in Alaska):

After spendng a good part of the Alaskan summer and spring at the Wood Lake research station hunting, fishing and researching (??) it was time to hoon off to Hoonah which is located not far away to the south of the research station. Choice of aircraft Carenado's excellent Cessna 206





Been a fair while since I have flown the 206 and forgotten how good it is - should of gone on refresher flight as my STOL take off wasn't the best - just about clipped some trees.










hmm frozen lake in Alaska at this time of year? - must check the Glacier Bay configurator






A bit of traffic here - the ever common Beaver floatplane


A nice sleepy little fishing village


Tricky approach


..but safely down

[Ian Warren]

Great going Paul , heck , Craig (towerguy) sent the maps .. ive scanned and formatted the NZ ... found an ideal way to post , but with the many maps wold be a great incentive to spread my own wing s for a world tour due to my changed working week .. jet lagged due to work times .. hahaha ... heck sometimes feels bloody true !

[kiwibarguy]

Good to see you back in the seat mate! Great shots and loving the scenery!

[spongebob206]

Great going mate

I like the idea of changing to so many beautiful aircraft per leg.



Cheers for the awesome shots.

[Charl]

Cool series.
I also have the Carenado, but always fly it in NZ, without the pod.
Nice to see it out there in the cold.
I recognize Wood Lake, but...where's Hoonah?
Time for a map, yes.

[Naki]

Thanks guys - heres the long promised map (the flight routes are in red) - not that great but shows where I am in relation to the rest of Alaska and Canada - next leg is Hoonah to Juneau - the capital of Alaska ..and a lot busier airport. To retrace my routes have been Yakutat - Carcoss - Skagway - Haines - Gustavas - Wood Lake (not shown on map) - Hoonah - and next up Juneau

[Naki]

Cant go flying in Alska without going in a floatplane and since I am enjoying the Carenado 206 I may as well go for another flight in the amphibian version - even if FS9 seems to treat water a/c going through water like its in golden syrup. This leg Hoonah floatplane base to Juneau floatplane base.



Not sure where the runway is so Ill just follow the ever present DHC Beaver



Hmm - looks like a bit of photoreal scenery





Pulled up next to this Beaver and then left it for dead


Approaching Juneau -note the glacier in the background - also note the extra bracing in the cockpit of floatplane 206s

Juneau - and Juneau Airport

whoops I still need to unfreeze my lakes - the floatplane base runs parallel to the main Juneau runway



At rest at the busy Juneau float plane base with the airport in the background

[PiperDriver]

Hey

Cool screenshots there Naki. The carenado cessna 206 is ideal for alaska and bushflying.

I still reckon that the piper super cub or in my case super pacer is the way to go.

PiperDriver

[Naki]

Thanks Piperdriver - yea dont have a decent Super Cub - I prefer Realairs ACA Scout (as per my earlier screenshots in this thread) for my tail dragging - comes with optional tundras and floats.

[Naki]

Next leg is to relatively unknown airfield just south of Juneau - choice of aircraft the Dreamfleet Cessna 310 (and very fast 200+ knots) - an oldie but still a real nice add on.

A bit wet but the weather not too bad for Alaska


Very busy airport with a lot of movements - Beavers, Otters, DC-3s, Cessnas, Pipers, Beechcrafts and Mooneys of all shapes and sizes and Alaskan Airlines 737-200s and 300s.






A bit of low lying mist


One of many cruise ships you see around here - this one is docked at Juneau's harbour








Theres an airstrip around here somewhere down this channel/fjord


..around this corner


..and there she is - a nice long gravel airstrip - dont need no bush plane to get in here - just as well, as this thing dosent exactly do STOL like landings


..must say my landing was a greaser this time.

[PiperDriver]

Is that the Flight1 Cessna 310? I have that in my hanger somwhere.....

[Naki]

yes (Dreamfleet was the maker - Flight 1 the publisher) - its rather good - only just got it as bought disc off trademe. I have most of the other Dreamfleet/Flight 1 GA aircraft - all are very good.

[PiperDriver]

I think your tour has made me drag the C310 out of the hanger.

A very nice aircraft though.

PiperDriver

[Naki]

Todays flight is from the "unknown airstrip somewhere south of Juneau" to Sitka on the Alaskan coast. WE are also saying goodbye to the Glacier Bay region and saying hello to the Tongass Fjords area. Todays aircraft is the Carenado Cessna 182RG. Maybe I should of taken the 310 on this leg as its a bit longer...anyway once again I have great flying weather.

Another bush Mooney!


For what ever reason this shot wants me to be in Alaska at this spot fishing or just admiring the view.


I love watching the gear go up on high wing Cessna retracts.











Ahhh the wide open spaces of Aalska - hate to have an engine failure around here - its either very rough terrain or a very cold dip in the water




Long flight - put the plane on autopilot and lounge in the back!










Over yet another cruise ship - this one is docked just south of Sitka


Good to see -the US Coast Guard heading out on another mission - thers Coast Guard station at Sitka


Approaching Stika's airport

[Charl]

Holger Sandman's hand on the scenery sure doesn't hurt when making a screenshot huh?
Now your problem is going to be to maintain this standard on the rest of the trip!

[AlisterC]

Sitka is great Nice pics

[PiperDriver]

Cool shots Naki. I deciding if should a tour of NZ or Oz. might have to wait until Snowman has completed all the airports for NZ

[Naki]

To appreciate Sitka I really needed to hop back into a floatplane & fly from Sitkas large floatplane base - so the choice this time is Realairs Scout amphibian - this leg Sitka to Kake

yet another Beaver breezes past - the weather is looking a bit dodgy








Passing over Sitka


The many islands dotted around Sitka's harbour


Taking a short cut and flying down this valley - wont go over top because of cloud




Hmm maybe I should of studied the maps better as I dont think I am going to make it over the ridge!


This whole tour should of ended at that point as I hit the top of the ridge - didnt really take into account of the extra drag and weight of the floats - but hey this is flightsim and I have miraculously recovered and dropped over theother ide of the ridge




Passing over a high level lake




....and over one of many tiny settlements only assesible by boat or aircraft




Oh oh - the weather is closing in as I get closer to Kake


Passing over Kakes airport - but Im not landing here as intend to get my feet wet


Passing over a ferry at Kake's port


Another DHC aircraft - this time an Otter


Parked up next to some other DHC products - a Turbo Otter and a Twin Ottter - DHC must of done some brisk business in Alaska in the 50's to 70's - now that these aircaft are getting on a bit and need replacement the Twin Otter is going back into production with Viking aircarft of Canada and they are even thinking about putting the Beaver back into production.

[PiperDriver]

Is that Tongass by Holger Sandman??

[Naki]

QUOTE (Charl @ Aug 30 2008, 08:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Holger Sandman's hand on the scenery sure doesn't hurt when making a screenshot huh?
Now your problem is going to be to maintain this standard on the rest of the trip!

Yes they are very nice - there is way of getting around this problem - you jump in something faster and jump to the next great scenery - to be revealed later.

QUOTE (PiperDriver @ Sep 11 2008, 10:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is that Tongass by Holger Sandman??

Yes