Post by Don on Mar 14, 2006 15:43:04 GMT
Day 9
Koyuk - AWIDITARODK6,20060313,AAS032,162
Last report I had was that Aliy had pulled out of Shaktoolik in 7th place. She dropped Heidi and Bullet from the team yesterday in Unalakleet which is a central race collect point so still no flight requirements.
I finally left Galena checkpoint today. No pax or freight. Took on fuel at Pitka and took on a walk in charter. Dropped off a nurse and small shipment of medical supplies at Kaltag. There I took on 2 dogs dropped from other teams and flew them over to Unalakleet.
Unalakleet reported wind 070 at 20 so I brought it in on 8. Made the exact same landing and posted a similiar pic last year except it was in a Porter.
Then it was on up the coast to Shaktoolik. Windcheck pass over the checkpoint watching the smoke from the tent heaters - estimated winds at 10 kts out of the SSW.
In a way this is my least favorite part of the support flying in our yearly Iditarod adventure. The reason is I never tire of flying in the interior. The wx, woods, mountians, rivers, and all the rest always seem like home, in a way, to me. Now we are out on the windy coast, which has it's own great views and feel but it's not the same.
On the other hand the Iditarod itself is now ramping up into it's most competitive phase and this is my favorite portion of the race.
The 0-2 continues to take all that the trail can dish out and makes light work of it. Incredible FS small prop working pilots plane.
Blue Skys
Don
Koyuk - AWIDITARODK6,20060313,AAS032,162
Last report I had was that Aliy had pulled out of Shaktoolik in 7th place. She dropped Heidi and Bullet from the team yesterday in Unalakleet which is a central race collect point so still no flight requirements.
I finally left Galena checkpoint today. No pax or freight. Took on fuel at Pitka and took on a walk in charter. Dropped off a nurse and small shipment of medical supplies at Kaltag. There I took on 2 dogs dropped from other teams and flew them over to Unalakleet.
Unalakleet reported wind 070 at 20 so I brought it in on 8. Made the exact same landing and posted a similiar pic last year except it was in a Porter.
Then it was on up the coast to Shaktoolik. Windcheck pass over the checkpoint watching the smoke from the tent heaters - estimated winds at 10 kts out of the SSW.
In a way this is my least favorite part of the support flying in our yearly Iditarod adventure. The reason is I never tire of flying in the interior. The wx, woods, mountians, rivers, and all the rest always seem like home, in a way, to me. Now we are out on the windy coast, which has it's own great views and feel but it's not the same.
On the other hand the Iditarod itself is now ramping up into it's most competitive phase and this is my favorite portion of the race.
The 0-2 continues to take all that the trail can dish out and makes light work of it. Incredible FS small prop working pilots plane.
Blue Skys
Don
