Veiled Moutains

Its a challenge to describe the shear immenseness and geographic majesty of the mountainous areas of north western America. Without a doubt flying south from Nome along the Pacific fringe then today leaving Sitka and crossing over the mountains to Prince George, has left the Bazflyers somewhat awestruck. Mile after mile of picture book coastline where mountain slopes descend abruptly into the ocean. A coastline punctuated by glaciers and rivers. Then there are also other areas where the mountains gently give way to a myriad of forest clad islands, channels and inlets. 

Of course, mountains and clouds are inherently synonymous. If warm moist air is blown towards a mountain, it will rise to get over the mountain. The warm moist air will cool, and if it cools to the dew point, clouds form. So for at least half of the the time while flying the mountainous regions of Alaska and British Columbia, obscuring cloud effectively sustained by moisture off the Pacific Ocean, shielded the landscape from Bazflyer view. But somewhat like a vailed beauty, by not exposing the whole scene, clouds also added a special effect of mystery to the mountains.

The flight from Sitka, Alaska eastwards to Prince George, British Columbia took approximately 4-hours and for at least half of that time was flown at 13,000 feet.

Leaving Sitka for Prince George

On approach to land Prince George

One in Seventy

Alaska is certainly a giant sized piece of our planet. It is the largest state in the US by total area and over twice the size of Texas, the next largest state. Bigger than Texas…now that’s BIG!

As for aviation, Alaska has six times as many pilots per capita and 16 times as many aircraft per capita when compared to the rest of the United States. To interpret that data another way, 1 in 70 people resident in Alaska is an active pilot. 

The Bazflyer’s flight from Nome to Anchorage was a bit over four hours duration. The flight traversed a kaleidoscope of geography including vast tundra plans, huge river systems and snow covered mountains that extended as far as the eye could see. Along the way there were no roads to be seen. In the whole state of Alaska, there are fewer than 20,000 kms of paved roads. So its not surprising then that Aviation is not only a state pastime; it is the state's major form of transportation.

Shortly after leaving 11,000 feet on descent into Anchorage the flight was in cloud and the Bazflyers were expertly radar vectored for the RNAV (GPS)-A approach into (PAOM) Merrill Field. With runway 07 in view straight ahead Merrill Tower cleared ZK-BAZ to land and the Bazflyer’s first flight in the USA culminated with a smooth touchdown.

Merrill Field is the main general aviation airport for Anchorage. It is interestingly sandwiched between a US Airforce Base on one side and a busy International Airport on the other. Not to mention the adjacent float-plane harbour and a residential airpark. 

Merrill Field was the first real airport in Alaska and was named in 1930 after the first Alaskan aviator, Russel Merrill. It was 92 years ago that Merrill made the first flight to Nome. Just two years later he disappeared on a flight to Akiak.
As development and history goes, Alaska is still a young land. Its population is reputedly increasing. Observing aviation activity on Merrill Field and putting that in context with Alaska’s huge footprint, the Bazflyer’s think there is every possibility the ratio of pilots to people might even increase as well. 

Mount Denali at 20,310 feet

Coming into to land at Merrill Field

Alaska’s newest IF rated pilot Kyle Jones (centre) with Flight Examiner Greg Stoddart and Bazflyer1

Aras Sirvelis working on his newly acquired airplane

Attending to a 50 hour oil change on ZK-BAZ at Pratt Aviation on Merrill Field
 
F-Street, a favourite with every aviator when you’re not flying. 

Bazflyer1 recommends the Halibut Sandwich


Molly goes flying…artwork in the wonderful Anchorage Museum

There’s no place like Nome

During the summer of 1898 three lucky Swedes climbed aboard an old flat-bottomed boat and made their way to the mouth of the Snake River near the site of what is today the town of Nome, Alaska. It was there on the beach these canny prospectors found gold and so settlement began. Two years later the tent town of Nome had a population of over 30,000. Nowadays the place has a population of somewhere around 3,700 and small claim gold mining is still a significant local activity. 

Nome has had a long and interesting relationship with aviation. During WW2 it was a critical staging post for aircraft being supplied to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. US pilots would ferry aircraft to Nome where they would be picked up by Russian pilots and flown across the Bering Strait and onto the Eastern Front where the Soviet Union was fighting Germany. Then there was Jimmy Doolittle. He grew up in Nome, sold newspapers for the Nome Nugget and delivered clothes for his mothers laundry service before becoming a famous aviator.

Even today this frontier town exhibits strong sentiments to its past. Muddy sidewalks, seemingly haphazard construction, salon bars and local identities combine to give Nome an unmistakable frontier character. As a local catch-phrase goes...”There is no place like Nome”.

Nome, like so much of the northern latitudes the Bazflyers have flown through in the past couple of weeks, is frozen-in for three quarters of the year. Although there were still patches of snow and ice to be seen in the streets a Bazflyer walk around the town’s boat harbour revealed the seasonal gold recovery activity was well underway. It was also an opportunity to meet some of the folk who call Nome home. 

What a surprise it was to engage in conversation with a gold claim worker named Ryan only to discover he hailed from Ipswich, Australia. Ryan and his mates Michael, James and Mikel of Lucky 7 Mining ere frantically working on their gold sluicing boat in preparation to work a claim located some 15 km up the coast. At this time of the year it doesn’t get dark in Nome which facilitates very long work days.   

Then there was Adam. He’s a crab and Halibut fisherman. Bazflyer2 says his manly bear hug embrace is an awesome experience. Sandra was another long time Nome dweller the Bazflyers spent time with and is the subject of a video interview.

There might still be gold in the ground at Nome, but for the Bazflyers meeting some of Nome’s real characters was pure gold indeed.

Circling to land at Nome (PAOM) for landing Runway 21

The team of Lucky 7 Mining

Ryan the Ozzie and Bazflyer1

Adem, the crab and Helibut fisherman


Long time Nome resident and journalist Sandra out walking one of her dogs

Magadan

When the Bazflyers were planning Round the World 2019 it would be true to say the challenge of communicating using only the English language was never fully considered. Some people are fortunately competent at communicating in two, three or more different languages. Not so the Bazflyers, coming from a mono linguistic country they only have the English language at their disposal. 

It is a fact that most of the people in the world do not speak English or, even if they use it, it is their second or third language. Such was the situation when the Bazflyers stopped over for a few days in the Russian city of Magadan. 
The formative history of this far eastern outpost of Russia is a sad tale of deprivation and misery. Its a remote place. A region of the planet where the summers are short and winters severe to the extreme. Its a place of about 100,000 people. Positive, generous people like local pilot Sergey and the incredibly competent organiser Anastasia…and there were many others. 

Magadan was definitely a place not to be judged on first impressions. Beneath the dull grey exterior of buildings there is a friendly open generosity of spirit that transcends any communication difficulties. The people of Magadan seem to understand that although not perfect, life can always be made much better. Perhaps this philosophy is why Magadan’s history, while openly acknowledged, is not used as an impediment to moving on with life.

Yes, communication in situations where people don't understand or easily comprehend each others' language can give way to fascinating processes and interesting insights.

On the airway to Sokol (UHMM) Magadan

Sergey’s unique Russian built airplane, actually he has three of them engaged in commercial work

 

 

Anastasia and the Bazflyers after landing and refuelling at Sokol Airport

An interesting artwork down by the harbour

 

 

 

Monument to all the lives lost, misery and deprivation of the history of 1920’s to 1950’s 

 

 

Meal at “Make Alaska Russian Again”…...

 

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

The flight from Kagoshima followed airways along the entire western side of Japan before crossing the Straits of Soya to the Bazflyer’s first Russian destination, Khomutovo Airport (UHSS) at the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a settlement located at the southern end of Sakhlin Island.

Customs and immigration out of the way it was time to refuel ZK-BAZ from two drums of AVGAS that had been expertly prepositioned for the Bazflyers use. The overall complexity of a round the world flight would be an even bigger undertaking without dedicated assistance from people who have the answers and networks at their fingertips. In this regard the Bazflyers can’t speak highly enough of MAK General Aviation Services www.makgas.com and General Aviation Support Egypt www.gasupportegypt.com. Thanks guys….!

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk began as a small Russian settlement ironically founded by convicts in 1882. Later in 1905, the end to the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905, saw the southern half of Sakhlin Island awarded to Japan. After the end of WW2 the Japanese portion of Sakhalin island was reoccupied by Russia. 

A Bazflyer walk around the central city area revealed many places of interest. The new military museum elevated on a hillside above the town was one exceptional discovery.

This museum with its interactive displays and emotive historic photographs, looks at a piece of WW2 history and its aftermath that Europeans and even Kiwis from down under, know very little about. 

Refuelling ZK-BAZ after landing at Khomutovo (UHSS)

 

 

 

High School graduation photos

 

 

Spring time in the town

 

 

Church on the hill

 

 

Sidewalk art

 

Streets of Kirishima

Streets of Philadelphia" is a song written and performed by American rock musician Bruce Springsteen and is a Bazflyer playlist favourite. The refrains of this iconic music were percolating in the mind as the Bazflyers took a long meander through a few of the streets of Kirishima. 

The city of Kirishima sits comfortably in the lap of a composite active volcano, Mount Sakurajima, It strikingly dominates the surrounding landscape, that is when weather conditions permit. Kirishima means “Fog Island” and true to label such have been the weather conditions during the Bazflyer’s short stay. However, today was the exception. Out came the sun, a condition that called for a long exploratory walk around parts of the city.

Kirishima’s majestic mountain and the many hot springs around its base was Japan’s first national park. Its also an ancient area of human habitation where traces of livelihood dating back to the Paleolithic Age (more than 30,000 years ago) have been discovered.

Tomorrow morning the Bazflyers takeoff again, this time flying airways along the entire western seaboard of Japan to the Russian destination of Yuzhno Sakhalinsk (UHSS). Delaying departure from Kagoshima (RJFK) by a day not only allowed the Bazflyers to actually view Mount Sakurajima, but also gave the necessary interval for a troublesome frontal system to pass-over Japan. Tomorrow’s forecast is for clear skies and tailwinds…!

With assistance from the great team at New Japan Aviation, ZK-BAZ is refuelled and prepared ready for the anticipated 7-hour journey. The critical Russian flight permit is in hand and the required IFR Flight Plan has already been filed and accepted. There is every chance the refrains of Bruce Springsteen’s song might be heard through the Bazflyer’s headsets during their flight up to Russia.

Kirishima and Mount Sakurajimi in the background and other streetscape views...

Proof it’s a live volcano...an eruption occurred as this blog was being posted and more followed...

....and here are the friendly and helpful folk from nNew Japan Aviation who handed the Bazflyer flight at Kagoshima Airport (RJFK)

Flight is a Journey

The journey from Guam to Kagoshima Airport in the south of Japan was a distance of approximately 1,365 nm (2,500 km) for a flight time of just over nine hours. It was the longest single flight the Bazflyers had ever undertaken in their Piper Comanche, ZK-BAZ. It was also the longest flight scheduled for Round the World 2019.

As preparations were made prior to descent and landing in Japan, it seemed the prior period of almost 9-hours in the air had somehow been compressed into a smaller time capsule. It did not feel like a full day had been spent flying the ‘BAZ Office’ in the sky. 

Long distance flying in a small single engine airplane is all about the journey, not the destination. It demands full and constant attention by the crew over the whole flight. Staying safe for nine hours of flight over the ocean has little to do with luck. It's all about attention to detail, judgement and making the right decisions. Its fair to say then that the Bazflyers have a well practiced in-flight regime of divided responsibility and cross-checks.

There is a sobering fact about flying a small aircraft for long distances…the journey can not be rushed. The airplane must be flown in its most efficient configuration for the distance involved. Air speed, engine power settings and fuel consumption are some of the critical parameters. Accordingly, the airplane will perform tirelessly along the way at its own pace. For the Bazflyers its about savouring every moment of the journey. 

It has been said often across time that lives are defined by the journeys we take, not the destinations we reach. However, be assured from Bazflyer experience, arriving at the destination in ZK-BAZ after more than nine hours in the cockpit provided its own special euphoria. Stepping off the wing and setting foot on the tarmac at Kagoshima Airport was no exception and then to be cordially greeted by Masahiko Noma and his team at New Japan Aviation simply completed the journey….another great flight.

The long haul north west from Guam to Kagoshima 

Carrying out cockpit duties and cross checks

A landscape of ocean below