THE FLIGHT OF A LIFETIME





This is my very first attempt at blogging so I hope this flows smoothly and we can all enjoy it.


This week, we (my best friend, co-pilot and wife) will be flying from Northwest Arkansas to Anchorage, Alaska via American Airlines to pick up Cessna 63082...a Cessna 150.


This plane was nicknamed "Mighty Mouse" some time back as this is no ordinary, run of the mill Cessna 150.

This is a 150-150 which means the stock Continental, 100 horsepower engine was removed and then upgraded to the Lycoming O-320 with 150 horsepower.

Additionally, Mighty Mouse has the full Horton STOL kit installed and 39 gallon long range fuel tanks.

Another big plus with this conversion is the 160 gross weight increase.

Mighty Mouse is a 1976 model with about 2,500 hours total time on the airframe and a new, zero timed, Lycoming factory rebuilt engine.




Here's a picture of Mighty Mouse in Alaska.










Cindy and I will be flying with (following actually) our good friend Terry Dickinson from Big Lake, Alaska.

Terry has two planes. One is a Piper Super Cub (on floats this time of year) and the other is a Cessna 152 which is affectionately known as Mosquito or......"Skeeter" for short.

Terry has a need/desire to reposition Skeeter to his winter home in the desert of Nevada and we (Cindy and I) have a need to travel with a highly experienced bush pilot (who also just happens to be a CFI) from the Alaskan wilderness, through the Canadian Rockies and on home.

Our generic plan will have us crossing back into the lower 48 at Great Falls, Montana and at this point (probably) we'll separate where Terry will turn right to the southwest and head to Nevada and we'll turn left to the southeast and head to Arkansas.




Here's Mosquito (Skeeter) parked next to Mighty Mouse at Big Lake, AK




All three of us consider this to be the ultimate flying adventure of a lifetime and we'll do our best to document this trip for not only our enjoyment but yours as well.





Jim & Cindy

Monday, September 2, 2013

Monday, September 2, 2013


The weather continues to be a road block and we're just not making any headway on heading back or getting any additional flying time logged here in Alaska.  The weather to the east improves rather quickly once you get to a certain point but the passes we need to fly through to get there are closed down with low ceilings, fog and poor visibility so here we sit.

This is frustrating but the right (and safe) decision is to sit tight and wait it out. 

In the mean time, TD had the oil changed in Skeeter and had a couple other small maintenance items taken care of and Mighty Mouse is tied down and ready.  All we'll have to do is fill up with fuel, load our baggage and we're ready to go.

It's cool enough that fire in the wood burning stove took the chill and dampness out of the air.........not quite what we're used to.  Having a fire this early is NOT something we do in Arkansas so that concept is a little foreign to us but I have to admit it did feel good.   

Viewing this cozy fire below a moose head that's mounted on the wall above it was one of those "Alaskan moments".

Back to flying and the reason for this trip.....the time is closing in on us to get headed back and we're running out of time.  We'll need to make a decision this week whether or not this trip is still on or it gets postponed until after winter.  There's snow on top of the mountains that was not there a week ago, the Birch trees continue to change on a daily basis so the seasonal change is is the air.

We'll see what the next couple days bring but the weather forecast does not look encouraging, but a forecast is just that.....a guess so we'll see.


Skeeter getting his oil changed and some last minute TLC


Nice,comforting fire.......but in the summer??

And this is why we're packing a 12 gauge shot gun with deer slugs for ammunition on our trip.
 


  Keep your fingers crossed for better weather.


Jim & Cindy
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1 comment:

  1. Piloto LocoSeptember 2, 2013 at 7:26 PM

    I'm wishing you guys and beautiful gal the very best of luck with the weather...and once underway, hoping your machines carry you safely home.

    ReplyDelete

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