SIRP Run - Buffalo Style

[Deleted]

Well, after the current hype around Buffalo, my fellow flightsimmer Jörg and i had to make some kind of valley run. However since scenery for NWT is very sparse, we moved a bit further west over to Tongass Fjords.

Starting in Petersburg (PAPG) we would supply 3 of the SIRP (Stikine Icefield Research Project) depots with food and goods.

First run: Petersburg - Patterson Camp

The weather being quite foggy but with a ceiling of 2000ft we could expect make it visual to Patterson Camp at 4714ft.



And indeed, once airborne, clouds gave way to a beautifull day.



High over the camp, weather was a different animal. Winds and snow obscured the runway on the first two approaches, but then there was a hole in the clouds and i went for it.

[Deleted]

Sailing in on the rather short (2000ft) and icy runway, its a hell of a job to get the C46 to a standstill, absolutely no room for any error there.



Parking our planes on the little airfield was not easy, its quite cramped up there.





But what a sight from the observation tower!

[Deleted]

Next stop: Border Camp, so called because the border USA-Canada runs right across the runway. Jörg was the first to get off, i followed suit, struggling to get to the needed 7000ft altitude.





After what is only a few miles we allready started doing our circle appraoch over Border Camp.





With its very small runway (1500ft) its actually impossible to land there with these big props. But since FS land is flat all around you can use that as a bit of 'extra' runway.

[Deleted]

Jörg going again first, our next trip to us even further north to Flood Glacier Camp. Taking off prooved difficult, cause you just dont get the aircraft to speed at this short runways in that kind of altitude. Luckily the drops after the runways are very steep, so with a little free fall you'll be flying again.





Last stop on the tour at 5991ft before going home. Making the plane empty should help on takeoff.

[Deleted]

Final leg. Steering a plane on ice and snow needs a lot of skill up there. Brakes nearly don't work, so you need not only to steer with the throttles, but combine with asymmetrical brakes and tail wheel steering.



Flying here i'm allways astonsihed what a great scenery this Tongass Fjords (together with Glacier Bay and Misty Fjords) is, i can't stop to admire it.

[Deleted]

On the final approach it clouded in again, and i had to go 'low'n'slow' to find the runway for a circle to land.





Bringing the piston banger back to the hangar, i can guarantee that this runs are very challenging from the aviation and navigation side, but also very rewarding in terms of sight-seeing.





Hold on to your hats, boys!

[Tom/CalClassic]

Nice story.

Thanks,

[coenraad]

I really enjoyed the story and the pictures. I see your C46 has clear gauges? Is that the one from here? If so, how, where can i get that vc?

[sunny9850]

Not only are the gauges clear...everything else is as crisp as I have ever seen .... wow.
Nice series of shots and a good overall trip.

Stefan

[Deleted]

The shots seem to be clearer, cause they were downsized from 3840*1024. So, yes, i use the C46 from this site (+ the fix from flightsim.com) and no, it doesnt have any better gauges in VC.

Btw. i made a second run from Hay River to Yellowknife, known as 'The Sced', cause its the daily passenger run at Buffalo Air.

picasaweb.google.at/pontiac511/C46BuffaloTheSced#