Bluegrass Airlines, December 2004

By Bill Von Sennet

This month, we will be flying up the inside passage of South East Alaska. Most of the flights will be of one hour or less, and they lend themselves well to multi-player flying. So if you can join me, I will be on BushNet. Times and dates will be announced on the BGA forum.

We will begin at CYPR Prince Rupert, BC The first flight will take us to Ketchikan PAKT with a touch and go enroute at Annette Island PANT.

CYPR to PANT Heading 294 deg Distance 60 nm. RW12/30 7,493’ asphalt RW 2/20 5,09’ gravel.

Navaids VOR/DME 117.10 located 2nm NW brg 318 deg. NDB 266.0 located 3 nm NE brg 305. Depending on the weather Runway 30 is almost a straight in from Prince Rupert. Flying multi-player you should fly over midfield at 1,500’ then do a left downwind pattern to the active runway.

PANT to PAKT There are several ways to fly this segment depending on weather. Don’t try to fly it direct as you will encounter terrain. PAKT RW 11/29 7,484’ Ashphalt. ILS is 109.3 ILS/GS/DME for RW 11 ILS/BC for RW 29 NDB 396.0 is 0.3 nm from the threshold of RW 29 on the localizer.

If you choose RW 29 try this route: Heading 329 deg Distance 16 nm to the ILS. Final 290 deg distance 4.6 nm

I used RW11 using this route: Heading 290 deg Distance 13.1 nm, Heading 326 deg 14.3 nm, Heading 36 deg Distance 1.6 nm to ILS, Final 110 deg Distance 6.0 nm

Flight #2 Ketchican PAKT to Wrangel PAWG and Petersburg PAPG

Once again there is more than one way to fly. I chose the long way around with an ILS approach.

To Fix 1: Heading 279 deg Distance 21.8 nm

To Fix 2: Heading 313 deg Distance 14.1 nm

To Fix 3: Heading 302 deg Distance 28.2 nm

To VOR 116.50: Heading 291 deg Distance 13.4 nm

To ILS 108.50: Heading 48 deg Distance 17.3 nm

Final: Heading 90 deg Distance 5.6 nm

Runway 10/28 5,986’ asphalt

ILS 10 108.50 NDB 206.0

Take off using RW 28 for the short hop to Johnson Petersburg PAPG

Runway 4/22 5, 990’ Asphalt I used runway 22.

Fly direct to NDB 372.0: Heading 294 deg Distance 24.2 nm

Base leg: Heading 314 deg Distance 1.9 nm

Final: Heading 224 deg Distance 3.2 nm

Flight #3 Johnson Petersburg PAPG TO Sitka PASI

DC-3 Airways has a revised Sitka scenery download. Dave Arnold took some pictures of his home field and Al Gay has produced a more accurate rendition than the default in FS 2004. You can get it at www.dc3airways.com Click on Scenery then Scenery Downloads.

Up to now we have been following the inside passages and flights could have been flown at 2,500’ to 3,500’ depending on the headings. To Sitka we could follow a round about route and maintain low levels, but the direct route is up and over, so I chose 6,500’ My aircraft is a DHC-6 twin Otter which is capable of rapid climbs and descents. Climbing north out of Petersburg I turned direct to the 113.80 VOR as soon as I cleared the terrain to the west. Sixteen miles short of the 113.80 VOR I turned direct to Sitka via the back course 108.90 ILS

The route for aircraft limited to 500 fpm climbs and decents is slightly different.

Take off RW 4

Departing Petersburg

To Fix 1: Heading 330 deg Distance 12.7 nm

To VOR 113.80: Heading 238 deg Distance 85.5 nm

Base Leg To ILS/BC RW 29: Heading 20 deg Distance 12.0 nm

Final: Heading 289 deg Distance 3.4 nm

Flight #4 Sitka PASI to Juneau PAJN

Weather permitting, take off on RW 29. Climb to 4,500’

To VOR 114.00 : Heading 340 deg Distance 71 nm

To ILS RW 8 109.9: Heading 359 deg Distance 11.9 nm

Approach on ILS 109.9: Heading 62 deg Distance 14.5 nm Waypoint is NDB 332.0

Finals RW 8: Heading 79 Deg Distance 1.2 nm

Flight #5 Juneau PAJN to Haines PAHN and Skagway PAGY

This is a low level flight up the inside passage. I flew at 2,500’ direct to the 245.0 NDB

Take off RW 26 Fly runway heading for 9 nm

To NDB 245.0 Heading 311 Distance 53.2nm

Downwind RW 8: Heading 260 deg Distance 5.7 nm Watch the high terrain on the left and the right!

This is a tight approach. No time for a base and final. Make a right turn to the airport.

Turn to final. Heading 79 deg Distance 3 nm. When established on final you will be about 1 nm from runway.

Runway 8 4,000’ Asphalt

Turning Final Haines

Haines PAHN to Skagway PAGY

Take off on RW 8

When clear of terrain turn left to follow the passage up to Skagway.

Heading about 341 deg Distance 14.3 nm

Initially I climbed to 2,500’. 1,500’ would be a better choice. This is not a flight to make in bad weather. No navaids and the mountains are on both sides of the channel.

Final: Heading 17 deg Distance 1.3 nm

Runway 2 3,752’ Asphalt

I started the final at 500’ and was too low. I think 1000’ and a steep descent would be better.

Final Skagway

I didn’t mention the elevations of any of the airports. All of them are very close to sea level. You can also fly these flights using float planes, as all of the airports (except Prince Rupert) have water runways close by. At Prince Rupert, you can use the bay just north of the airport.

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