Every pilot dreams. Aspiring to new airplanes, new places, and new experiences is ingrained in every aviator’s DNA. And for the ultimate in new experiences, it’s hard to beat Alaska.
The Last Frontier is two-and-one-half times larger than Texas, but with a population density that results in only one person every 1.26 square miles. It holds America’s longest coastline and North America’s tallest mountain, both of which help it make a convincing claim as aviation’s Mecca.
One of the great things about aviation in Alaska is the amazing variety of flying that happens with unique regularity. Spend one day only in Anchorage and you’ll see floatplanes, bush planes, international-bound Boeing 747s, Air Force F-22s, helicopters, balloons, collegiate flight training, and more. And that doesn’t begin to get to the depth of flying that happens all over the state for recreation, commerce, and the military.
Much of the flying that happens seems intimidating and off-limits, but it’s actually quite easy to be a part of it. Many operators sell scenic flights, and as a certificated pilot you can get checked out in a local rental and experience some of the incredible beauty for yourself—or arrange for some dual instruction if you are a student pilot.
For true adventure you’ll need to either hire a guide or go with an experienced pilot. That’s how, as part of a trip to the central part of the state to get my float rating, I ended up standing on a piece of ice thousands of feet thick on Denali, North America’s tallest peak. Luckily for me, the school owner’s husband owned a Cessna 185 and I was on my way, flying Denali’s canyons to a glacier landing. One of the first things you encounter on the amazing trip to the landing site is flying above the Ruth Glacier, a mile-wide sheet of ice that flows down a valley of 5,000-foot peaks like a frozen river. To a newbie like me it seemed as if we were making blind turns from one rocky bend to the next, but our pilot had done it so many times he could have flown the route with his eyes closed. Finally, we set up for landing and touched the skis down on a glaring-white sheet of snow and ice.
The glacier is a place that few people get to experience, but is open to almost anyone. Before airplanes brought mountain climbers in for their treks, it was reserved only for those few souls hardy enough to ski up from the bottom. Today, anyone can stand on the giant mountain after paying a modest fee.
Alaska is a special place. Once you get outside the bigger population centers you’ll find complete freedom, and rarely will you see another airplane. Kathy Dondzila experienced this on a recent trip to the forty-ninth state. She flew from just north of Anchorage to a small, private grass strip north of the Arctic Circle. Dondzila’s adventure begins on page 34.
What’s your aviation dream? Contact me and I’ll share some of the responses next month.
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