Flying In The Arctic

[T-rex]

Take a nice photo of you and your family, house, dog, car, and other things, cause it will be a long time before you see them again.

 

Oh, and get a non refundable return ticket home, so you know when you will be back, no excuses from Operations Dept!!!!

[T-rex]

Take a nice photo of you and your family, house, dog, car, and other things, cause it will be a long time before you see them again.

 

Oh, and get a non refundable return ticket home, so you know when you will be back, no excuses from Operations Dept!!!!

[cap]

Cooks. Ahhhhhhh yes. In the summertime I've been fed by cooks who couldn't cook water and others who taught "Gourmet Cooking" at SAIT and on those latter occasions I ate much, much better than I ever did at home.......mine or my parents'. The first group caused me to learn many eons ago to always carry something called "KAOPECTATE"......available on shelves at almost any pharmacy. Without that wonderful elexir, make sure that you also pack "runners" in your baggage because you'll sooner or later need them and become a master at very hurried landings in all manner of places.

[I FLY]

well from my short tour, I learned, one thing while passing through towns, make you sure you have cash on hand, cause them dail up interact works most of the time except when you are in a rush. And as one said already, fuel, fuel fuel, make sure of your fuel cache before heading out, flight plans kept short, because if you flight plan ten different legs over a 50 square miles over a day flying, if you need SAR in the first hour, they are not going to start looking until the flight plan is up. And carry a small tent with you at all times, good place to hide from the wind when you are sitting waiting. The ground can be hammered to the shape of your body to make a nice comfy place to lay down for a few hours, if your customers don;t need your help. OOhhh and good ole butt tickets, no leafs up there.......haha. I always read the maps where ever I went, and it saved my butt a few times when the weather was crap and the GPS was not working and carry pencils for the maps, to draw your track on, just incase you got to return back.

 

Anyhoooo's I learned most of this aswell from experienced acrtic drivers and just passsing on knowledge. Have fun and certainly will be an experience.........

[sirlandsalot]

how about the canadian forces boots, mucklucks they are called. Has anybody had them? I am trying to get feedback on them and the bunnies. Which are better on the pedals. I also heard that the bunnies make your feet sweat.

[volition]

The mukluks are very warm, and your feet will not sweat. The downside, it's not waterproof, but they dry very quickly!

[Billy Hill]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has replyed, owe each and everyone of you a beer! Ill definetly be going up there with some new boots and parka as well. Was actually looking at the Baffin Apex winter boots, any comments?

 

Once again thanks to everyone!

"Billy Hill"

[displayname]

CORONA AND LIME

 

 

 

 

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has replyed, owe each and everyone of you a beer! Ill definetly be going up there with some new boots and parka as well. Was actually looking at the Baffin Apex winter boots, any comments?

 

Once again thanks to everyone!

"Billy Hill"

[Over-Talk]

After many years of flying in Canadian winters (several of them heli-skiing) I thought I had seen what a white-out was............then I went to the Arctic. Now that's a white-out !!

 

Be very, very careful. It is very dangerous.

Most guys up there are extremely cautious about flying on 'white' days. At first I thought they were maybe over-cautious.....then I went out on a day that didn't seem too bad, but it's so flat and barren up there..........no grass, trees, fences etc to add some sense of scale and reference. Now I am one of the 'converted'.

 

Be careful, have fun, it's the last great frontier, and a good company..........and don't forget your fishing rod !!

[Nacreous]

Not sure where your going but don't skimp on your sleeping bag.

 

I had a Woods 3 Star and it was great. I think they also make a 5 Star.

 

Those bags are 20 -25 lbs and come in a duffle bag.

 

Great to have if your staying in a few nylon hotels.

 

I spent a summer in and around Cambridge Bay and the temperatures where a little above

 

freezing most of the time. One of my favorite summers!

 

Have fun and Good Luck!!