Mountain Air MAIL ROUTE 1 and 1A
(Juneau Cargo Hub flight numbers 9901 and 9902)
Thanks for volunteering to fly the mail! Our first mail contract is flown from our new mail base in Valdez, Alaska. The flying is challenging, but rewarding. A few notes:
Remember...VFR ONLY! Do NOT fly in the clouds. If you do, we will lose our contracts and be fined.
Check minimum weather requirements for each leg. Do not take off into below minimum weather!
FS2000 users : We suggest using Eddie Denney's Alaska Mesh available at flightsim.com
You may fly any aircraft you wish. We suggest the Cessna 185 Skywagon or other suitable bushplane. Please check runway lengths and conditions when selecting your aircraft.
Fly the same plane for the route - we cannot afford to leave spare planes sitting around for you to fly.
Don't forget to unload the mail when you get there!!
Try to be on time! We get bonus money for on time flying. Be sure to check the route time table below for scheduled times.
MAPS and Resources
Real World Alaska WAC chart for the flight area suitable for printing. (543kb)
Company preferred routing for this mail route flight (52kb)
Flight plan for the route in text form.
If your computer can take it, we suggest using addon mesh scenery for AK in FS2000 and FS2002.
The Cessna 185 Skywagon (fs2000 version - works great in fs2k2) can be found at Avsim.com
FEELING BRAVE? : Fly the mail route with MINIMUM Weather. Here is a FS2002 startup situation with MINIMUM VFR weather. FS2002! (534kb) Be sure to change from the 182 to a bush plane before flight!
Addon scenery by Don Cote (MTN520) which adds hangars and towers to Mail Routes 1-6!
ROUTING (for route 1A, route is reversed)
Leg 1: VALDEZ, AK (PAVD) to THOMPSON PASS (K55)
THOMPSON PASS (K55) Airport Elevation: 2080'' / Runway length - 2500ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine start time - 7:30AM / Arrival Time in Thompson Pass: 7:55 AM
MINIMUM WEATHER: Ceiling 3200' / Visibility 3 miles
Helpful Hints:
090 degree heading out of Valdez will get you to a major river. Follow it, staying to the left side.
in FS2002, there is a highway on left of river. Follow highway over pass. Screenshot (18kb)
Just over pass is the airport. The highway goes right by it. Caution: steep hills on 3 sides. Screenshot (25kb)
Real World Picture of Thompson Pass Airport
LEG 2: THOMPSON PASS (K55) to CHITINA (CXC)
CHITINA (CXC) Airport Elevation: 560'' / Runway length - 2800ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time - 8:20 AM / Arrival Time in Chitina: 8:55AM
MINIMUM WEATHER: Ceiling 3000' / Visibility 1 mile
Helpful Hints:
070 heading will get you into a valley. Follow it until a fork, then take RIGHT fork.
On the right fork, you will come to a BIG river...turn left. Screenshot (26kb)
Follow the river to the airport which is up on a mesa right by the river. Screenshot (27kb)
Real World Picture of Chitina Airport
LEG 3: CHITINA (CXC) to CORDOVA - SMITH (PACV)
CORDOVA - SMITH (PACV) Airport Elevation: 42'' / Runway length - 6500ft / Surface: Asphalt
Engine Start Time - 9:15 AM / Arrival Time in Chitina: 10:10AM
MINIMUM WEATHER: Ceiling 2500' / Visibility 3 miles
Helpful Hints:
Follow the Copper River east from Chitina about 10 miles. Basically, to 144 degrees latitude.
The river channel is hard to find in FS2002...at 144deg latitude, you will turn right. Screenshot (18kb) Screenshot2 (18kb)
Up that river channel, you will hit a big mountain...turn Right. Screenshot (19kb)
Follow river south until you hit a BIG river. Screenshot (26kb)
Tune the NDB - freq 404. It is on the field.
This is a big, no challenge airport. Screenshot (26kb)
Real World Picture of Cordova - Smith
LEG 4: CORDOVA (PACV) - SMITH to CORDOVA MUNICIPAL (CKU)
CORDOVA MUNICIPAL (CKU) Airport Elevation: 12'' / Runway length - 1800ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time - 10:20 AM / Arrival Time in Cordova Muni : 10:30AM
MINIMUM WEATHER: Ceiling 800' / Visibility 1 mile
Helpful Hints:
If you takeoff on Rwy 27 at Cordova Smith, you are right on course for Cordova Municipal.
After clearing small pass, airport is on the right side of the lake. Screenshot (26kb)
Real World Picture of Cordova Municipal.
LEG 5: CORDOVA MUNICIPAL (CKU) to TATITLEK (7KA)
TATITLEK (7KA) Airport Elevation: 25'' / Runway length - 3700ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time - 10:40 AM / Arrival Time in Tatitlek : 11:00AM
MINIMUM WEATHER: Ceiling 500' / Visibility 1 mile
Helpful Hints:
There are 3 peninsulas of land between you and Tatitlek. In minimum weather, you have to fly over water.
Airport is flat and basically unchallenging :) Screenshot (26kb)
Real World Picture of Tatitlek Airport.
LEG 6: TATITLEK (7KA) to VALDEZ (PAVD)
VALDEZ (PAVD) Airport Elevation: 120'' / Runway length - 6500ft / Surface: Asphalt
Engine Start Time - 11:10 AM / Arrival Time in Valdez : 12:30 PM
MINIMUM WEATHER: Ceiling 500' / Visibility 3 miles
Helpful Hints:
Takeoff to the west and follow the coast to Valdez.
There are 2-3 inlets before the main Valdez Arm inlet. In minimum Weather, be careful not to get into dead end inlets.
Airport is big and easy, nice finish. Screenshot (26kb)
Real World Picture of Valdez Airport.
FINAL STATISTICS
ROUTE 1:
TOTAL FLIGHT TIME: ??? who can keep a schedule?!?
TOTAL TIME OUT OF BASE: 4 hours
ROUTE 1A:
TOTAL FLIGHT TIME: ?? see above
TOTAL TIME OUT OF BASE: 3 hours 20 minutes
OTHER RESOURCES
Real World Pictures of many Alaska Airports
Traveler's Guide to VALDEZ, ALASKA
Thompson Pass Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) for Avalanche Control
Information about Chitina Alaska
The End
Back to the Juneau Cargo Hub Mail Route Page
Back to Mountain Air MAIN PAGE
last modified 3/1/08
