Mountain Air MAIL ROUTE 5A and 5B
(Juneau Cargo Hub flight numbers 9909 and 9910)
So, you have survived Mail Routes 1 through 4? Your piloting skills are honed to a keen edge? Ready for something new? Mail Route 5 is just what you are after! The airports on this route are easy, the timetable is easy, the scenery is beautiful. The challenge on Mail Route 5 will be to use your brain...plan your route...not get trapped in a valley that ends in a 20,000 ft peak. This route lets you fly the flanks of mighty Mount McKinley! Woohoo! Please continue to follow our Mail Route rules:
Remember...VFR ONLY! Do NOT fly in the clouds. I mean it! The insurance goes up when you get brave and smack into the side of a mountain, so DON'T DO IT!
Oxygen is required for flights over 12,500ft on our certificate. We DO NOT provide Oxygen. Stay below 12,500 ft!
We suggest using Eddie Denney's Alaska Mesh available at flightsim.com FS2000 and FS2002 versions!!
You may fly any aircraft you wish. For this route, I tested using the Pilatus Porter (PC-6), Piper Supercub, Piper J3 Cub, Beech Bonanza, and DC-3. 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! If you are late arriving in Talkeetna Village, you will hold up your jet flying brothers. Delays cost money.
MAPS and Resources
Real World Alaska WAC chart for the flight area suitable for printing. (500kb)
Company preferred routing for this mail route flight (80kb)
Flight plan for the route in text form.
Addon scenery by Don Cote (MTN520) which adds hangars and towers to Mail Routes 1-6!
TIMETABLE NOTE: The times on this route are very flexible.
ROUTE 5A: Leave PANN whenever you want, but be sure to arrive in Talkeetna Village NO LATER than 10:30AM.
ROUTE 5B: Leave Talkeetna Village at 12 noon and get back to Nenana whenever you can.
ROUTING - Route 5A (for route 5B, route is reversed)
Leg 1: NENANA, AK (PANN) to Lignite (11Z)
Suggested Start Time: 6:00am
Lignite (11Z) Airport Elevation: 1171' / Runway length - 1100ft / Surface: Gravel
Helpful Hints:
Head south out of Nenana. Heading 150 or so to start
Stay to the east side of the highway leading south to stay clear of restricted airpsace. There is high power early warning military radar here, so STAY OUT!! Screenshot of restricted airspace (31kb) Remember this place from Mail Route 4??
The airport is in the middle of a valley. No challenge for a mail route pilot. Screenshot (27kb)
There are some small hills near the airport, so don't let yout guard down completely. Screenshot (25kb)
Real World Official sketch of Lignite Airport - pretty back woods place (PDF format - see adobe.com for free acrobat reader)
LEG 2: LIGNITE (11Z) to STAMPEDE (Z90)
STAMPEDE (Z90) Airport Elevation: 1850'' / Runway length - 1600ft / Surface: Gravel
Helpful Hints:
Flying west of out Lignite, with lovely Mt. McKinley off your left wing, follow a valley right to Stampede.
Another too easy airport in a nice valley in the foothills.
Arrivals from the North and South have a different look. Screenshot from North (25kb) / Screenshot from South (28kb)
Real Official Sketch of Stampede Airport! Another airport so busy, no pictures of the place! (PDF FILE)
LEG 3: STAMPEDE (Z90) to KANTISHNA (Z90)
KANTISHNA (Z90) Airport Elevation: 1575'' / Runway length - 1800ft / Surface: Gravel
Helpful Hints:
This is the first challenging airport on this route. 1800' runway is challenging? Someone thinks so. Warning (36kb)
Quick and easy flight to the southwest of Stampede, picking your way through mountains to Kantishna.
The airport is located in a tight river valley. Screenshot (34kb)
There is NO room for a traffic pattern here. From the north, you are on a left base for the runway - From the south, you follow the little river valley right into a northbound final app. No second Chances!
Real World Pictures of Kantishna: Shot 1 / Shot 2 / Shot 3 / Shot 4
LEG 4: KANTISHNA (Z90) to NUGGET BENCH (33AK)
NUGGET BENCH (33AK) Airport Elevation: 2010'' / Runway length - 1200ft / Surface: Gravel
Helpful Hints:
This is the longest and most mentally challenging leg of your trip! The full Alaska Range lies in between you and your destination. The highest peak in North America will be at your side the whole way!
Without Oxygen, your best bet in good weather is to go southeast out of Kantishna and find the Mulerow glacier. Follow it uphill to the top (12000ft + depending on which branch you end up in) then follow the glacier valley down the other side. Screenshot (27kb) - shot taken while flying route 5B, so you will be going the other way.
If there is any cloud cover, you will not make the short glacier crossing - you will need to go west 20-50 miles and try some lower passes. Can't make it, go out and west more and try another one! woohoo!!
If you survive the crossing, Nugget Bench airport is located in a desolate brown valley with no trees. No challenge landing. Screenshot (25kb)
Nugget Bench is such a worthless place it seems, that there isn't even a drawing available!! They have mail there? Why are we stopping here?
LEG 5: NUGGET BENCH (33AK) to TALKEETNA VILLAGE (AK44)
TALKEETNA VILLAGE (AK44) Airport Elevation: 346'' / Runway length - 1600ft / Surface: Gravel
ARRIVE NO LATER THAN 10:30 AM to deliver mail to MTNAIR Jet feeder aircraft.
Helpful Hints:
More easy flying : head southeast into the flatlands.
There are 2 airports in Talkeetna...you will be going to the Village airstrip (gravel), not the paved main airport. Screenshot (34kb)
Nice overwater final to a smooth touchdown and an end to Mail Route 5A. Screenshot (34kb)
There is no real world picture of Talkeetna Village airport - no drawing either! Here is a picture of the main Talkeetna airport - Don't land at this one!
FINAL COMMENTS
ROUTE 5A:
ARRIVAL TIME in TALKEETNA VILLAGE: 10:30AM or earlier
TOTAL TIME ENROUTE: Approximately 2hrs 30mins
ROUTE 5B:
DEPARTURE TIME: 12 Noon
Navigation over the mountains going back is much easier. Beautiful views of Mt. McKinley. Screenshot 1 (27kb) / Screenshot 2 (26kb)
OTHER RESOURCES
Sustina River Lodge in Talkeetna - Juneau pilots get a 50% discount.
Not in the mood to search for links today.
The End
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last modified 3/1/08
