Mountain Air MAIL ROUTE 6A and 6B
(Juneau Cargo Hub flight numbers 9911 and 9912)
The world is a cruel place sometimes. Many Mail Route pilots must have second jobs to make end meet. We at the Juneau Hub appreciate this hardship. For those of you with less time, for those of you suffering with a real life job, this route is for you. Explore the volcanic peaks of Kachemak and Resurrection bays one short leg at a time
If you didn't see it, here is an excerpt from the review of Mail Route 6 from the NY Time -
"Short legs into some pathetically easy strips with
some relaxing and soothing scenery in between."
Sounds like a winner to me!
Please continue to follow our Mail Route rules:
Remember...VFR ONLY! Do NOT fly in the clouds. Your crazy chief got stuck in the clouds testing this route and I was quickly and summarily killed. Learn from my mistakes!!
We suggest using Eddie Denney's Alaska Mesh available at Avsim.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, and the 757. 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!!
Enjoy your layover in Seward - it is a wonderful place.
MAPS and Resources
Real World Alaska WAC chart for the flight area suitable for printing. (334kb)
Company preferred routing for this mail route flight (85kb)
Flight plan for the route in text form.
EXPERTS ONLY Weather Flight for FS2002 - Both set on Dec 21st for quickest darkness.
Intermediate Weather files - tough weather, but not impossible.
MINIMUM Weather Files - You must be completely on your game to live with this wx.
Screenshot of Minimum weather in action! (19kb)
Addon scenery by Don Cote (MTN520) which adds hangars and towers to Mail Routes 1-6!
ROUTING - Route 6A (6B as always is just reverse route)
Leg 1: HOMER, AK (PAHO) to DOG FISH BAY (AK07)
DOG FISH BAY (AK07) Airport Elevation: 10' / Runway length - 1900ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time: 1:00 PM / Arrival in Dog Fish Bay - 1:30 PM
Helpful Hints:
Don't be a hero and go direct. head out on a 190 heading and follow the coast around.
Try to avoid going up any inlets before you get there...most are dead-end with big mountains!
This airport is a major operation - 2 runways!! It is on a spit of land in a bay. Screenshot (40kb)
Here is another shot of the airport with some bad weather - weather is almost always bad here!! Screenshot (35kb)
Here is a nice FS view of Homer. Screenshot (25kb)
This is a private strip...no pictures, no sketches, no nada! Here are some Real World pics of HOMER, your departure airport. SHOT1 / SHOT2 / SHOT3 / SHOT4
LEG 2: DOG FISH BAY (AK07) to PORT GRAHAM (PGM)
PORT GRAHAM (PGM) Airport Elevation: 93'' / Runway length - 2000ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time: 1:35 PM / Arrival in Port Graham - 1:45 PM
Helpful Hints:
Just a nice hop around the bend following the coast. Soothing, relaxing.
The airport is up an inlet. Do not confuse it with English Bay which is on the west side of the same inlet. Screenshot (35kb)
What a nice relaxing view from the ground at Port Graham. Screenshot (33kb)
Wow, look at the airport in real life. Looks too nice! Screenshot1 / Screenshot2 / Screenshot3
LEG 3: PORT GRAHAM (PGM) to SELDOVIA (PASO)
SELDOVIA (PASO) Airport Elevation: 29' / Runway length - 1800ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time: 1:50 PM / Arrival in Seldovia- 2:00 PM
Helpful Hints:
This airport is another soothing jaunt away following the coastline.
This airport is down in a hole, but it is not too bad. Screenshot (35kb)
It may look bad, but any bush plane can make a stabilized final right in! Screenshot (36kb)
Look what your crazy hub chief can do! I am a real nutcase sometimes. Screenshot (34kb)
LEG 4: SELDOVIA (PASO) to KASITSNA (5Z7)
KASITSNA (5Z7) Airport Elevation: 5' / Runway length - 800ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time: 2:05 PM / Arrival in Kasitsna- 2:10 PM
Helpful Hints:
This is the shortest leg of the route, but the least soothing and relaxing perhaps.
The airport is nestled in a hole along a nice inlet. Screenshot (34kb)
A straight in final approach here is NOT an option. Screenshot (34kb)
Departure is equally as silly as the landing. Here you earn your money!
Kasitsna (where do they get these names?!?) is another tiny place with no pictures available. Go figure!
LEG 5: KASITSNA (5Z7) to BEAR COVE (46AK)
BEAR COVE (46AK) Airport Elevation: 115' / Runway length - 1200ft / Surface: Gravel
Engine Start Time: 2:15 PM / Arrival in Bear Cove- 2:35 PM
Helpful Hints:
Man, aren't these mountains great? Just follow the coastline to the northeast.
Bear Cove is a private airstrip in a bit of a flightsim hole. Screenshot (34kb)
Another view in wintertime (thanks Rolf - MTN311) - Screenshot (38kb)
It's a private strip again...hey! Private people need mail too! Sorry, no pictures available.
LEG 6: BEAR COVE (46AK) to SEWARD (PAWD)
SEWARD (PAWD) Airport Elevation: 22' / Runway length - 4200ft / Surface: Asphalt
Engine Start Time: 2:40 PM / Arrival in Seward- 3:30 PM
Helpful Hints:
Time to earn your navigation money now. BIG mountains between Bear Cove and Seward! Screenshot (30kb) - Thanks Rolf - MTN311
Screenshot of Bear Cove departure in the winter. (20KB). Gets dark EARLY in the winter.
If the weather gets bad - and it is ALWAYS bad - you have to get creative with your routing. Pick your way through low passes to the east. Screenshot (31kb) - Thanks Rolf - MTN311
Other options include going north about 30 miles out of your way, then going east into Seward following a river valley. The company routing provides 3 such routing options. Screenshot (22kb)
Once you get to Seward, it is an easy paved and lit airport. In the winter, it WILL be dark when you get here. Screenshot (29kb) / Screenshot 2 (20kb)
Here are some real world pictures of Seward. Nice place! SHOT1 / SHOT2 / SHOT3
FINAL COMMENTS
In the winter - it WILL BE DARK for the last parts of the route. Be Careful!!
The weather is notoriously bad in this area of Alaska. Be prepared to skim the water at times to stay out of the clouds.
The End
Back to the Juneau Cargo Hub Mail Route Page
Back to Mountain Air MAIN PAGE
last modified 3/1/08
