The Bridges (PV4)

This trip, has been designed for the Prop Transports.....C130/C123/119, but is also possible to fly using the MAir “Bae 146”............there are 6 landings, two of them, “Beach”

The route is about 460 miles.......guide time, about 2.5 hrs, tested with FS9, so not sure, default scenery wise, if FS2002 has “The Bridges”.........if not, i'm sure you'll improvise!

The situation is this, we are loaded, at Ketchikan “PAKT” AK, we have a halfload to Stewart BC “CZST” and the remaining load to Terrace BC “CYXT”, but then we should return to Ketchikan, where we have another load in 24 hrs, so this leaves us quite a few free hours after Terrace, to make a few bucks on “the side” and we shall be in the right area!

Today, we have 3 of us, including the luxury of a loadmaster, we have scraped up all the ready cash we can lay hands on, now we just hope, they'll be no radio calls from PAJN giving us a load after Terrace!

1st Leg: PAKT to CZST

We get a heading approx 035d, local time is 16.30 hrs, only about a 20 min flight to Stewart, keep a little south towards Stewart, and you'll come across the Portland Canal, bear left and follow that, straightforward landing at the end of the canal...............

2^nd Leg: CZST-CYXT

Turnaround, and follow the canal for a while, gradually getting a bearing of about 115d for Terrace, this is a straight forward flight, amongst some nice scenery.

The approach to Terrace, is spacious, no problems here, this is where we unload our final bits of cargo, then “officially” we head back to Ketchi'........but we have over 22 hours to get there, assuming no radio calls!

3^rd Leg: CYX7-CBW2

We now have an empty plane, but hopefully not for long!.............we take off for Kitimap, just 19 miles away, at 18.30 hrs, heading 155d.............here we shall “overnight” but others, further down from Kitimap, will be busy!

Kitimap, is a 3000ft gravel runway, by the side of a river, quite pretty really, but approach with caution, especially if flying the “146”, it needs 3000ft!............you may like to over fly Kitimap, and carry on down the river, to the “Bridges” just to check 'em out, tomorrow at dawn, you'll be landing on the beach at the far side of the bridges.

The big deal about the “Bridges” is- from time to time, an ocean going “rust bucket” will slide up the river, in darkness, diverting from his “west coast crawl” with some goods (mostly electrical=Pc's/Laptops, etc) from Asia, these are the Captains own “little earners” and crew of course, everybody has to be in on it.........these goods are exchanged for cash, provided by a local businessman, who promptly adds a few percent, and sells 'em to guys like us, and “us”, we sell em to more guys like “us” till they reach the end of the chain, (the end user)

We have a suspicion, that these goods have evaded US Customs, but we don't know, for absolute sure :)

This particular boat, will get to the Bridges in the early hours, unload, and away down river again,

We will leave at dawn (set FS time) land on the far side of the Bridges, load, and away.

4thLeg: Kitimap to The “Bridges”

Leaving at dawn, the “Bridges are only 7 miles away, dont forget, we land on the far side of the bridges, theres more room there, than it looks, mind the light poles on the first bridge, as you approach, there not easily visible....till to late....and there's no lights!

Your down safely, the plane has all the laptops on board, we could afford, we also have an extra “earner” two seaman want a lift (for money) to Prince Rupert, where they will pick up a ship.

Things are looking good, and no radio calls from Juneau!............of we go again.

5^th Leg: Bridges to Prince Rupert CYPR

Its full daylight, when we take off, thats what we need, we'll be keeping low, no higher than 800 ft, we don't really want everybody up there, to know where we are! This is the route below

Leave the Bridges, and get a heading about 230d, keep to the “right” side of the river

Its only about a 30 min flight, to Rupert, but seems longer, as you need to concentrate, on this stretch, you can gain height when about 20 miles from Rupert, make the runway more visible, this is an easy landing, we drop off our two seamen, then, its the final leg .

6^th Leg, Rupert to Wrangel Lake, PAWG

Now we have the longest leg, some 140 odd miles, but its a straight forward flight, until the end!!

Take off from Rupert, heading about 312d, you won't be landing at Wrangel Airport, but just before Wrangel comes into sight, you'll see a lake on the right, as in the pix below, land on the beach, on the right side of the lake..............its easier, than it looks!!

And here's the final pix below, showing the approach to the lake.....

OK, so were down safely, we've sold our goods at Wrangel Lake, to another “Business” man, we've made a good profit, Mountain Air have'nt radio'd, only routine calls..........so its been a good day, we've got hours to amble back to Ketchikan.........thing is, do we have the beer here, or Ketchi!!

last modified 05/04/04