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John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:42 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

Morning Gang:



For many years I have planned to make a flight to Alaska to celebrate my 

70th year.  This summer is that time.



I plan to depart hauck's holler, alabama, the last week of June 2009.



This will be a fun, enjoyable, hopefully relaxed flight to celebrate the 

fourth flight of Miss P'fer, my Kolb MKIII, to Alaska, and hopefully making 

70 years for me here on Mother Earth.  None of us has a guarantee.



I plan to visit old friends I have made on that flight since the first one 

15 years ago in 1994.  I do not plan to push the envelope as I have done on 

the past three flights to Alaska.  I do plan to return to Deadhorse/Prudhoe 

Bay on the North Slope and the Arctic Ocean.  Also a visit to the 

Helmericks, 40 miles NW of Deadhorse.  If I can make coordination with my 

Eskimo friend Robert Thompson, and weather permitting, I'll probably fly 

over to Kaktovik (Barter Island), 125 sm east of Deadhorse.  Usually, I fly 

up through Bettles, Anaktuvuk Pass, to the North Slope, then back down the 

Pipeline Haul Road (Dalton Highway) through Atigun Pass to Wiseman, AK, to 

visit Jack Reakoff, a trapper I met there in 1994.



I don't plan on making the agressive flights I made in 2004, however, some 

of that may change once I get back to Alaska.  I met some local Athabascans 

in Bettles on the way north to Deadhorse in 2004.  There were about 15 or 20 

of them from the village of Ruby.  They were young men, late teens, early 

twenties, waiting on an aircraft to fly them back to their village of Ruby. 

They had been on the fire line for 30 days fighting forrest fires that raged 

during my flight that year.  They invited me to come visit.  I promised them 

I would, but ran out of time, money, and courage, on my last flight up 

north.



A flight to Ruby from North Pole would be agressive and expensive.  100LL is 

8.29 a gal at Galena, 45 miles west of Ruby, the nearest fuel to get me back 

to North Pole.  That makes it 300 sm one way, with no interim fuel stops 

available.  Probably pass this one up too.  



100LL at Bettles - 8.10



Deadhorse - 5.87



Barrow - 6.55



Fairbanks - 3.83 (this is good!!!)



Northway (port of embarkation) 7.60 (this is a total rip off because 

Northway is right off the Alaska Hwy near the Canadian Border)



When it comes to fuel though, there is no choice except to top off the fuel 

tank every chance you get.  Northern Canada and Alaska, for that matter many 

places in CONUS, are not places you want to depart with less than full 

tanks.



Take care,



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

robcannon

Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 39
Location: British Columbia

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: Alaska 2009

John - would you be coming through British Columbia ?  I live on Saltspring Island which lies between Vancouver and Victoria in the Gulf Islands.  I live on a 1400 ft. grass strip, and you would be more than welcome to have a pit stop/rest here. 

  Rob Cannon

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

 	  Quote: 	
		   John - would you be coming through British Columbia ?  I live on 

 Saltspring Island which lies between Vancouver and Victoria in the Gulf 

 Islands.  I live on a 1400 ft. grass strip, and you would be more than 

 welcome to have a pit stop/rest here.

  Rob Cannon


	


Rob:



No hard flight plan yet.  Would be a nice route up through your area, 

Fraiser River Canyon, Stewart-Cassiar Hwy to Watson Lake, then up the Alaska 

Hwy to Fairbanks.



Apppreciate the invite.  I'll stick your email in my Alaska 2009 file.



Thanks,



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

NeilsenRM(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

John



Sounds like another wonderful trip.



This trip would make a spectacular article. Sure would be great if you would 

put some words with some of your photos. It would be super public relations 

for LSA and Kolb. I would bet Mary Jones would make it worth your time for a 

EAA article.



Rick Neilsen

Redrive VW powered MKIIIC



---

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:34 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

> This trip would make a spectacular article. Sure would be great if you 

would

 	  Quote: 	
		   put some words with some of your photos. It would be super public 

 relations for LSA and Kolb. I would bet Mary Jones would make it worth 

 your time for a EAA article.



 Rick Neilsen


	




Rick N:



That would be nice to get some compensation for writing an article and 

photos.



Most of the publishers want your article and your photos.  When you mention 

money, they choke.  Tell me it is for the good of the sport.  



This may turn out not to be a solo flight as was the case of the first three 

and a half flights to Alaska.  I'm working on some company on this one. 

Maybe one or two other Kolbs, or another Kolb and a Cub.  Still in the 

thinking stages.



I'll take a lot of photos and notes.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

JetPilot

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1246

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: Alaska 2009

It will be great to see you doing another Alaska trip in your Kolb...  Doing flights like this at 70 is pretty amazing, I hope I am so lucky when I get there !  Its good to hear you will be taking it easy, keeping it fun is what this is all sport is about and also makes the trip more enjoyable.  We have lost to many people to accidents recently    Your flights inspire a lot of people, and I am sure you have been the reason for quite a number of people deciding to buy and build a Kolb over other designs.  Take lots of pictures and videos, have you considered taking a HD video camera with you ?  The new Sony XR520V will record many many hours of video on its hard drive in full HD, and the price is not to expensive... I would think the National Geographic or discovery channel like may take an interest in your trip if you have good quality video and pictures, it would make a really awesome and inspiring television program !  



Mike

_________________
"NO FEAR" - If you have no fear you did not go as fast as you could have !!!

Kolb MK-III Xtra, 912-S

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:43 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

I would think the National Geographic or discovery channel like may take 

an interest in your trip if you have good quality video and pictures, it 

would make a really awesome and inspiring television program !

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Mike


	




Mike:



That would be more like work than play.



I'll take photos, hopefully more of friends than forest.  I think I have 

taken most of the scenery type photos on  the previous 3.5 flights.



I was 65 my last flight to Alaska in 2004.  Was pretty noticeable I had 

slowed down quite a bit since my 2001 Alaska flight.  My flying days were 

much shorter.  Can't slow down too much or I'll never make it there and 

back.



I remember a gentleman flying a Pioneer Flightstar from NC, I believe, to 

Arizona or some place out west back in the 1984- 85 time period.  He was 

either 60 or 65 years old at the time.  I still remember how impressed I was 

that this old geezer still had the will, drive, and ability to complete a 

flight of this type.  Of course back then, a cross country flight in an 

ultralight was very rare.  I thought, at the time, I wanted to do something 

like that when I got that age.  Well, that age has come and gone before I 

knew it.  Hopefully, I can still do it.  Time flies when you are having fun.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:57 am Post subject: Re: Alaska 2009

John,



I've written four articles that were published in EAA's Light Sport Magazine over the last couple of years. I got paid. If they like what you send them, and you ask for payment, they will pay.... not a lot but it makes it worthwhile. Contact Mary Jones if you are interested. A heads up, they don't do much editing, so your finished copy, at least the words, need to be "reader ready". The only editing I've seen in my articles was injecting errors that were not in the copy I sent them .



do not archive

_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous

jbhart(at)onlyinternet.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:31 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

At 11:42 PM 3/2/09 -0600, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



I was 65 my last flight to Alaska in 2004.  Was pretty noticeable I had 

slowed down quite a bit since my 2001 Alaska flight.  My flying days were 

much shorter.  Can't slow down too much or I'll never make it there and 

back.




	


John,



Welcome to the over 70 flying club.  A few years ago, I could look at an old 

codger and say to my self "I will never look like that."  Now when I look in 

the mirror to shave, I see that person.



Don't let it worry you.  People ask me how long I will fly, and I say that I 

will as long as I can drag the FireFly in and out of the hangar.  I may have 

to rest a bit in a chair before I get in and crank up.  One thing that helps 

me is that I have met a fellow west of Winchester that is in his nineties 

and he continues to fly.  When I am out side working on the place and I hear 

his 1/2 VW and see him fly over, it gives me a boost that if he can do it so 

can I.



Now that I have a working air/fuel mixture control on the FireFly, this 

summer, I hope to put a lot of pins in the map.



Jack B. Hart FF004

Winchester, IN

slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:46 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

Two solutions to that Jack, either throw away the mirrors or don't  

shave.  Having a grizzly looking

gray beard keeps the young chicks from chasing you.

I have stopped lifting the tail now when moving the plane in and out  

of the shed.

Spine is not as resilient as it once was.

90 year old guy with a 1/2 VW?  that's great.

BB, a youthful 68 (in my mind anyway)

do not archive

On 3, Mar 2009, at 10:31 AM, Jack B. Hart wrote:

 	  Quote: 	

 <jbhart(at)onlyinternet.net>

 At 11:42 PM 3/2/09 -0600, you wrote:

> 

>

> I was 65 my last flight to Alaska in 2004.  Was pretty noticeable  

> I had

> slowed down quite a bit since my 2001 Alaska flight.  My flying  

> days were

> much shorter.  Can't slow down too much or I'll never make it  

> there and

> back.

>

 John,

 Welcome to the over 70 flying club.  A few years ago, I could look  

 at an old

 codger and say to my self "I will never look like that."  Now when  

 I look in

 the mirror to shave, I see that person.

 Don't let it worry you.  People ask me how long I will fly, and I  

 say that I

 will as long as I can drag the FireFly in and out of the hangar.  I  

 may have

 to rest a bit in a chair before I get in and crank up.  One thing  

 that helps

 me is that I have met a fellow west of Winchester that is in his  

 nineties

 and he continues to fly.  When I am out side working on the place  

 and I hear

 his 1/2 VW and see him fly over, it gives me a boost that if he can  

 do it so

 can I.

 Now that I have a working air/fuel mixture control on the FireFly,  

 this

 summer, I hope to put a lot of pins in the map.

 Jack B. Hart FF004

 Winchester, IN

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:48 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

 	  Quote: 	
		   I've written four articles that were published in EAA's Light Sport 

 Magazine over the last couple of years. I got paid.

 --------

 Thom Riddle


	




Wasn't like that in the old days, and up through late 2004.



Was fun getting my airplane and photos in international publications in the 

beginning, but that wears off after 25 years of doing this.



I did not write anything about my 2004 flight.  That was strictly my flight. 

I didn't receive any sponsorship.  Had no deadlines or obligations to meet. 

Turned out to be the best flight yet.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:54 am Post subject: Re: Alaska 2009

Jack,

That is very good to hear. 



One of my RANS S6-S partners is in his early 70s. He told me 5 years or so ago that he would probably stop flying at around 75 but he is showing no signs of slowing down. I'm only in my early 60s so I hopefully still have another decade or more before I retire my wings. 



There are several oldish(80s) pilots at our airport but I've not seen any of the octogenarians actually fly in the last few years. 



do not archive

_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:08 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

> Welcome to the over 70 flying club.  A few years ago, I could look at an 

old

 	  Quote: 	
		   codger and say to my self "I will never look like that."  Now when I look 

 in

 the mirror to shave, I see that person.

 >
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   Jack B. Hart FF004


	




Thanks, Jack:



Cool being an old codger.  I get away with a lot more sh_t now than I could 

in my younger days.  



Yea, sometimes the mirror is shocking, until I figure out who that old fart 

is looking back.



I'm not as mobile, flexible, or strong as I was a few years ago, but when I 

get in the Kolb, I fell like I am 18 again.  I don't know that my ability to 

fly well has deminished any.  However, I have not been flying nearly as much 

as I used to.  This shows up as a rusty old pilot right away.  A day or two 

into a long cross country and I am back in the groove flying and staying 

ahead of the airplane and my navigation.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

jbhart(at)onlyinternet.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:39 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

At 07:54 AM 3/3/09 -0800, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



One of my RANS S6-S partners is in his early 70s. He told me 5 years or so 

ago that he would probably stop flying at around 75 but he is showing no 
	


signs of slowing down. I'm only in my early 60s so I hopefully still have 

another decade or more before I retire my wings. 

 	  Quote: 	
		  


	


Thom,



My problem is that I did not get started until very late.  Flew on and off a 

little from 1970, but did not finish a ticket or own a plane.  I had to be 

responsible by getting my kids and wife educated.  But now that I am retired 

I have learned to be selfish and irresponsible.  This mode really started in 

1999 when the FireFly first broke ground, continues up to this day, and I 

hope for many years to come.



The move up here to Indiana has been a good one, in that, where I used to 

have to drive 38 miles to get to the airport, the current trip is 1.5 miles. 

 Also, Indiana seems to be kinder on rental hangar space.  I can fly all 

year on one Social Security check and have money left over.  Not bragging, 

just a fact.  Let's face it, if the old codgers did not keep spending money 

the economy would be in much worse shape than it is.



Jack B. Hart FF004

Winchester, IN



do not archive

aoldman(at)xtra.co.nz
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:47 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

My instructor is in his early 80s and still instructing.Its 20 years since 

he sent me into the sky by my lonsome. Its now my turn to teach him how to 

operate a 1914 Ford T. How times change.



Tony

Downunder

Kolb MK111c

---

lucien

Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 721
Location: santa fe, NM

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:56 am Post subject: Re: Alaska 2009

I'm still "only" 46, but am already transitioning into being an older dude. The main benefit is your resistance to taking zhit from the younger gung-ho's with lots of testosterone goes steadily upwards. 



OTOH, you start to realize your flying time is ultimately finite, so you need to do more of it. 



I'm still trying to see if I like the long xcountry flying, as my admiration for you folks that do it is as high as for probably anyone else on the earth. So far, tho, I seem to be reverting back to my UL flying habits, preferring to go "up" over going over yonder.



But even tho Im a little bit of an infidel, you're welcome to fly through KSAF and I'd love to at least shake your hand if you do. Might be a little off your route, but that's a standing invitation at any rate.



I'm still kicking the Firefly idea around too, tho that's still a ways out after I pay off some more of my current stuff. So hope to be part of the Kolb family again..



LS

_________________
LS
Titan II SS

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:27 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

> My instructor is in his early 80s and still instructing.Its 20 years 

since

 	  Quote: 	
		   he sent me into the sky by my lonsome. Its now my turn to teach him how to 

 operate a 1914 Ford T. How times change.



 Tony


	




Tony/Gang:



Flying my Kolb is no problem.  I think I can continue to fly it for quite 

some time, as long as I can get it out of the hanger.  Need to do some 

landscaping to cut down on the slope toward the hanger.  Been having a hard 

time pushing the fat mkIII up hill.



Doing an Alaska flight is much more physically and mentally demanding than 

flying around the patch.  The mental and physical part affect each other. 

When I get really tired, it is easy to make dumb decisions.  Weather 

extremes play Hell physically and mentally.  Like the 2004 Alaska flight, I 

got into a situation where I ran out of visibility, could not get through a 

4,000 foot pass because the ceiling was 3,000 feet.  I was getting low on 

fuel, so I could not take an alternate route up the river around the 

mountain.  It was drizzling rain, cold, late in the day, been flying all 

day, tired and hungry, had not had a good meal that day.  Murphy was piling 

up on me.  I found a straight section of road on the side of the mountain 

that had a small, muddy pull out to get the mkIII off the highway.  When the 

road was clear, I was on the ground.  I was a long way out in the bush. 

Nothing out there but me and the bears.  I got my tent up in the rain and 

mud, grabbed my tiny .22 survival rifle, and crashed for the night. 

Luckily, I had a satellite phone to call Whitehorse FSS and cancel my flight 

plan.  The FSS operator asked me if I got the airplane off the highway when 

I told him I had landed there.  



That was 5 years ago when I was 65.  Of course, I have the question in my 

mine, "Can I still do it?"



Other times I got into situations where I had to physically man handle the 

aircraft on the ground to get it into a place out of the wind when there was 

no way to get it tied down.  This type situation happens at the end of a 

long flying day when mind and body are worn out.  Easy to make some dumb 

decisions.   I got a severe chill when I landed at Eagle Plains, Yukon 

Territory.  I was shaking like a leaf, uncontrollably.   In a situation like 

that it is hard to think, much less push a heavy airplane in the wind around 

a bunch of old sheds and buildings.



I think if I take my time, think ahead of the envelope, I can make it and 

still enjoy my flight.  Probably have to slow down some, not push, and take 

a little longer to get there and get home.



Weather and patience are primary factors in accomplishing this flight.  It 

really gets hard, at times, to sit in the middle of nowhere waiting on 

weather....



Better be careful or I'll talk myself out of the flight.  



john h

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:17 am Post subject: Alaska 2009

> But even tho Im a little bit of an infidel, you're welcome to fly through 

KSAF and I'd love to at least shake your hand if you do. Might be a little 

off your route, but that's a standing invitation at any rate.

 >

 	  Quote: 	
		   LS


	




Lucien:



Come May you need to load and fire up the Titan, point it west, and head for 

MV.  It is 220 sm from Santa Fe Airport to Gouldings airstrip, a little over 

two hour flight in a Titan.  If you couldn't spend the weekend with us, you 

could fly over, have lunch, then fly back home.



Thanks for the invite to Santa Fe.  I have never been there.  I'll take you 

up on it one of these flights.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

russ(at)rkiphoto.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:34 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

About selling articles & photos -- one big advantage, if it applies  

to you, is that you can deduct some or all of your expenses from   

your taxes -- IF you sell an article or at least make an honest  

effort to do so. Talk to your tax man. And good luck.

Russ K



On Mar 3, 2009, at 6:57 AM, Thom Riddle wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 John,



 I've written four articles that were published in EAA's Light Sport  

 Magazine over the last couple of years. I got paid. If they like  

 what you send them, and you ask for payment, they will pay.... not  

 a lot but it makes it worthwhile. Contact Mary Jones if you are  

 interested. A heads up, they don't do much editing, so your  

 finished copy, at least the words, need to be "reader ready". The  

 only editing I've seen in my articles was injecting errors that  

 were not in the copy I sent them .



 do not archive



 --------

 Thom Riddle

 Buffalo, NY

 http://riddletr.googlepages.com/sportpilot-cfi

 http://riddletr.googlepages.com/a%26pmechanix



 A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved  

 from a simple system that works.

   - John Gaule





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 32903#232903

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:39 pm Post subject: Alaska 2009

 	  Quote: 	
		   About selling articles & photos -- one big advantage, if it applies  to 

 you, is that you can deduct some or all of your expenses from   your 

 taxes -- > Russ K


	




That would be great.  However, I don't make enough money to list deductions. 

Better for me to take a standard deduction.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

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