Friday, May 14, 2010

On our way to ferry an R22 from Torrance, California to Birchwood, Alaska

We are on our way down to Torrance, California to ferry one of our R22 helicopters (N767VC) that’s been rebuilt back up to Birchwood, Alaska. It's going to be one hell of an adventure! Let’s hope its uneventful and we pull it off without a hitch. I'll be doing the trip with Corey one of my instructors. And who knows, I might even learn something. It'll be a chance for me to put everything I've learned in the last two years of helicopter training to the test. I'm taking a camera, and if possible will take a few photos along the way to share when I get back. As some of you know there’s not much room in the R22 so all I'm taking is a small little black back pack that will fit under the seat. We'll be roughing it for sure, but the goal is to get the helicopter and us back up here to Alaska in one piece. Our biggest obstacle will be the weather!

Old 7VC that's been rebuilt, rumor has it she's now red with a new registration # 99507; she was a good old bird!

N767VC, I soloed in this ship! I'm curious to see how she's going to look after the rebuild.

According to Google we are looking at approximately 4,300 miles. Our route will depend on the weather coming up through California, Oregon and Washington but more than likely we'll follow I-5 north and enter Canada at Kelowna, BC. Canada can be a desolate place and staying near the main road (ALCAN HWY) is safer in my book. Our route will follow Williams Lake, BC; Prince George, BC; Dawson Creek, BC; Fort St. John, BC; Fort Nelson, BC; Watson Lake, YT; Whitehorse, YT; Haines Junction, YT; Beaver Creek, YT; Northway Junction, AK; Tok, AK; Glenallen, AK; and then on to Birchwood, AK. Of course we can fly as the crow fly’s and straighten out all the curves :-).  I'm glad we're ferrying the helicopter with summer just around the corner, and as we approach Alaska the days will be longer with plenty of daylight. Wish us luck!

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