Alaska

[Avjoe75]

Anyone in Alaska that either lives or works ?

 

[Zeke]

Haven’t worked in Alaska since just before Thanksgiving day 1990, but it was a privilege that I’ll never forget.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

I spent a week in Anchorage, Alaska in mid-July of '83, helping my dad patch up a Cessna 206 for us to fly back to Seattle via the Al-Can. We were at Merrill Field (PAMR), staying at a motel on the other side of the airport fence. It was incredible there, I'll never forget it. 40 years ago last month.

I remember the timeframe well: Kenny Rogers played up there right after we left, and the place was reputed to be packed.

 

[Zeke]

I spent a week in Anchorage, Alaska in mid-July of '83, helping my dad patch up a Cessna 206 for us to fly back to Seattle via the Al-Can. We were at Merrill Field (PAMR), staying at a motel on the other side of the airport fence. It was incredible there, I'll never forget it. 40 years ago last month.

I remember the timeframe well: Kenny Rogers played up there right after we left, and the place was reputed to be packed.

The man that taught me the bulk of what I know about mechanics when I worked for him in high school moved his family to Alaska in the ‘70s to work for Arco in the oilfields of Pruhoe Bay. He got into private aviation while up there and when I started driving truck up there in the mid ‘80s he told me “half the people in Alaska fly and half of those that do have licenses. If you don’t crash at an airport no one ever bothers checking your license.”.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

The man that taught me the bulk of what I know about mechanics when I worked for him in high school moved his family to Alaska in the ‘70s to work for Arco in the oilfields of Pruhoe Bay. He got into private aviation while up there and when I started driving truck up there in the mid ‘80s he told me “half the people in Alaska fly and half of those that do have licenses. If you don’t crash at an airport no one ever bothers checking your license.”.

I heard the same thing. Also, Dad and I walked around Merrill Field's tarmacs one night: it was late, we were both trying to wear out more to get to sleep and the twilight was still ample to view things without a flashlight.

We came across many aircraft: the small, the big, the vanilla, the wildly-painted (for easy spotting in case of a crash)...even saw a few aircraft with red Anchorage FAA tags on them, alerting the owner there were problems with the aircraft. These tags did not tell the owner what to do but both suggested & implored of them to do it. As you implied, aviation up there is life...and the FAA is not as inflexible up there as they are in the lower 48. For good reason.

The next day, Dad and I were treated to some second-to-none flying up there. Flying up there is amazing...and can even have you tense in places, like the pilot I was with, who flew us both 300 feet above a glacier with crevasses big enough to swallow entire homes. Good engine...keep running!

 

[Zeke]

I heard the same thing. Also, Dad and I walked around Merrill Field's tarmacs one night: it was late, we were both trying to wear out more to get to sleep and the twilight was still ample to view things without a flashlight.

We came across many aircraft: the small, the big, the vanilla, the wildly-painted (for easy spotting in case of a crash)...even saw a few aircraft with red Anchorage FAA tags on them, alerting the owner there were problems with the aircraft. These tags did not tell the owner what to do but both suggested & implored of them to do it. As you implied, aviation up there is life...and the FAA is not as inflexible up there as they are in the lower 48. For good reason.

The next day, Dad and I were treated to some second-to-none flying up there. Flying up there is amazing...and can even have you tense in places, like the pilot I was with, who flew us both 300 feet above a glacier with crevasses big enough to swallow entire homes. Good engine...keep running!

If you want a good read I picked up a book when I was still driving truck that even managed to retain my attention to it in a bar full of good looking women. It’s Harmon Helmericks “The Last of the Bush Pilots” which documents the history of aviation and its special challenges in Alaska. I found a copy on eBay to replace the one lost after reading it. The idea of flying open cockpit planes in -50F and having to drain the oil into a pan after landing so it could be warmed over a campfire to get the plane started to be able to leave is a far cry from what we know as aviation today.

 

[SweetheartPanda]

Anyone in Alaska that either lives or works ?

I lived and worked in Alaska off the Kenai peninsula as a housekeeper, deli worker and janitorial service so I didn't see nor get much of an Alaska experience from 2017-2019

 

[Hockeyczar]

We went there on a cruise and it was beautiful.

 

[TeddyBearCowboy]

I can’t say I’ve “lived” in Alaska, but certainly worked there before and camped out in a tent for weeks during my work assignment.

It is an amazing place and I can say that while I haven’t been to the official polar North Pole, I’ve spent almost a month in North Pole!

Oh how I want to go back!!!!!

 

[Avjoe75]

I lived and worked in Alaska off the Kenai peninsula as a housekeeper, deli worker and janitorial service so I didn't see nor get much of an Alaska experience from 2017-2019

Ive been down on the Kenai a couple times now and explore a little more everytime I go . Hope to make my forever home there someday .

 

[Avjoe75]

I can’t say I’ve “lived” in Alaska, but certainly worked there before and camped out in a tent for weeks during my work assignment.

It is an amazing place and I can say that while I haven’t been to the official polar North Pole, I’ve spent almost a month in North Pole!

Oh how I want to go back!!!!!

I officially live in Tn but work here in Ak . Want to make a Ak official home . Right now I work in Barrow . Which is a native village as far north in the US you can go . I spend most of my time here .

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Ive been down on the Kenai a couple times now and explore a little more everytime I go . Hope to make my forever home there someday .

How do you find Soldotna flying south out of Anchorage? You keep a Kenai out for it. I had to scrape for that bad pun but Juneau all the Alaska puns by now, I bet...

I officially live in Tn but work here in Ak . Want to make a Ak official home . Right now I work in Barrow . Which is a native village as far north in the US you can go . I spend most of my time here .

Isn't the oafishul name Utqiagvik now?

 

[RampDog]

Just moved to here to Juneau a few months ago. Got here just in time to snag some Halibut and Salmon and start loading up the freezer before winter.

 

[Avjoe75]

How do you find Soldotna flying south out of Anchorage? You keep a Kenai out for it. I had to scrape for that bad pun but Juneau all the Alaska puns by now, I bet...


Isn't the oafishul name Utqiagvik now?

Just realized what you wrote . lol very funny . Can’t believe I missed that

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Just realized what you wrote . lol very funny . Can’t believe I missed that

Aw, thank you! Making puns keeps me awake.

So, how's your day today? Here, "it's-uh 8 o'clock in Boise, Idaho"...it's currently 36 & sunny with a high of 59 and a 100% chance of potatoes.

 

[Avjoe75]

Aw, thank you! Making puns keeps me awake.

So, how's your day today? Here, "it's-uh 8 o'clock in Boise, Idaho"...it's currently 36 & sunny with a high of 59 and a 100% chance of potatoes.

Currently at home in Tennesseee . Cloudy and warm . Little bit damp out but I am pretty sure that’s just me . As I sit here reading and catching up drinking my coffee

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Boise is usually starting to hit the 70s & 80 by now...but temps have wavered between 50 & 70. Egg prices keep cluck-tuating as a result but the spuds are getting bigger. Another winter, gone...thankfully.

 

[Avjoe75]

Boise is usually starting to hit the 70s & 80 by now...but temps have wavered between 50 & 70. Egg prices keep cluck-tuating as a result but the spuds are getting bigger. Another winter, gone...thankfully.

Sorry I suck at puns , lol . But you on the other hand ……. Got me rolling …….quit it you gonna make me laugh till I pee ……. Never mind …….

 

[AshtonFreecss]

Lived in Anchorage for 6 years, then Wasilla for a year. Haven't been up there since 2019, though. I miss it like crazy and I'm trying to make plans to visit soon ^^