Tower telephone numbers

We experienced an electrical problem while giving flight instruction.  It was a great opportunity to teach the student how to comply with 91.129 (d) Communications failure and enter the pattern with no radio. It was also a great time to see the light gun signals as outlined in AIM 4-3-13.  Entering the pattern without an operating radio and waiting for the proper light gun signal was uneventful.  I had previously entered the phone  number of Anchorage Tower (PANC)  in my phone.  I called the tower as I was entering their airspace and explained our situation.  We received a landing clearance on my cell phone.

The phone numbers that I have in my cell phone:

Anchorage Tower PANC (907) 271-6549
Merrill Tower PAMR          (907) 271-3121
Bethel Tower PABE         (907) 543-3661
Fairbanks Tower PAFA   (907) 474-0452
Kenai Tower PAEN          (907) 283-7245
Kodiak Tower PADQ        (907) 487-4382

"Night flying prohibited" 61.110 (b) (2)

Pilots that receive flight training for a Private pilot rating in Alaska can forgo the 3 hours of night training required in 61.109 (a) (2).  However, a limitation is placed on the certificate: "Night flying prohibited".   "This limitation is only valid for a 12-calender-month period.  At the end of that period, the certificate will become invalid for use until the person complies with appropriate night training requirements".

Check your certificate, if you have a limitation "Night flying prohibited" listed, your certificate is invalid 12-months from the day you took your Private Pilot check ride.  You need to get the required flight training and a DPE can remove the limitation.  This will make your certificate valid.  Contact ACME Cub Training and get the required night flight training and receive a new certificate with the limitation "Night flying prohibited" removed.

Designated Pilot Examiner on-staff at ACME Cub Training

Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE)

ACME Cub Training now has a Designated Pilot Examiner on-staff.  The FAA selected Steven Williams as a Designated Pilot Examiner.  Steven has accomplished the training and check rides required by the FAA to be an Examiner.

Steven Williams is authorized to give FAA practical flight tests for pilots applying for Sport, Private, Commercial, and Instrument certificates.  Steve will give check rides to pilots in both Land and Seaplanes.

Formation Flying (Jacob Williams and Wrangle Jensen). Photographer: Eugene DesJarlais

Great day of ski flying.  The temperature was -40 at Beluga Lake on January 16.

Ski Flying with Eugene DesJarlais, Jacob Williams, and Wrangel Jensen

Wheel-Ski Flight Training at Lake Hood

ACME Cub Training outfitted our Super Cub with Airglass LW2500 wheel-skis this week.  We now offer our students both ski training and tail wheel training.  We keep our cub pre-heated and available for training.

Ski flying, late freeze-up

Lake Hood froze solid during the third week of November.  We experienced a very mild fall.  Freeze up came about a month late.   Snow pack in the Anchorage area remains very light.  We are still able to operate and give off-airport training with 31" Bushwheels.  Our off-airport syllabus includes techniques to avoid the "Moose Stall".   This coarse is mandatory for all pilots that hope to venture out and find their own runways.

ACME Cub Training will install wheel skis after the Thanksgiving weekend and start the ski training season.

N8976D on wheels for Bear hunting. The floats will go back on by September 21st. We will get a couple more weeks of float training before freeze-up.

Jacob's first Bear

Jacob and I put N8976D on wheels to go Bear Hunting.  Jacob got his first Bear.  Our Cub goes back on floats Tuesday.

N8976D on Jacob's Ridge

Our Camp

The view from our tent

Electronic Advanced Passenger Information System (EAPIS)

Electronic Advanced Passenger Information System (EAPIS) https://eapis.cbp.dhs.gov/

Our great leaders have come up with a new way to keep America safe from unwanted intruders.  We all can sleep easier now that the EAPIS system is in place.  All pilots must log into https://eapis.cbp.dhs.gov/ and register about a week before crossing into or exiting from United States.  After your initial registration, the system will deliver a Sender ID and an Activation Key to your email inbox.  Activating your new account is easy if you remember to use the Sender ID that the system assigned to you and the password that you chose.   However, activating the account will be frustrating if you attempt to use the User ID that you chose during the initial login rather than using the Sender ID.

I learned how to use the system last week when I flew from Penticton, British Columbia to Anchorage, Alaska in a wheeled DHC-2.  We planned to fly up the coast with stops at Bella Bella, Prince Rupert, Ketchikan, and Yakatat. A low-pressure system on the coast dashed this plan.  The Prince Rupert terminal forecast predicted 300 sky obscured, ¼ mile visibility in fog.  The Outlook reported more of the same. The METAR and TAF for all the points along the Trench made that route look appealing. The weather from Whitehorse to Gulkana was IFR, but we did not worry about that at the moment. Whitehorse was nine flight hours away.  After a day of flying and a night in Whitehorse, we hoped the weather would change.  Soon after eating an early breakfast, we filed a VFR flight plan with FSS and departed for Prince George with 138 gallons of gas.  On this first leg we converted 242 liters (64 US gallons) of 100 LL into a lot of noise with a 145 mph ground speed.  The second leg to Watson Lake burned another 345 liters (91 US gallons).   The hot sunny day produced ample cumulus clouds, but produced no lightning.  The OAT allowed the flight in T-shirts and shorts with the windows lowered.  As the afternoon sun grew hotter, only a few of the cumulus clouds turned dark and heavy.  We encountered light rain showers, but no lightning.  As we arrived at the Watson Lake airport it appeared deserted. No chatter was on the radio.  The only noticeable life was the briefer in the FSS.  After receiving a favorable briefing, we departed for Whitehorse.  We found Whitehorse full of overfed or nearly dead travelers who had deboarded the cruise ships which were anchored at Skagway – an hour's drive away.  After three phone calls, we found a hotel with a vacancy. While eating ribs on the deck at the Klondike Rib & Salmon Barbecue, we exchanged ALCAN stories with two Honda Goldwing travelers.  We had enough fun and conversation that the waitresses took our picture.  After dinner, I logged into https://eapis.cbp.dhs.gov/ once again to enter border crossing details.  Logging in took several attempts.  I tried to use the User ID.  This did not work.  The system needed the Sender ID that was sent to my inbox and the password that I generated.  After reading the login page, I figured out the problem and successfully opened the EAPIS home page.  I followed the prompts and entered the passenger information and the border crossing information.  This entire process was completed within an hour. 

The following morning we woke up to another early wake up call.  A taxi delivered us to the FSS where we found many pilots sipping coffee.  The weather briefer in Whitehorse had lots of company.  For the past several days all VFR aircraft headed for Alaska had been stopped by the low-pressure system. We checked the weather, topped off the tanks, and led the way.   At first, I was tempted to fly direct, but the hills looked ominous.  I decided to follow the highway only to find the rain intensifying and the clouds lowering.  By the time I reached Burwash Landing, I slowed down to 90 mph and pumped down a little flap.  Squalls obscured my course several times causing me to leave the highway and circle until the squalls moved through. The comforting thing about this route is the Alaska Highway is mostly straight with little traffic and few power lines.  It is easy to land on most straight stretches of the road, and many pull-offs exist to get aircraft off the highway.  For situational awareness, I followed our ground track on the Whitehorse Sectional with my finger.  I put an X on the sectional to indicate the landable stretches of the highway and an X on all the airports as we passed them.  I knew exactly where I was at all times and knew my landing options should the weather worsen.  As I passed Beaver Creek, we cleaned up the flaps and ran the power up to 28 inches of manifold pressure.  The sun was shining again.  Clearing customs went smoothly and only took five minutes.  I must have filled out EAPIS correctly.  After customs we were informed that no fuel was available.  Our options: Tok or Gulkana.  Gulkana reported clear and ten miles visibility. I filed for Gulkana, climbed through a scattered layer, and headed direct.  After Gulkana, all points showed severe clear with a tailwind down the Matanuska River.  We arrived in Anchorage by 3:30 p.m.  

Note:

1. Remember to register with EAPIS about a week before your trip.  Keep the password you chose on your initial registration in your permanent records. 
2. EAPIS will send a Sender ID and an Activation Number.
3. Use the Sender ID and your password to log into EAPIS and activate your account.
4. Keep the Sender ID in your permanent records.

If you have any questions feel free to call me at (907) 250-6030.

Steven Williams

ACME Cub Training

Direct Phone Numbers for FSS

Many pilots call the Flight Service Station (FSS) to get weather.  The published phone number for FSS is 1-800-WX BRIEF (800-992-7433).  I do not use this number.  This toll free number does not go directly to Kenai FSS but goes to a master switchboard.  The master switchboard routes the call to a FSS that is in the geographic area where you made the call.  This will create a problem if you use a satellite phone.  The FSS switchboard thinks you are calling from the home office of the satellite phone company.  The call will be routed to a FSS out east.  The FSS person you get on the phone will know nothing about your needs in bush Alaska.

Instead of calling 1-800-992-7433, I call directly to the FSS that knows the most about the area I will be flying.  I have a list of direct numbers for the Flight Service Stations in Alaska.

FSS Barrow                907-852-2511

FSS Cold Bay             907-532-2454, 800-478-7250

FSS Deadhorse          907-659-2401

FSS Dillingham           907-542-5275

FSS Fairbanks           907-474-0137, 866-248-6516

FSS Homer                907-235-8588

FSS Juneau               907-789-7380, 907-586-7382

FSS Kenai                  907-283-7211, 866-864-1737

FSS Ketchikan           907-225-9481        

FSS Kotzebue           907-442-3310

FSS Nome                 907-443-2291

FSS Northway           907-778-2219

FSS Palmer               907-745-2495, 907-745-3248

FSS Sitka                  907-966-2221

FSS Talkeetna          907-733-2277