AK-1

Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye.Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye. Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...Hey, hey, hey...Good-bye./

Floatplane--Supercub

I videographed this airplane at Lake Hood Alaska, the most active floatplane base in the world. The supercub is the most common bush plane in Alaska. The following is from Wikipedia.
While based on the design of the earlier Cubs, the addition of an electrical system, flaps, and a vastly more powerful engine, make it a very different flying experience. Although the "standard" Super Cub was fitted with a 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming engine, it was not uncommon to see them equipped with a 180 hp (134 kW) powerplant. The high-lift wing and powerful engine made the Super Cub a prime candidate for conversion to either floatplane or skiplane. In addition, the PA-18A (an agricultural version) was produced for applying either dry chemical or liquid spray.
The Super Cub retained the basic "rag and tube" (fabric stretched over a steel tube frame) structure of the earlier J-3 Cub.
PA-18 Super Cub 150 (G-HACK) at the Great Vintage Fly-In Weekend, Kemble, England, in May 2003
The first true "Super" Cubs had flaps, dual fuel tanks, and an O-235 Lycoming engine producing about 108 hp (115 hp for takeoff only). However, a 95 hp Continental without flaps and an optional second wing tank was available. Their empty weight was, on the average, 800-1000 lbs with a gross weight of 1500 lbs. These Cubs would take off in about 400 feet (at gross weight) and land in about 300 feet (thanks to the flaps). The Super cub is renowned for its ability to take off and land in very short distances. With a light wing loading some can take off in 50 feet and land in 30. The O-290 Lycoming powered Cubs (135 hp) followed and would take off in about 200 feet. The landing distance remained the same at about 400 feet, or 300 feet using flaps. With the use of the Lycoming O-320 at 150-160 hp, the Cub's allowable gross weight increased to around 1700 lbs while retaining the capability of a mere 200 feet for takeoff.

This and that....

I'm still recouping from the Alaska trip. And that is good. Just a bit of readaption to the time zone if nothing else. There is much of the "earthiness" I like. They tell it just the way it is. There is a fiercely independent spirit there. Locally I've been working to add some order to my collection of video and still pix from the AK trip. But, alas, I must create a piece of art (a monoprint) for a show in Charleston. I have cut back on painting and am pursuing other creative endeavors. Video can be a time sink. Maybe I will use the AK photos as a book rather than a DVD.

Back home

The trip home took a while. But it was worth it. our trip had take 14 days and a combination of all modes of transportation except train. The primary reason for the trip had been to visit my son, David, in Homer Alaska. it is said that the farthermost west you can co on a US highway is Homer. We flew to Seattle and then to Anchorage. We rented a car in there and began discovery of the biggest state by car. We traveled south of Anchorage stopping along the way to see the sites. The highway followed the shoreline of Cook's Inlet. The rain drizzled which was became an everyday occurrence. We visited David and Aimee in Homer and the quaint little town of Talkeetna. The TV series Northern Exposure was based on this little town. we visited the Point Lodge on Lake Louise, AK. Claudette's brother had build the lodge back in the 80's. We did some paddling there and enjoyed our stay. We met the cruise ship Spirit in Whittier. it was my first time on a cruise ship. The ship stopped in Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, and Katchecan. In Katchecan we took a boat tour into the Mystic Fjords. We transferred to a floatplane for the trip out of the fjords. We had a great time.