Heading way the hell north of 70

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:44 pm

Anyone have any advice on flying up around the pond inlet region? (northen tip of baffin island)

Snowroller · Post by **Snowroller** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:52 pm

carry plenty of cash , spare socks & give them lots of notice to get refuelled

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:56 pm

I'm told I have about 40 barrels of fuel waiting for me up there so hopefully that won't be a problem.

Snowroller · Post by **Snowroller** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:02 pm

ya but was the drums there since 1957?

Donald · Post by **Donald** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:07 pm

Keep as many options open as possible. If one place starts to crap out (either your departure point, your destination or your alternate), then it's time to shut down for the day. Unless you are in a twin otter on big wheels or floats and you have your camping gear with you.

Pay attention to the winds as you are in a mountainous area.

Same as above: have lots of cash, clothes, food at all times.

Take lots of photos cause you never know when you'll be back or what you'll see.

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:12 pm

do you guys carry a rifle? I'm told polar bears can be a bitch up there. I have a 7mm I was thinking of taking with me.

Donald · Post by **Donald** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:16 pm

People landing off strip usually do. If it's all strip to strip then you are usually okay.

Extra bear protection is never a bad idea, but I don't think the bears are a "bitch of a problem". If there are bears in the area, the locals will usually know before you do and give you a heads up.

Snowroller · Post by **Snowroller** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:19 pm

Definately carry a rifle,but make sure you got all the paperwork & permits required to have it with you,Make sure you lock up your plane after use as the kids get bored up there & can pick out a plane or helicopter in no time,seen the contents of many acft over the years trailing into the local towns on the dirt roads & tundra

ettw · Post by **ettw** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:22 pm

Agreed, always have a back door or two with respect to weather. Winds will be an issue in Pond as Donald said.

And if you are doing IFR, excellent situational awareness, you can't get lost or the hills will bite you! And keep in mind that there can be big ass icebergs drifting by so if you have plans to do some low level flying in marginal weather, they will be that same colour as the fog surrounding them!

PM me if you have specific questions.

PS....Have fun, its really really beautiful country up here!

Howitzer · Post by **Howitzer** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:30 pm

The worst time for weather up there is the two season changes, winter to summer and vice versa. Pond sits in a bit of a funny spot weather wise, it seems to me it was usually fairly clear in there in the summer, where as some of the other places, there would be fog patches and what not. If you're using Nanisivik as an alternate, keep an eye on it. It only takes an hour or less for the weather to go down there. If you're doing trips out to the west of town over the water low level, watch for ice bergs, they like to slip past Bylot Island sometimes and snake their way in. If you're IFR on trips say from the Igloolik/Hall Beach area, really pay attention to the Altitudes, some large rocks just south of Pond, also towards the east there. If you're counting on the ILS for back-up in Resolute Bay, don't. It's from 1976 and i think is one of the oldest in Canada. It doesn't like moisture(ie. fog), something to do with it getting into the power and shorting the thing out. The same weather requiring the ILS, is the same weather that will make it U/S. Hope that answered a few questions. Please feel free to point out anything I missed or got wrong.

P.S. If you're staying at the Co-Op, make sure the sheets are clean!

Snowroller · Post by **Snowroller** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:35 pm

p.s. be prepared to go on a diet if you want to or not

maxofthenorth · Post by **maxofthenorth** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:59 pm

Find out where the old Dew Line sites and old camp landing strips are. They are usually in good shape and are a great alternate to land at and wait out weather. They have saved my butt a few times (Mary River is between Pond and Hall Beach and they have a great camp cook!).

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:18 pm

Weather shouldn't be too much of a problem. we'll be surveying so we'll be looking for atleast 3000' ceilings before we even get our wheels off the ground. Thanks for the advice guys.

... · Post by **...** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:21 pm

Dust Devil wrote:Weather shouldn't be too much of a problem. we'll be surveying so we'll be looking for atleast 3000' ceilings before we even get our wheels off the ground. Thanks for the advice guys.

Is this with the DFO office out of YWG?

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:36 pm

I am Birddog wrote:
Dust Devil wrote:Weather shouldn't be too much of a problem. we'll be surveying so we'll be looking for atleast 3000' ceilings before we even get our wheels off the ground. Thanks for the advice guys.
Is this with the DFO office out of YWG?

I know not the language you speak

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:49 pm

I'd say don't wander too far without a large caliber riffle on your back. That said, the mountains around there are spectacular! I'd love to go for a few days of solid hiking in those rocks. You are in for a scenic treat. There are glaciers there that will give you an idea of what the rocky mountains looked like ten thousand years ago.

The town is another story. Not much to see or do there. Pretty small community with Inuktitut being the primary language. Lots of the Inuk residents speak only broken english, but most of the younger generation wil be able to converse. The only whities will be the odd noof working, or the nurses. I think the teachers will be gone for the summer.

I found the people I talk to quite friendly, but on medevacs you usually only get to talk to the fuellers (some of the toughest human beings on earth), the uni-lingual buss driver, and the nurses.

Coke goes for something like 5 bucks a can, so bring a few flats. Be careful bringing booze, In NU you legally need an import permit to bring more than 12 beers and 1L of hard stuff. Since you will be bringing more than that, don't mention it to anyone. Food will be beyond expensive so bring as much as you can, OR you could live off of Narwhal and MukTuk.

Have fun man.

CJ

J31 · Post by **J31** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:26 pm

Dust Devil wrote:do you guys carry a rifle? I'm told polar bears can be a bitch up there. I have a 7mm I was thinking of taking with me.

Many moons ago I spent a week flying a couple of polar bear biologist around the Baffin region. They told me the worst time for bears was the fall as they had been on land all summer and were getting hungry. In the spring the bears were just coming off the ice and were usually well feed from seals thus not as much of a problem. Keep in mind a polar bear is one of the most unpredictable creatures on the planet. They stock their prey and have a very good sense of smell.

The one biologist would not go anywhere without his 357 Magnum. He noted it was an 8 shot with number eight for him self if the other seven did not stop the bear!
The overall risk is low but keep your guard up.

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:03 am

Bears!?!

Worry like hell about fuel if you are piston equipped and have to divert.
Carry cash for food, pop & carvings
carry more cash if you are turbine, and divert and need fuel; at any other time than when 7f is scheduled in (call outs are brutally expensive)
Worry abut your ability to fly on the max rough air speed to make it to your destination
Be exceptionally good at landing with a max crosswind.
Worry about running out of batteries for your MP3 player, camera.

Bears!?!

You guys kill me... Unless buddy here is landing off-strip and wandering around the flow ice with a cheeseburger in his pocket...

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:39 am

Fuel has been the biggest bitch to arrange I am finding. Probably gonna eat up about 1600 gallons in a week. My customer doesn't seem to realize that flying up there isn't like flying around New York.

... · Post by **...** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:52 am

just curious wrote:Bears!?!
Bears!?! You guys kill me... Unless buddy here is landing off-strip and wandering around the flow ice with a cheeseburger in his pocket...

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:12 am

just curious wrote: Bears!?! You guys kill me... Unless buddy here is landing off-strip and wandering around the flow ice with a cheeseburger in his pocket...

How would they feel about a t-bone tied around my neck. or are they just interested in cheeseburgers.

Snowgoose · Post by **Snowgoose** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:24 am

The co-op has a fuel truck with Jet A. You have to arrange credit with PPD, or petroleum products division. They don't take cash or cards from the last time I remember. If you are using barrels, don't forget a bung wrench and a pump with a water filter. This may seem obvious but I've seem some pretty stupid things happen.

The scenery is beautiful. Once the channel freezes make sure to try some Iceberg tea.

As for dinner. The hotel, not the co-op, served a mean meal but it was $60 all you can eat last time I was there. My captain thought we had turkey, I thought we had roast pork. Oh well, that's what gravy is for.

We stayed at a bed a breakfast when we were there. Seemed like a great option. The hotel was full with construction workers. The co-op has a greasy spoon restaurant in it, but if you cherish longevity, try the hotel.

As well pay attention to Northern Domestic Airspace or whatever they call it now. Magnetic north is way off up there. Make sure you blast off with the correct heading on your dg.

And don't forget you can always play basketball on the chipboard court outside the co-op. Still remember kids playing 2 on 2 at 4am. They didn't care, it was sunlight.

C-FOXY · Post by **C-FOXY** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:15 pm

Pond Inlet - June 23, 2006

lilfssister · Post by **lilfssister** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 3:22 pm

Not being familiar with the area (THANK GOD!), is it in the ADIZ? If so, a flight plan must be filed for all flights within the ADIZ. But you knew that, right?

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:16 pm

Snowgoose wrote:...My captain thought we had turkey, I thought we had roast pork. Oh well, that's what gravy is for...

ROTFLMFAO!

Too funny.