Month: February 2018

The week raced toward Friday, the finish line. My dad, Turk Turinsky, and I would be flying to our cabin at Lake Clark. Really, it’s more than a cabin; it’s really a small house. It’s on the west side of Lake Clark’s Port Alsworth peninsula. It’s been our second home for thirty years now and the summers of my youth always found us there. It was the stepping off place for all of our western Alaska adventures. We would fly our Cessna 206 on floats from Anchorage Lake Hood Seaplane base to Lake Clark. Dad taxied to the west end of the lake and get close to the shoreline, turn into the wind, get takeoff clearance and hit it. With our typical load, we wanted all the lake we could get to get our ‘legal’ load in the air. We were always legally loaded; I don’t think there ever has been a float plane that left Lake Hood overloaded –yeah, and if you buy that, I’ll sell you a bridge over the Copper River. But, seriously, Dad always made an effort to properly load the airplane. “2221U, you are cleared for take off west.” Dad thrilled me that day, “Kev, let’s get off this lake.” I slide the throttle in, pulling all of the three hundred horses to get us on step. On floats you go from standstill to...

Where is North? Rob would go flying for the same reason the bear goes over the mountain: to see what he can see. This past October, flying around the Susitna Valley, he would assist in the rescue of the pilot and passenger of a downed Super Cub, and execute maneuvers as severe as any night aircraft carrier takeoff and landing and come to the rescue of a victim of an accidental shooting. It all began on a day like any day with a hole in the sky that needed filling. Well, at least that’s the reason Rob came up with for firing up his Piper Super Cub. He was answering that call of nature: the call of a pilot’s nature to fly. When most of the leaves are off the trees, it is perfect for spotting game. Hunting season had ended for all but one area near the Kahiltna River. Here was Rob’s last chance at any legal moose that showed its horns. The weather was great, if he needed to spend the night the conditions were perfect. His fuel gauges were full and he had a mission. Not a really important mission, a leisurely Autumn Sunday kind of mission. He decided to fly the west side of Cook Inlet to see what he could see. Heading out over Mt. Susitna and following the foothills and heading up the...

How Far is North Flying the Iditarod 2004: The Race Chase by Tony Turinsky If I had just one wish, I’d fly every one of you on an Iditarod Adventure. Well, maybe, I would throw several billion dollars into the wish and then take everyone. I first flew the race in 1989 as a volunteer pilot for the Iditarod Air Force. I have enjoyed seven glorious years of Iditarod Air Force flying. For me, flying for the Iditarod is akin to Air America without the C.I.A. At least that was the way it was in the old days; the late eighties. Back then, we had a new Chief Pilot every year. Today, two veterans hold the Chief Pilot position. Over the last six or eight years their joint tour of duty has provided a sense of continuity and professionalism to the Iditarod Air Force. John and Joe are management and logistic gurus. Under their command a tight band of dedicated pilots makes up the Iditarod Air Force. This squadron runs a successful mission every year. Every March, they tune in on setting Iditarod in place along the vast expanse of northwestern Alaska. The Strategic Air Command would be proud of the job these two veterans and their crew do. They talk the talk, they get the flying done. They move volunteers, dogs, food, and all of the Iditarod stuff...

Where is north? Tony Turinsky. It was getting cold in Anchorage when my phone jumped to life. The weather on the other end of the phone was at least eighty above with gentle onshore Maui breezes. Larry is a transplanted Alaskan. He called from Hawaii about some part or piece for his 185. It turned out that he had lived in Anchorage for the last twenty five years, and now splits his time between the warm and the cold. It would be here on the phone where we would meet. I have met many 180/5 friends this way. Being the Alaska director for the International Cessna 180/5 club and having written an article or two for the club news letter, I do get a good share of calls. Some are people wanting to know about flying to Alaska or someone looking for parts and pieces. Larry and I talked and it came up that I was planning on flying south with a friend, Larry said that he was thinking of making the trip to and I suggested we make it a flight of two. We visited over the phone numerous times, and as it turned out my flight fell apart and I lost my ride. Not wanting to miss a chance to fly the Alaska Highway, I offered to be his copilot and I fly with him. We nailed...

Welcome!  This is my personal blog where I will be blogging about my life experiences, including aviation, skiing, insurance, travel, retirement, Alaska, Marketing, Raising Kids and much much more. Check back often for more important updates! Thank you!   Tony Turinsky...