Oakland to Reykjavik

David Clarke  //  

Mar 5 / 9:31am

Flight to Iceland 2010

Click here to download:
TBMsTo BIRK 2010.doc (875 KB)
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From: Mel Rushton <mel@melandtom.net>
Date: Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 3:56 PM
Subject: Flight to Iceland 2010
To: Polgreen Thomas <tom@melandtom.net>


Hi,

I'm attaching a "prospectus" with information about our proposed flight to Iceland in August 2010.  It is still a long ways away, I know.  However, it occurred to me that individuals might want to begin considering a few things.  I'd suggest thinking about buying or renting the raft and immersion suits  well in advance.  Also, we might want to book accommodations soon, especially if we have the option of cancelling a month or so out, if the trip does not materialize.  Every time we have gone to Reykjavik for more than one night, we have stayed at Room with a View which is a collection of apartments in the heart of Reykjavik.  Staying at the Loftlieder at the BIRK airport, with the FBO discount, is about the same rate, and you only have a hotel room (and about a 2-3 mi. walk to town).

http://roomwithaview.is/

I've updated the prices of things (charts, nav data, fuel, survival equipment), but I'm sure I've missed something.  I'll go over the costs of everything again in mid-summer, but I wanted to get this out to you now.  Let me know, if you have any questions about anything herein:

Mel

Filed under  //  Route Planning  
Mar 5 / 9:22am

From Mel - Route is perfect

From: Mel Rushton <mel@melandtom.net>
Date: Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Subject: OMG: route is perfect
To: Clarke David <FlyerInSF@gmail.com>


David,

Unbelievable: the great circle route from KOAK to CYFB goes right over CYYQ (Churchill, on Hudson Bay).  CYYQ is only ONE mile out of the way!  It is 1666nm from KOAK to CYYQ.  Moreover, there are two perfect spots to land to divide that into three segments: Boise (KBOI) and Saskatoon (CYXE ??).  Saskatoon is perfect for your Canadian customs stop.  Then you can meet us in Churchill (the quintessential "polar bear" viewing city--but not in August) for the overnight.

It is then 790nm from CYYQ to CYFB.  There isn't much of a place to stop between CYYQ and CYFB, but there is one, Rankin Inlet (CYRT).  My friend who flew his 172 over last summer stopped there, so if you need that stop, we can quiz him about it.  That adds 100nm, and breaks the legs into 250nm and 640nm. Not optimal, but hopefully doable.  The challenge, even for us, is finding suitable alternates if IFR conditions exist.  Hopefully they will not.

After that is is 486 to Kangerlussuaq (BGSF) on the west coast of Greenland and 730nm onwards to Reykjavik (BIRK).  There is Kulusuk (BGKK) on the east coast of Greenland, where you might need to sop, if 730nm is too far.  My friend who flew his 172 stopped there.  He and his wife had a nice picnic lunch overlooking the ocean and icebergs, and had such an enjoyable experience they jumped back into their C172, took off, and realized they had forgotten to put on their immersion suits!  They said it was a magical experience (maybe they had sex on the runway or the picnic table).  (The runway is hard packed gravel, but should not be a problem for you.)

So there you have it:
1666 + 790 + 486 + 730 to Reykjavik.

AFter that, it is 689 to EGPC (Wick, Scottland, for example).  If Mathias needs a stop, the Farrow Islands are half way and only 50nm out of the way.

It seems all those lands in the North Atlantic were placed right along the great circle route from N. America to Europe, just for us single-engine pilots!  ;-)

Mel

Filed under  //  Route Planning