To fly an American registered airplane, Canadians first need to obtain an American license issued by the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. This is a surprisingly straight-forward process that takes place while you're in Canada.
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We flew into Alert Bay airport (CYAL) on Cormorant Island, British Columbia, in early September, experiencing low stratus fractus and bouts of heavy rain along the way--quintessential coastal BC flying.
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I've provided precise driving times in my blog to help you when you're planning what to see and are wondering how long it will take at each stop, and how long that gravel road really does take to drive. Plus, of course, Day Five has the unique details about renting a plane and flying yourself in Iceland.
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On a recent 3 day trip to Lima, Peru, not only did we have the pleasure of meeting with members of the Peruvian aviation community and flying a rented plane over Lima's nearby barren peaks and beautiful coastline, but we also visited some of the city's spectacular sights. Our itinerary for the 3 whirlwind days...
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Lib Mandi is a privately owned and operated aerodromo in Lima, Peru. It's about 30 miles south of Lima; however, it's almost a 2 hour drive to reach, not only due to traffic, but because there are so few exits off the highway.
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After recent flooding of the Fraser River, the airstrip at Sandpiper Golf Course (Rowena's) is now open again. A phone call to the golf course confirmed that several GA aircraft have landed and departed from the recovered airstrip, and a fly-over confirmed that the river looks back in it usual place.
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The boat dock on the southeast end of the golf course was a floating island, several meters away from land. And the runway? An airstrip for a pastoral Lost City of Atlantis.
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He's tall, dark, and silent, his parents selected for their superior traits. No, he's not Prince William, nor the Count of Monaco. He's Bob, Bob of Nanaimo.
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One of the fellowship will greet you.
It sounded as if we were to be met by a wizard or elf, which seemed fitting, surrounded as we were by stately cedars and hemlocks, on a secluded, sparsely populated island.
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It's coming straight for you! Don't move!, the captain of our little tour boat called. Face-down in the water & shivering hard despite my wet-suit & snorkel gear, I froze in the sea-star float position. With slow, majestic grace, a 1,000 pound manatee glided inches underneath me.
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A rhythmic whooshing dragged me from sleep. It was a large, dry sound which, in my dozy state, brought images to mind of both an elephant sighing and a steam locomotive hissing to a stop.
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It isn't every day that you wander across a series of geological oddities that can't be explained by science, but on a flight down the Washington coast one spring day, to our delight we saw one: acres and acres of peculiarly hump patterened land, bump-sliding beneath the shadow of our Skyhawk.
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With the I-5 running like a zipper down its centre and the regional airport a poetic stone’s throw away, Kelso has been our way-station for almost every trip we’ve taken south of the Canadian border in our little plane.
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Located about 2 hours drive from Vancouver, the Sandpiper golf course is a beautiful little fly in destination, with the magnificent Harrison River lapping upon the shores of the immaculate fairway.
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Bracketed on one side by the chalky green glacial waters of the Skagit River, Mears Field is a splendid little summer spot for pilots to pitch a tent overnight.
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An idyllic riverside spot for pitching a tent under the wing, Jim Wright Airfield makes a splendid, peaceful overnight campsite for pilots.
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Here's some of the ways we've lured the reluctant to join us for a splendid outing via an airplane ride around the West Coast of BC and the States ... and it's helped keep flying new and adventurous for us, too.
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Jaunty octogenarians and their Model T Ford driving school, Ken Jernstedt Airfield, Hood River, Oregon, USA (2017-12-02)
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Surrounded by lush vineyards and orchards, under the snow-capped peak of Oregon's highest volcanic mountain, Hood River is a great little destination just 60 miles east of Portland. There's not much that you can't do here, in this green nook along the Columbia River: skiing, hiking, wind-surfing, wine-tasting and-best of all-learning to drive a 1916 Model T Ford.
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A west coast version of the Caribbean, spectacular Nehalem Bay State Park boasts miles of squeaky white sand, crashing surf, and rolling dunes, under idyllic blue skies (at least, there are blue skies in the summer, if coastal fog isn't rolling in....)
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On a short, wintry, cloud-scudded day, we hopped in our plane and flew to Nanaimo airport (CYCD) for a quick, scenic flight across the Georgia Straight, followed by a yummy lunch at the Cottonwood Golf course Restaurant.
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A plethora of rocky beaches and sun-dappled forest trails near a strip of upbeat art galleries, quirky shops, ocean-view bistros, and a local craft brewery: Willingdon Beach is a traveller's gem.
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It's a faerie wonderland of huge cedars rubbing shoulders with old hemlocks, picturesque creeks fit for water sprites, and sandbar beaches where ocean nymphs might be swimming offshore, among rare Jurassic glass-sponges.
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Soaring over the homes of the rich and famous--Off-the-beaten path near Heathrow Airport, England (2017-10-09)
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If you've got an adventurous spirit and some spare time prior to hurling yourself into Heathrow's labyrinth, visit nearby Wycombe Air Park, an active World-War II airfield, and fly a Cessna low over the astonishing manors of the past and current Prime Ministers of England.
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What is truly special about this regional park is the plethora of wild caves to crawl and scramble around in, all rife with glittering limestone stalactites, crystals, and cave dew.
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While recently rambling along the short, pretty forest trail that circumnavigates Parkgate Park at the bottom of Seymour Mountain, an unusual picture artfully decorating a large metal electrical box caught our eye: a sepia photograph of what looked like a dirigible, hovering over the stumps and felled trees of a swatch of logging forest.
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Located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in a picturesque harbour surrounded by hills of Douglas Fir and Western Cedars, Transfer Beach Park is a lovely spot for a ramble, a picnic, a dog-romp, a dip in the ocean, or a serene bit of paddling with a kayak or paddleboard.
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On a bright blue summer day, we flew from our home airport of CYPK (Pitt Meadows, BC), up the pretty ocean passage of Howe Sound, and through the Cheakamus River valley to Pemberton Airport (CYPS), elevation 670ft, Traffic 123.20, Right hand circuits for 24.
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One of our favourite flying destinations is Qualicum airport. It's a very pretty flight through the Strait of Georgia, over jewel-green islands such as Texada and Lasqueti, and the white-beach sands of Buccaneer Bay, all of it under the austere gaze of the towering snow-capped peaks of the coastal mountain range.
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Flying & Airport camping in the Interior of BC-Day 6 (we're not in the Interior anymore, Toto) (2017-07-22)
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We escaped the forest fires and smoke of the interior of BC only to head into wet weather on Texada Island (CYGB)
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We decided to wave the white flag and give up on flying the interior of BC this summer, as we were feeling rather ragged by avoiding smoke and forest fires. Instead, we flew to Gillies Bay, Texada Island (CYGB) on the west coast.
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In the smoky but peaceful morning, we consulted maps, forecasts, etc. and decided we'd head north to Kelowna (CYLW), where the smoke was supposed to be thinner.
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We woke at the chipper hour of 7am in our tent, which was pitched by our plane at the Oliver airport, a quiet, scenic spot with a friendly pilot community.
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We took off from Vernon before noon and stopped at Osoyoos CBB9 for a picnic lunch ... Butted up against the Crowsnest Highway, CBB9 is a bleak airstrip with absolutely no amenities, no hangars, no visible resident aircraft, no flying club shack (nor buildings of any sort, save for the industrial sprawl across the highway), and has all the appearances of hosting beer-drinking drag racers at night ...
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We launched from blue skies in Pitt Meadows and instead of flying to smoke-choked Lillooet for lunch as the Awesome Plan called for, we headed to Vernon CYVK, diverting around a couple of fires (which were located exactly where Pacific Radio said they'd be) and pockets of smoke (which were located exactly where firesmoke.ca forecast them to be) ...
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THE PLAN: AWESOME. For the summer of 2017, we meticulously planned a 9-day route through BC that incorporated flying over spectacular mountains and through sinuous canyons, hiking along riverbanks and around lakes with our canine companion, and camping-under-the wing at idyllic little airports ...
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Going at an easy stroll with plenty of stops to snap photos, the round trip from airport to lake is approximately 2.5 hours. An energetic individual who doesn't have to constantly backtrack after an errant canine companion could easily do the walk in under two hours ...
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The Wandering Eye