in October of 2017, We changed out our Bell 212 with our Bell 412 that runs from Nome to Little Diomede Island, our flight plan is from Anchorage to Nome with stops in McGrath (MCG) and possibly stopping in Unalakleet (UNK) . MCG and UNK were fuel stops!
The day started off with us on a weather hold, weather wasn’t looking the best but not the worse so the crew along with our onboard maintenance decided hold off.
Around 11 the thumbs up was given and the 412 was pulled out of the hangar, we were all loaded besides a few things so I continued to finish packing the 412.
The crew decided the weather would work, and we’re off to McGrath, about 190 miles North of Anchorage, it’s a remote village that you can only fly to.
We departed North for McGrath, the weather was absolutely beautiful out, winds were calm you couldn’t ask for a much more better departure!
The Mountains were out, Mt McKinley or Denail what ever you like to call it, was peaking
My Captain and I were joking around the entire trip enjoying the scene. As we arrived into Nome, PenAir’s Saab 340 came in using RWY 16, since the Saab 340 is extremely faster then the 412 we did not have to worry about their wake turbulence. As we got closer to MCG the captain let me take over and land the 412!
We arrived to MCG and taxied to our parking spot and called for fuel, this was time for lunch. I will admit MCG had some pretty good hot pockets specially after flying for about an hour in a half.
We determined we would not stop in UNK and carried on, our aircraft full of fuel, I preflighted make sure nothing was dented or damaged when arriving into MCG.
We’re off to Nome, we decided do some low level flying and spot wild life, a couple of moose and bear were out running around that was about it, we tried to spot reindeer but we weren’t north enough for it. I asked the Captain to take controls for a few as I took a few pictures of the view from the 412.
As we got closer to UNK the clouds in the Mountains started to fall on top which was such a great site to see! the clouds would wave over the mountains.
We proceed to fly over the Bering Sea and continue onward to Nome what a magnificent site to see with the clouds dancing as the sun would shine through them! A sign that Nome was coming close
Finally Pt Safety was in site we were able to find the road to Nome! Alaska Airlines was coming in for their evening flight to Nome. Touch down and we made it to Nome! Winds picked up right as we landed! We decided the helicopter could stay out side since it wasn’t schedule to fly the next day there was no rush to put it away inside the hangar, which would require us to fold the blades. We tied the helicopter up and secured it and called it a day.
5.9 hrs logged on the hobb and it was time to go to the crew house and relax, after a long adventure it was nice to be to the house!
What an adventure! Over all we flew over 500 miles. Our 412 now services Little Diomede and keeps the connected to the main land.
(Taken 11 March 2018)
