Fuel - 4B

"Fuel-4b..."
Mutiny was not the intention but the boss said to use the Beaver. My ticket said the Cessna C-182 could be used for this flight so off to the parking area I went and started to prep the Red Cessna named "The Black Pearl" and with pirate graphics.
As I was makin' my checks, I noticed the weather beginnin' to change some. The boys in the loading crew began loading the cans of fuel while I quickly made some speed and fuel calculations. If I went alone and cut my fuel load I figured I could make it alright. I only allowed for 26 gallons of fuel plus with my weight and the 900# of fuel cargo the Cessna was just a measly 2 lbs. under max gross TOW. I got the plane started and it began to snow. Just light at first but then heavy. It dropped the ground VIS to less than 500 feet. I really didn't want to scrub the flight so I filed IFR to 5NI and was pleasantly surprised when I was cleared to taxi to runway 14. I taxied out behind a 767 but stayed back so I could just see his tail strobe flashing. The snow was swirling now, so much so that I could barely see and almost steered off the taxiway twice. I feared they'd flag me from take-off but I kept going without delay.
Holding at rwy-14 clearance was granted and I departed. I used up a whole lot of the runway to get the bird off the ground but lift she did and I went into a blinding blur of snow and fog. I lumbered through it and finally came out of it into clearing skies at 3500ft. When I came out ATC was directing me to turn to hdg 290 and climb to 12000ft. Then soon after that to a heading of 288 where I calculated a near direct shot to Nikolai. So far so good.
Then they kept telling me to "Expedite your climb." "Hell... I'm tryin'!" I yelled at the radio and grippin' the yoke white-knuckled tight. Wasn't gettin' much speed out of it. It was just luggin' along at 90kts. I would have chose to cancel IFR but I didn't want to let go of their hand just yet. I needed them to get through the mountains I knew were ahead.
And now I was approaching the southeast corner of the Alaska Range. My mouth was dry by this time and I wished I'd grabbed a bottle of water before I left. Opted out on that to minimize weight. Heavy, white clouds just ahead told me I was entering the Range. Now... 60 some miles of ice covered, unforgiving rocks. I glanced at the gauges. I got 16 gallons left in the tanks. I had already checked the charts and figured I could get some fuel at Tin Creek if I really had to. Thing of it is... do I spin off my planned course or continue on to Nikolai.
Nearing the half way point through the mountains my attention was totally focused on my fuel situation. At that point I was probably about 32 minutes out of Nikolai, burnin' 11 gallons per hour and had about 13 gallons remaining. I relaxed just a little when I noticed the other side of the mountains where they dropped off to the flat. Soon ATC turned my hdg to 260 and had me descend to 6,300ft. I spotted Tin Creek and Farewell Lake just ahead. I let out a short sigh of relief then and knew it’d be okay. After a while (PAFW) Farewell appeared on the horizon and I had to turn to 285. Now within a few minutes the runway at Nikolai was in sight and ATC turned me loose. Dropping down to 2100 ft I turned on the runway heading for rwy-4. Came down rather gentle like despite the weight of my cargo and rolled to a stop at the end. I turned around and taxied to the warehouse there to get unloaded and to put a few gallons of fuel in my tanks for my return trip.
This time I picked up a bottle of water and a large coffee to go. With the weight of the fuel no longer an issue the Cessna easily climbed back up to 12,000 ft. and it wasn't long after that I was callin’ for clearance to land again at PANC rwy-14. I taxied back to the fuel load ramp and parked for the evening. Glad for the experience and just a little humbled by it to.
------------------------------------------------------------------
TCA Alaska - Iditarod Support
------------------------------------------------------------------
Flight : Fuel -4B
Date : 2/4/2007
Name : Jim Novak
Callsign: Blind Mouse
# Aboard: 1
VFR/IFR : IFR
Aircraft: Cessna C-182 RG "Red Pirate"
Depart. : (PANC Anchorage rwy-14
Destin. : (5NI) Nikolai rwy-4
Dep.time: 10:45
Enroute : 03:35
Fuel : 36.6
Speed : 110 kts
Altitude: 12000 ft
------------------------------------------------------------------