PIREP Fuel 4B Anchorage Nikolai Anchorage

Sandy...
Just finished the write-up for 4B.

Here ye go...
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"Fuel-4b..."
Mutiny was not my intention but the boss said to use the Beaver. 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 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 made some speed and fuel calculations. If I went alone and cut my fuel load I figured I could make it. I only allowed for 26 gallons. With my weight and the 900# of fuel cargo the Cessna was a measly 2 lbs.under max gross TOW. I got the plane started and it started to snow. Just light at first them heavy dropping 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 depart runway 14.
I taxied out behind a 767 but stayed back so I could just see his tail strobe flashing. The snow was swirling so much I almost steered off the taxiway twice and 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 lots of the runway to get this bird off the ground but off I went into blur of snow and fog. At 3500ft I lumbered out of it to clearing skies. ATC directed me to turn to hdg 290 and climb to 12000ft. Then soon after to hdg 288 where I calculated a near direct shot to Nikolai. So far so good. Then they kept telling me to expedite my climb. "Hell... I'm tryin'!" I yelled at the radio and grippin' the yoke white knuckled tight. Wasn't gettin' and 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 where ahead. I was now 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 said I was entering the Range. Now for 60 some miles of ice covered, unforgiving rocks. I got 16 gallons left in the tanks now. I had already checked the charts and figured I could get some fuel at Tin Creek if I really had
to. Thing 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 32 minutes out of Nikolai, burnin'11 gallons per hour and had 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 I was okay. After a while Farewell(PAFW) 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. Dropped down to 2100 ft and turn on the runway heading for rwy-4. Came down rather gentle like and rolled to a stop at the end. I turned around and taxied to the warehouse there to get unloaded and to drop 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 climbed easily back up to 12,000 ft. and wasn't long that I was calling 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.

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
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Jim