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Flying Trip of a Lifetime: Anchorage to Johnson Creek and Home

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An airline pilot fulfilled a lifelong dream by embarking on a two-week, 60-hour Super Cub flight from Alaska to Illinois with his son, serving as a graduation gift and a unique bonding experience.
  • The journey required significant preparation, including acquiring a specialized bush plane and extensive training in tailwheel and Alaskan backcountry flying for both father and son.
  • They faced dynamic weather and challenging mountain flying, gaining invaluable experience while exploring spectacular landscapes in Alaska, Canada, and particularly Idaho's backcountry.
  • The author regards this adventure as a profound source of happiness and an irreplaceable life highlight, offering a new dimension to his aviation career and inspiring plans for future trips with his other son.
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Like many, flying has always been my dream. By some miracle, I have been able to turn that dream into a successful career and hobby. As I passed midlife, suddenly realizing how valuable time is, I thought it time to fill that “bucket” that has loomed in the back of my head for so many years.

My college graduation gift to my son would be to fly a light aircraft from Alaska to Illinois as he was just beginning his career in aviation. That may sound like an awfully gracious gift, but in truth the gift was for me. To spend some 60 hours and two weeks with your 22-year-old son, one on one on a headset, was the blessing of a lifetime.

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