Detroit to Alaska in a Cessna 120, 1974

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Light and Sporty Guy
Attached is the story of the trip my brother and I took back in '74...
 

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  • AlaskaTrip.pdf
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Awsome story and a memorable trip. Glad to know that the father and son were ok in the Tripacer. Love the charts layed out on the floor. Now, that's a trip of a lifetime for the weathly,.. and there you were at 20 and 22, awsome.

So what do you and your brother do now? Still both flying?
 
Just curious, how much was fuel back then and did it seem outrageously expensive to you at the time?

Great story.

DW
 
Rob Schaffer said:
So what do you and your brother do now? Still both flying?
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Tom is currently flying his second homebuilt http://youtube.com/watch?v=7oP2H_H4_gc - that's his son in the back seat, he flys King Air's for a living.

I haven't logged anything since about 1980, but I get an ocassional ride. There is a photo up on the photo gallery that I took from the front seat of Tom's airplane...

I don't recall how much gas was back then, but it didn't seem to be that expensive at the time.
 
Nice write up! A fun read.

Gotta ask - where was Grand Prix Airport in Troy?
 
JoeSelch said:
Nice write up! A fun read.

Gotta ask - where was Grand Prix Airport in Troy?
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It is now called Oakland Troy (VLL) - in between it was Troy Exec. I forget what the name was before Grand Prix.

At the time it had a second runway - but it was in pretty bad shape. The "Grand Prix" name came with the go-cart track on the north edge of the airport.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
It is now called Oakland Troy (VLL) - in between it was Troy Exec. I forget what the name was before Grand Prix.

At the time it had a second runway - but it was in pretty bad shape. The "Grand Prix" name came with the go-cart track on the north edge of the airport.
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Didn't know that - interesting.
I've always thought of it as Berz and (mistakenly) assumed it was so until it became Oakland Troy.
I *think* Milt sold it around 1972. So, I guess the timing on the trail of names seems to work.
 
Great write up and pictures!! Thank you for sharing. Looks like the 120 is still out there, too, based on a quick Google search.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I can't seem to be able to find the write-up and/or pictures... ;)
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Well it was over 20 years ago so no digital pics, in fact I was so poor I had no camera at all, and when the 172's battery died I handpropped it at each stop in order to continue the trip because I couldn't afford one. I recall doing the ropetrick on a cylinder right out front of the FAA equivalent at one of the northern towns in order to make the last part of the trip which was over water, to get home. Had a folding moped which I carried in the back, we would put it together at each stop and zoom into,..I remember Calgary, and any town we arrived at. Weathered in at some very very wild northern Ontario town for 3 days, girlfriend went absolutely nuts insisted on taking bus home. Asked what time it arrives in Toronto, they said 6 oclock. Turns out it was a different 6 oclock so I beat her home and she was at a new level of livid upon arrival! I should put my mind to it and try to recall more details later.
 
That's just awesome... you could re-live a trip like that 1000 times and not get tired of it. :D
I've been hankering for a 2-seat Cessna for a while now, and I'd love to take one on a trip like that!
 
rottydaddy said:
That's just awesome... you could re-live a trip like that 1000 times and not get tired of it.
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I was surprised how much fun it was writing it up and sorting through the pictures.

I've been hankering for a 2-seat Cessna for a while now, and I'd love to take one on a trip like that!
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They are nice easy airplanes to fly...
 
Great story! A young guy named Jeff Hersom just did Key West to Anchorage in his Cessna 150 - all in one trip. About a month ago. Then flew commercial back to Memphis, where he had been living, and put all his stuff in a U-Haul trailer and drove back up to Anchorage.

I told him he needs to write a book.
 
Very neat story! I bought that plane this week. Beautiful little bird. Cheers, Ken
 
Makes my trip from LAS to Anchorage and Fairbanks and return last summer seem trivial.
I used a Cessna T-41B, a little more comfortable and better range.

Thanks for sharing.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Dude! You bought N76848 from the guys in Mississippi? I didn't know it was for sale. Or another 120?

There are some more pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/113074946255891896082/AlaskaTripPhotos#

Oh, and welcome to POA!
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Haha, I sure did. I am going to frame the picture of it parked in the field with the tent and fire going. Just love that picture! Thanks for sharing all the extra pics as well! I am really enjoying this little bird. Its my first plane. If you are ever near Mississippi, you are welcome to fly it again:yes:
Ken
 
By the way, I found this neat website by researching 848. I was really tickled to find this story.
 
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