Flying Wild Alaska

jdwatson said:
Yup, you are correct. So cool that this show inspired you to become a pilot. Whatever you do, don't stop flying. I took a little break from flying due to finances... that was 4 years ago.

I found it! Start date of FWA 2011 Fall
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Thanks. Darn I'm upset I missed the chance to see the re-runs. This is because I don't think I ever saw all the episodes of Season One.

Oh and another thing - shortly after the start of my training, I joined the 99s. They had a group event, a special tour of the ATC tower and Tracon at Travis Air Force Base. A young man who was in the air force gave us rides in a van, and he was a private pilot (outside of the military). He said he goes to Alaska and stays with the Twetos, and knows them personally. That was the very first time I realized what a small world aviation really is.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I thought I posted about this, but I guess not in this thread.

Flying Wild Alaska was the ONLY reason I got in an airplane for a thrilling discovery flight in a $200,000 glass panel Tecnam Sierra - where over the Golden Gate Bridge we opened up the cockpit and I stuck my hand outside the plane.... I had not even been in a commercial plane for 5 years before that, no thoughts of becoming a pilot, not even close.

So it all started when I first saw this crazy show with a pilot in a chicken outfit (Pontz) told his passengers to get good grades in school. Turns out he's from CA and went to high school with my boyfriend. I think to myself "if this guy can fly, why can't I fly". I googled "how to become a pilot" and voila. I was hooked after my first flight. That was in January 2011.

And as they say, the rest is history.

Thanks for letting me know it airs again tomorrow. I will for sure tape it with my VCR (yes, I said VCR).

Kimberly
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It is interesting that you became inspired by a show that resulted from Ariel Tweto appearing on another show. You now have your PP certificate, while she has yet to get hers. Not sure there is anything deep in noting that, though. Her focus was and is different than yours, which probably accounts for the difference.
 
Jim Logajan said:
It is interesting that you became inspired by a show that resulted from Ariel Tweto appearing on another show. You now have your PP certificate, while she has yet to get hers. Not sure there is anything deep in noting that, though. Her focus was and is different than yours, which probably accounts for the difference.
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Oh but I was "dumb" and got my first class medical. I knew absolutely zero about pilot salaries and said to the AME that I needed a medical. He said what class. I said does first class cost the same as third class. He said yes. So - I got first! I figured, if I'm young and healthy and *might* use it, why not? Found out way later all the $$ and certs involved and couldn't even afford the PPL without using a credit card. Third Class medical from now on, I learned my lesson.
 
I've got a Commercial certificate that's never been exercised. I tried to find part time non-teaching flight job, but here in central NC they don't exist. I've never really needed more than a 3rd class medical but because of my ratings I've felt like I should get a 2nd class medical. The vision specifics are easier to meet on the 3rd class. I'm closing in on reading glasses time, but I can still get a 3rd class medical without limitations.

I'm looking forward to the new season. It's so cool to watch them land in heavy crosswinds. I'd like to go up to Alaska for a 1/2 summer and learn bush flying in a place that it's actually used. I'd like to right seat for Pontz in the Caravan (presuming he'll move up to that). I can't explain my love for the C208B, maybe it's just too ugly not to like. ;-)
 
Flying Wild Alaska was a big hit in our household last night. I was enthralled by the crosswind landings, while my wife was speculating whether it was because of Ariel that Sarah broke up with Ponts ...
 
Pilawt said:
Flying Wild Alaska was a big hit in our household last night. I was enthralled by the crosswind landings, while my wife was speculating whether it was because of Ariel that Sarah broke up with Ponts ...
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Not a chance. Ariel has never been kissed. :D

This is actually episode #3. Methinks that they've had a hard time finding enough Dun-DUN-DUN!!!! cliffhangers to carry through commercial breaks. When you watch these things on a DVR the repetition when they bring back up to speed after the break is annoying.

There has to be reason why they sent Jim and Ferno "on a honeymoon," as in, just to make for a crisis.
 
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mikea said:
Not a chance. Ariel has never been kissed. :D

This is actually episode #3. Methinks that they've had a hard time finding enough Dun-DUN-DUN!!!! cliffhangers to carry through commercial breaks. When you watch these things on a DVR the repetition when they bring back up to speed after the break is annoying.

There has to be reason why they sent Jim and Ferno "on a honeymoon," as in, just to make for a crisis.
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Wait, I'm confused. Episode #3? I thought the first episode (still in the BF's DVR, I plan to watch it tonight) of the second season was aired on Friday night?
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Wait, I'm confused. Episode #3? I thought the first episode (still in the BF's DVR, I plan to watch it tonight) of the second season was aired on Friday night?
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The episode number of the first one shown is 3. Dunno what the second one is but it's not #1.

Methinks they'll hold #1 and #2 until later. :D
 
For you trivia fans, Ariel just received a large package. Her comment "it's heavy!". It's the entire Jeppesen Private Pilot collection.
 
murphey said:
For you trivia fans, Ariel just received a large package. Her comment "it's heavy!". It's the entire Jeppesen Private Pilot collection.
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Shoot that is tonight, thanks for reminding me !

I will record it with my VCR.


Kimberly
 
I like watching for,the continuity errors.

During the last sequence when Ariel is flying left seat with her dad and she's landing a Unakleet... Did anyone else catch the error with the flaps?


I also got got a big laugh when Ariel was reading from her Jepp book..

"Welcome to the world of aviation. You are about to embark on a journey of adventure, exploration, and discovery. Throughout history...blah, blah, blah..." and appears to lose interest in the book.
 
VCR???. Really???

At least assure us that you know about downloadable music versus one of these

8-track-12.jpg
 
AggieMike88 said:
I like watching for,the continuity errors.

During the last sequence when Ariel is flying left seat with her dad and she's landing a Unakleet... Did anyone else catch the error with the flaps?


I also got got a big laugh when Ariel was reading from her Jepp book..

"Welcome to the world of aviation. You are about to embark on a journey of adventure, exploration, and discovery. Throughout history...blah, blah, blah..." and appears to lose interest in the book.
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I used to work at Jeppesen, and lost interest in the books just as fast as she did!

Who here really believes she's as ditsty as she appears in the show? Did anyone meet her at OSH this year? I missed her scheduled appearances.
 
mikea said:
Your WHAT???? :hairraise:

Tell ya what, at your next flying milepost I'll send you a Tivo but you'll have to subscribe it.

--Mike
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LOL. Mike, though I appreciate your very generous gesture, and I continue to be humbled by all the nice pilots on POA - no need to send a Tivo. My BF has the show protected in his Dish Network DVR and that is just in case I don't get to see it here in my studio apartment.

I have a VCR which I was going to throw away when I realized that my place gets "free" / leftover from the last tenant cable. I hate all the commercials so I kept the VCR to act as my tuner / receiver / recorder. If my place didn't have TV / cable, I would have gone without - I don't mind living without television. In fact, ignorance is bliss and I don't miss the "bad news" nightly news and the non-aviation reality shows. With the exception of MythBusters, of course.
 
AggieMike88 said:
VCR???. Really???

At least assure us that you know about downloadable music versus one of these

8-track-12.jpg
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Mike,

I promise you I am a semi "techie" and in fact provide low level IT support to my coworkers. See above for the VCR explanation.

Kimberly
 
murphey said:
I used to work at Jeppesen, and lost interest in the books just as fast as she did!

Who here really believes she's as ditsty as she appears in the show? Did anyone meet her at OSH this year? I missed her scheduled appearances.
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She appeared ditzy on Wipeout years ago and Craig's talkshow. You think it is an act / persona? Heck, even I act pretty stupid sometimes.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
She appeared ditzy on Wipeout years ago and Craig's talkshow. You think it is an act / persona? Heck, even I act pretty stupid sometimes.
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By definition, if you go in Wipeout, you've got to be wacko!
 
Pilawt said:
I felt the sofa I was sitting on sink like a rock when that happened.

:ohsnap:
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You mean you're NOT supposed to raise the flaps on short final? Holy SH*T I've been doing it wrong all this time!!!!

People who have no idea about piloting, must watch this show and go "oh boy this is way cool"

Pilots must watch this for another whole different reason....sometimes I actually have to turn it off and go to Diners-Drive Ins and Dives.
 
DutchessFlier said:
I actually have to turn it off and go to Diners-Drive Ins and Dives.
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Amen.

FWA is just like every other "reality" show -- phoney "drama," terrible actors, and more commercials than content.

"Plunka will have to land this airplane on a small gravel strip in 20 mile per hour winds! "

It actually contributes to the perception that flying is lots of sitting around talking about brief threats to life and limb. Yeah, really good sales pitch.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
She appeared ditzy on Wipeout years ago and Craig's talkshow. You think it is an act / persona? Heck, even I act pretty stupid sometimes.
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Wife and I did. Talk about thin, scary thin, 90-100lbs wet from the looks of it. Talked (shortly) to Ponts, Hollywood, and Hickerson too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Oh and ponts pointing to the static port saying it drives the airspeed, altimeter and attitude indicator? I hope he was trying to catch his student...
 
AggieMike88 said:
I like watching for,the continuity errors.

During the last sequence when Ariel is flying left seat with her dad and she's landing a Unakleet... Did anyone else catch the error with the flaps?
.
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video editing showed them putting the flaps up after they said get the flaps down.
 
Why do they use a Marine VHF radio for a Unicom and plane-to-plane? Do they have some more "phone call" "party call" frequencies up there?

"I can never remember which way makes it go faster." :eek:

This is the student who said she was nearly done with ~20 hours of dual logged.
 
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And been around small airplanes for much of her life.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I'm watching now. A $60 pizza delivered by plane?
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Not only the cost of pizza, those folks fly all over for the a lot of seemingly simple reasons at unbelievable prices. Now I know if you live in a gawd awful place it may be necessary to go visit another town for school athletics or some of the other simple things they fly around for. But who is paying for these seemingly poor people to do these things? ERA charges hundreds of dollars per hour for these trips. How do the Eskimos pay for it? They hardly ever mention costs but when they do it's obviously very, very expensive...... :dunno:
 
mikea said:
Why do they use a Marine VHF radio for a Unicom and plane-to-plane? Do they have some more "phone call" "party call" frequencies up there?
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As I understand it, they use the VHF radio as their 'company' radio, not for their general 'FAA' air-to-air communications.
 
flyingriki said:
Not only the cost of pizza, those folks fly all over for the a lot of seemingly simple reasons at unbelievable prices. Now I know if you live in a gawd awful place it may be necessary to go visit another town for school athletics or some of the other simple things they fly around for. But who is paying for these seemingly poor people to do these things? ERA charges hundreds of dollars per hour for these trips. How do the Eskimos pay for it? They hardly ever mention costs but when they do it's obviously very, very expensive...... :dunno:
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There are some Native American programs, like Tom says, Era is in Ferno's name. And there is the Alaskan residents oil resources check of a few grand to every citizen of the state.

I would have said those subsistence villages don't have a lot of use otherwise for money, but they still still need to buy fuel and snow machines. Maybe they make some by selling fish and furs. The one native said there aren't any jobs.
 
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Just saw it for the first time last night. It was the episode where ma and pa go away to the big city, leavin' the kids in charge of the ranch. Very entertaining. I think it is more fun for me, as a pilot, to watch because I can see through all the "reality show/infotainment" editing. It's almost like a show-within-a-show.

I haven't watched a TV series in years. This should be fun.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Just saw it for the first time last night. It was the episode where ma and pa go away to the big city, leavin' the kids in charge of the ranch. Very entertaining. I think it is more fun for me, as a pilot, to watch because I can see through all the "reality show/infotainment" editing. It's almost like a show-within-a-show.

I haven't watched a TV series in years. This should be fun.
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If you go here

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/flying-wild-alaska-videos/

and scroll to playlist 14 and work your way backwards, you'll get an idea of season one.


Kimberly
 
I don't know what it is like now but years ago Alaska had the highest ratio of private planes per capita in the world. A lot of people enroute to Alaska stop at our strip as we have no landing fees and Jet A.
 
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