North Pole Flight

[ScottM]

You cannot see the full track on this but this was a first for me. In all the trip I have had to Asia this is the first time I flew east then went right over the North Pole. We came into Asia way up north of Siberia like a B52 in a cold war nuke attack movie. Straight down over Irkust then to Beijing and then south to Hong Kong.

Greg had said why they go this route but I forgot why. I noticed the flight that took off on the next day did the more traditional route to just the north of Alaska.

BTW we kept GPS even over the pole. I thought GPS would not work above a certain latitude?

 

[Richard]

Scott, that's it...I'm done with you! First, you're a girly man and now this. Everyone knows any self-respecting man would've been through all the Gran Marnier on the plane and then well into the (name your poison). GPS, p'shaw.

 

[Richard]

Y'know, all they have to do is reach the pole and then enter slow flight...wait for your destination to come 'round and then chop and drop.

Yes, I am still reliving my dark rum days...Arrrghhhh

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Scott- the satellites are visible over the horizon at the pole so GPS can receive a signal. Cool track!

 

[GigG601XL]

Did you see any of the Russian bombers that have been up there lately?

 

[SkyHog]

Hopefully it was day time! And hopefully you got some pictures. I'd love to see the north pole in person (even if it is from 30,000+ ft.)

 

[Skip Miller]

I just flew a similar route - YYZ-HKG. I will append my flight's track, and a more recent flight flying same route but very different track.

First, y'all know that the usual Mercator projection exaggerates distance in polar regions. That's a lie. It is a long way from anywhere up there! 16.5 hour flight that landed 40 minutes early, mercifully.

Second, Nick, I was so looking forward to sightseeing out the windows. No dice. The cabin was trying to sleep so they wanted the shades down. Hmmm, visit the cockpit? I think this is possible (pilot's discretion on foreign flag carriers (Cathay-Pacific, in this case) outside US airspace. Anyone know? I'll have plenty of time to ask on the return....

My guess is that winds aloft made the more easterly heading on takeoff the preferred route. Look at the attatched. Myflight departed the 21st, yesterday's flight was a bit different. (no, my flight did not divert to Portland.

-Skip

 

[ScottM]

Hopefully it was day time! And hopefully you got some pictures. I'd love to see the north pole in person (even if it is from 30,000+ ft.)

It was daytime the entire flight but I did not take any pictures.

 

[mikea]

Did they change the announcement, "In the event of "a water landing" you'll freeze solid before you can reach under your seat..."

 

[ScottM]

Did they change the announcement, "In the event of "a water landing" you'll freeze solid before you can reach under your seat..."

So they did not do that but we did climb to 37,500 MSL after we passed the pole. I thought that was really strange. In all the time I have flown to Asia I have never been at a none 1000 foot flight level.

 

[gprellwitz]

Hmmm, visit the cockpit? I think this is possible (pilot's discretion on foreign flag carriers (Cathay-Pacific, in this case) outside US airspace. Anyone know? I'll have plenty of time to ask on the return....

They let us in the cockpit after we landed (Air New Zealand), but not in flight (though we didn't ask while in flight either, so...) Of course, there were about 20 of us, so it would have been impractical in flight anyway!

 

[Cap'n Jack]

So they did not do that but we did climb to 37,500 MSL after we passed the pole. I thought that was really strange. In all the time I have flown to Asia I have never been at a none 1000 foot flight level.

I was thinking you were VFR on top, but you don't get that in class A airspace. 37,500' = 11430 meters- not a number one would expect from ATC. Maybe the barometric pressure was something very different from 29.90?

 

[Greg Bockelman]

So they did not do that but we did climb to 37,500 MSL after we passed the pole. I thought that was really strange. In all the time I have flown to Asia I have never been at a none 1000 foot flight level.

Russian and Chinese airspace the altitudes are measured in meters. The flight levels are 500 meters apart. I THINK you were at 11,600 meters, which is the correct Flight Level for that direction of flight. That is a little over 38,000 feet. I am not sure where Skypath gets its altitude info so the 500 foot difference is probably within the error tolerance.