View Full Version : crossing international borders in heli
Fun Police
23rd Feb 2006, 18:17
here is something that i will need to know by this weekend, if anyone has any insight i'd be most grateful.
i am departing from calgary, AB and headed to alaska. the trip will obviously include many stops for fuel which are all easily within range of the a/c (350) except for the last leg which is from Northway (a mandatory customs stop) to anchorage. there is no fuel in between and i was planning on carrying a drum of extra fuel in the machine, however, i do not know how US customs will react to this.
i will of course, try to give them a call and see but i'm sure you all know what it is like getting a straight answer out of a beuracracy (sp?).
thanks in advance.
George Semel
23rd Feb 2006, 18:37
Glenn Allen, about half way between Northway and Anchorage. There should be Jet-A there. I don't have an airport directory handy. In Glenn Allen there is a Fuel Distrubutor. Call the Airport, and see if you can have them get you a couple of barrels of Jet-A positioned there for you. From there its about 200nm to Anchorage. If not then there is a gas stations there and they all sell diesel fuel. So maybe you could get away with that by running diesel thru a couple of filters. Add some prist and it should be ok. Check with turbmeca. I know that Allison 250 series it can be done, if there is no other way.
Fun Police
23rd Feb 2006, 18:39
thanks for that. i will investigate Glenn Allen. it might well solve all of my problems
George Semel
23rd Feb 2006, 18:45
I forgot, there is the Carabou Inn, a hotel at Glenn Allen, Good place to be for the night.
Fun Police
23rd Feb 2006, 19:14
only 100LL at glenallen.
juneau customs people said that they could see no problem with bringing an extra drum along. i have to try elcan (sp?) tomorrow.
thanks for the help and tips.
cb
George Semel
23rd Feb 2006, 19:16
Good deal.
Phil Kemp
23rd Feb 2006, 19:41
We regularly fly over the border North and South with fuel drums onboard. So long as they are not plumbed into the aircraft fuel system, no-one really cares. Customs see so many aircraft coming and going this way that they really don't care.
Be sure to purchase an Alaska Supplement for flying in the State.
For flight planning try this site. (http://www.airnav.com) This will also give you a number of flight planning options, and pulls the weather for each at the same time.
Take care going through at this time of year. Bit more from the Feds. (http://www.alaska.faa.gov/flytoak/OldFLTTIPS1.HTM)