Guam
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Guam
Sudden request to plan a flight from US West Coast to Guam and back using a King Air with Long Range Tanks. I was thinking initially going via Hawaii and Midway. Has anyone done this lately who can tell me availability of gas, service, accomm, weather etc at Midway, or is there a better way to go? Any precautions or warnings?
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I did the Midway/Guam Pacific run four years ago in a Falcon 50EX. From what I understand not much has changed.
Midway is a good stop. However, there are a few things that you will have to take into consideration. I am assuming you will be using an international handler such as Universal, if so they can take care of a lot of these details.
1. Check availably of fuel, sometimes they run out.
2. You will need a PPR, easy to get, just apply for one.
3. During the late winter months it is a mating season for the Albatross Birds and you can only operate between the hours of sunset and sunrise. You will need to plan your arrival about 30 minutes after sunset.
4. For some reason, only known to the US Government, Midway is in Customs limbo. The US Government operates Midway under some type of a Trust agreement with somebody. The US Department of Agriculture is in charge of the Island and is the sole governmental authority on the Island. Never the less, even if you depart any airport in Hawaii, or the US Mainland, when you land in Guam you will still have to clear US Customs.
5. ATC. Of course Oakland Center controls all of the airspace from the West Coast to Guam, and beyond actually. There is no ATC faculties on Midway, only an advisory radio operated by the US Department of Agriculture, much like a Unicom at an uncontrolled airport in the US. To receive your outbound clearance you will call Oakland Center on a land-line in the operations room. This is very easy to do and you will be given a very generous clearance void time. As for Guam, the ATC there is the same as anywhere in the US, no difference. Needless to say you have to have an HF radio. No HF, no go.
Now just some general observations. Don't be surprised if about half the people on Midway Island shows up at the airport when you land. They don't receive a lot of visitors out there and they love a break in the boredom of doing nothing but counting birds all day long, needless to say everybody is very friendly. After you land they will have you remain on the runway until a fire truck comes out and escorts you to the ramp. This is not a welcoming celebration, no it is to prevent you from running over some idiot Albatross. It took us about 20 minutes to taxi in, as about every 50 feet the fire truck stops, the driver and one other person get out of the truck and shoos the birds off the taxi way. When you finally get to the ramp about ten people will run out to the aircraft, not to greet you, but to check all over the aircraft to see if you hit any birds. I didn't and I was afraid to ask what would happen if I did. On takeoff the same procedure is used. A fire truck will escort you out to the end of the runway, then after you are in position the truck will drive down the entire length of the runway shooing off any birds sitting on the runway. After they declare the runway clear of birds and that they are clear of the runway, takeoff immediately. Oh, don't look out the windshield after you rotate, you won't like what you see.
The airway that you will use to Guam goes from Midway to Wake Island and then on to Guam. The US Navy operates Wake Island and are very against any non-military traffic, so much in fact that it cannot not be used for ETOPs planning. Last I heard they do leave the runway lights on all night, but unless you are on fire they will not let you land at Wake. This may have changed, I really don't know, but I doubt it.
Hope that helps, if you want any more information please feel free to ask.
Midway is a good stop. However, there are a few things that you will have to take into consideration. I am assuming you will be using an international handler such as Universal, if so they can take care of a lot of these details.
1. Check availably of fuel, sometimes they run out.
2. You will need a PPR, easy to get, just apply for one.
3. During the late winter months it is a mating season for the Albatross Birds and you can only operate between the hours of sunset and sunrise. You will need to plan your arrival about 30 minutes after sunset.
4. For some reason, only known to the US Government, Midway is in Customs limbo. The US Government operates Midway under some type of a Trust agreement with somebody. The US Department of Agriculture is in charge of the Island and is the sole governmental authority on the Island. Never the less, even if you depart any airport in Hawaii, or the US Mainland, when you land in Guam you will still have to clear US Customs.
5. ATC. Of course Oakland Center controls all of the airspace from the West Coast to Guam, and beyond actually. There is no ATC faculties on Midway, only an advisory radio operated by the US Department of Agriculture, much like a Unicom at an uncontrolled airport in the US. To receive your outbound clearance you will call Oakland Center on a land-line in the operations room. This is very easy to do and you will be given a very generous clearance void time. As for Guam, the ATC there is the same as anywhere in the US, no difference. Needless to say you have to have an HF radio. No HF, no go.
Now just some general observations. Don't be surprised if about half the people on Midway Island shows up at the airport when you land. They don't receive a lot of visitors out there and they love a break in the boredom of doing nothing but counting birds all day long, needless to say everybody is very friendly. After you land they will have you remain on the runway until a fire truck comes out and escorts you to the ramp. This is not a welcoming celebration, no it is to prevent you from running over some idiot Albatross. It took us about 20 minutes to taxi in, as about every 50 feet the fire truck stops, the driver and one other person get out of the truck and shoos the birds off the taxi way. When you finally get to the ramp about ten people will run out to the aircraft, not to greet you, but to check all over the aircraft to see if you hit any birds. I didn't and I was afraid to ask what would happen if I did. On takeoff the same procedure is used. A fire truck will escort you out to the end of the runway, then after you are in position the truck will drive down the entire length of the runway shooing off any birds sitting on the runway. After they declare the runway clear of birds and that they are clear of the runway, takeoff immediately. Oh, don't look out the windshield after you rotate, you won't like what you see.
The airway that you will use to Guam goes from Midway to Wake Island and then on to Guam. The US Navy operates Wake Island and are very against any non-military traffic, so much in fact that it cannot not be used for ETOPs planning. Last I heard they do leave the runway lights on all night, but unless you are on fire they will not let you land at Wake. This may have changed, I really don't know, but I doubt it.
Hope that helps, if you want any more information please feel free to ask.
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Thanks for the info. I have learned that I might not have long range tanks, and might have to fly via Kamchatka and Japan. Any word on that?
I am still working on the tanks and hope to get them fitted. We have the tanks but there have been modifications to the airplane that might prevent their use.
Always something.
I am still working on the tanks and hope to get them fitted. We have the tanks but there have been modifications to the airplane that might prevent their use.
Always something.
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Ferry to / from Guam
Boofhead:
As long as you pay the fees in Japan, there is good service and Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka is well located. Mind the mountain 4nm from the ARP.
Tmb
As long as you pay the fees in Japan, there is good service and Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka is well located. Mind the mountain 4nm from the ARP.
Tmb
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I didn't get to go last year but it is coming up as a possibility again. Does anyone have a recommendation for a facilitation agent to arrange for diplomatic clearances, navigation charts, and such.
My plan was to go via Petropovlask, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and on to Guam. The airplane probably will not have long range tanks. If I can have the tanks I might look at Midway.
I am sure I will have zero notice for the trip and would like to start planning so as to not get caught short.
My plan was to go via Petropovlask, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and on to Guam. The airplane probably will not have long range tanks. If I can have the tanks I might look at Midway.
I am sure I will have zero notice for the trip and would like to start planning so as to not get caught short.
