Hi A-netters. going back over 18 years now is this belated trip report for my first and only round trip on a Lockheed L-188 Electra.
It was the spring of 1999 when the late, great Mickey Bednar (A.K.A. AirNikon here on A.net) and I solidified plans to make a 3-day trip from California to Alaska for a trip aboard what was likely the last airworthy L-188 in scheduled airline service in the world. We decided on a relatively inexpensive ($260) round trip from Anchorage to Dillingham. We would deplane at Dillingham while the Electra continued on to St. Paul Island then return to Dillingham and pick us up for the return trip to Anchorage. Our trip began on May 7th and finished on May 11th.
A bit of backstory here about Mickey. We met online in 1997 or so when we both had AOL memberships. At some point our true identities became known to each other and we had the revelation we had both been published in the English monthly "World Airline Fleets News" during the early 80s and beyond. We struck up a friendship that lasted until he passed away unexpectedly in late November 2006...an event sadly reported here on A.net by myself via the moderators.
I had enough miles on United to fly a LAX-ANC round trip and Mickey flew from Southern California to ANC via Salt Lake City if I remember correctly. He was a frequent flier of sorts (an understatement!) and maybe redeemed some miles.
Wanting to maximize my "free" flights with the United mileage redemption, I devised a somewhat silly itinerary. I was living near Sacramento at the time and drove down to LAX and parked in long term. I flew a United A320 up to SEA and eventually connected to a United 737-300 for the evening flight to Anchorage. Once our Anchorage trip was finished I flew another United 737-300 back down to SEA connecting to a United 747-400 to DEN with a further connection to a United 777-200 back to LAX. Being a true "Avgeek" this was a judicious use of miles in my opinion! No new United Airlines types for me but two new city pairs: SEA-ANC and SEA-DEN. Of course the Reeve trip was new.
Map generated by the Great Circle Mapper (http://www.gcmap.com) - copyright © Karl L. Swartz.
During my layover in Seattle on the 7th I got a rental car and visited the three Boeing-related airports: Boeing Field, Renton, and Paine Field to see what new aircraft were awaiting delivery.
Some of the new aircraft at BFI were: KL 737-800 PH-BXB, Tunis Air 737-600 TS-IOK, AA 757 N184AN, Turkish 737-800 TC-JFL, DL 737-800 N377DA, AA 737-800 N909AN, Hainan 737-800 N371LF, Shanghai 737 B-2997, Air Nippon 737-500 JA306K, AA 737-800 N908AN, Braathens 737 LN-TUG, SK 737-600 SE-DN_, Air Europa 737-800 EC-HBN, and Condor 757-300 D-ABOB. There were others present for Southwest, Alaska, Asiana (767-300); and a 777-300 in house colors among others.
Renton provided a few more new airframes: China Xinjiang 757 B-2859 and a bunch of 737s for various airlines: Continental, JAL, Southwest, American, Turkish.
Everett was quite interesting with 777s for Continental N76010, AF F-GSPH, SV HZ-AKQ, AA N776AN & N777AN, JAS JA010D, BA G-VIIT, KE HL7532 & HL7533. Delta 767 N144DA, American 767 N399AN; 747-400s for SV HZ-AIY, Atlas N496MC, TG HS-TGZ, LY 4X-ELD and BA N495MC in Chelsea Rose c/s. There were also some planes on the south side of Paine such as CO 737-800 N13227, Copa 737-700 HP-1369CMB, Sahara 737-799 N-700AZ, Southwest 737-300 N677AA, and all-white 747SP N4508H.
After a nice day visiting these airfields I got back to SEA to return the car and wait for my flight to Anchorage. My log shows I departed SEA at 2141hrs and arrived ANC at 0048hrs. Both Mickey and I arrived late in the evening within a short time of each other. We picked up the hire car he'd reserved and found the hotel near the airport he'd reserved. We hit the sack and woke the next morning to start our Anchorage adventure.
Since we had two full days, we did some exploring around ANC, Anchorage city and some of the surrounding area. We easily found Merrill Field and Elmendorf AFB and we also made the hour drive up to Wasilla to check out the transportation museum. As I was also a budding railfan at the time once back in Anchorage I found the Alaska Railroad terminal downtown and we made a few photos of some of the locomotives there. Of course we spent much time around the perimeter of ANC photographing the airliners of the day.
United A320-231 N450UA I'd flown on LAX-SEA seen after arriving SEA:
United 737-322 N336UA would whisk me to Anchorage later this evening.
At ANC we found this Aeroflot IL-62 with an Asiana 747-400 winglet embedded in the vertical stabilizer:
Moe at Merrill Field, Anchorage, AK:
Yukla 27 memorial at Elmendorf AFB, AK:
Yukla 27 memorial at Elmendorf AFB, AK:
Flight Day:
10 May 1999
Reeve Aleutian Airways # 185
Dep: 1110am Arr: 1230pm
L-188C N1968R
ANC-DLG
We eagerly awaited our flight to Dillingham and once N1968R was parked at the gate and being prepped for our flight we could relax a little. Boarding was called and we made our way outside, across the ramp and up rear boarding stairs of the beautiful L-188 Electra. Mickey had flown Electras before during his days with Air California and I'd been onboard Ports of Call's N8355C at Denver's Stapleton and several freighters over the years but this was the first time I was taking a seat for a flight!
N1968R at Anchorage awaiting our departure for Dillingham. This flight would continue to St. Paul Island and back to Dillingham where we would re-board for ANC.
After boarding finished and the doors buttoned up we pushed back. The Allisons were brought to life and we taxied for departure. The attractive flight attendants ran through the safety briefing and we were told the flight time to Dillingham was approximately one hour.
N1968R Certificate of Aircraft Registration:
Interior photo:
Another view looking forward:
Moe and Mickey (Air Nikon) aboard N1968R:
Forward main deck cargo hold:
Port Allisons viewed through door porthole:
Mickey (AIr Nikon) holding my L-188 monograph:
Passenger checking out the monograph:
During our stay at Dillingham, a pilot from Arctic Circle Air approached us struck up a conversation. We told him we were just hanging out in the terminal until the return of N1968R from St. Paul Island. He asked if either of us would like to go for a ride with him on a cargo run to Togiak. Mickey and I looked at each other and he told me to go for it. I gave Mickey an emergency contact number to call in case anything happened to me on this little side adventure.
10 May 1999
Arctic Circle Air
Cessna 207 N7305U
DLG-TOG-DLG
Flight time: 68 minutes total
Jim at the controls enroute DLG-TOG:
On short final to Togiak:
Unloading cargo at Togiak:
N7305U at Togiak between my flights:
Departing Togiak for Dillingham:
Empty cargo hold of N7305U:
After a successful round trip to Togiak aboard Arctic Circle Air Mickey and I patiently awaited the arrival of N1968R for the return to Anchorage. The upstairs gift shop had a nice view of the ramp and we were able to watch the Electra roll out and taxi to parking. We went downstairs and waited for the call to board and before long we were walking out to the rear boarding stairs.
10 May 1999
Reeve Aleutian Airways # 186
Dep: 505pm Arr: 630pm
L-188C N1968R
DLG-ANC
Reeve Aleutian Ticket Counter:
View from the Dillingham gift shop. Both airliners I flew in today:
N1968R on the Dillingham ramp prior to boarding for Anchorage:
Moe near '68R's Nose Gear:
Moe and N1968R:
Once aboard we settled in for the hour flight to Anchorage.
Port Allisons while enroute DLG-ANC:
During the return trip to Anchorage we were invited to the flight deck for a photo op and chat with the crew.
Cockpit view during flight:
First Officer attempting a SatCom phone call during the flight:
Our Flight Attendants Norma and Michelle:
After deplaning we drove over to the Reeve Aleutian Airways hangar and we were kindly allowed inside for a tour and photo opportunities. After this I'm sure we stayed around the airport for a while until time to turn in the car and check in for our red-eye flights back to the lower 48. Can't remember what airline and routing Mickey flew to get home but I flew United once again. As mentioned earlier, I flew a typical Avgeek routing by not taking the most direct route. I don't have a photo of my 737-300 from ANC to SEA but the widebodies are seen below.
United 747-422 N120UA at Denver International after arriving from SEA. This was my 5th flight aboard a United -400 and my 11th overall UA 747 flight up to that date.
United 777-222 N767UA at LAX after deplaning following my flight from DEN:
All in all it was a great trip. I'm glad I finally made the effort to fly aboard the last L-188 in passenger service in the world. Thanks Mickey for helping make my first Avgeek trip to Alaska a memorable one!
Thanks for reading...I hope you enjoyed this belated trip report.
I've uploaded several videos of this trip to YouTube:
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKyA-DiLJDI
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VkBf4Uo1r8
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7chHYgLEKc
A quick search here at A.net shows the following photos made by Air Nikon during this trip: https://www.airliners.net/search?datePhotographed=1999&user=1432&keywords=Reeve
All photos with my likeness in them are the work of Mickey Bednar - a.k.a. "AirNikon". All other photos are my work.
