klas Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 I was planning to go to Alaska in springtime, and was wondering when it would a good time to go for flying tours - I thought maybe May. Would like it to be still jacket weather - a little cool, but not too cold. When is the season for tours by flying? Is the weather good for it in May? Or April? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctk2 Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 I was planning to go to Alaska in springtime, and was wondering when it would a good time to go for flying tours - I thought maybe May. Would like it to be still jacket weather - a little cool, but not too cold. When is the season for tours by flying? Is the weather good for it in May? Or April?Can only speak for SE myself...Ketchikan, Juneau, Petersurg, Skagway........The CRUISE ships start into these ports early May, though you'd be getting there a month (typically) before that. April, May... WET and cold. WHEN the sun comes out, it will warm up into the 40s perhaps. Ive been in Ketchikan late March/early April, and still see it snowing... frost not uncommon. Latter part of May, June, July and August.... temps 50s-70s. I live in Juneau, and have seen eveything from 90s (records 2005) to 29 out of 31 days of measurable precip in August, with July almost the same. Its a crap shoot. Ive never seen any two summers the same, and Ive been there through 10 of them. September: when the jet stream really looses ground, are notorious for the weather turning cold and wet... snow level drops, and the days are getting shorter Fast. And BTW, sometimes youll see the Aurora Borialis in the spring and/or the fall.In summary, its better to have too much than not enough, though you can buy clothes up there too!! (Hell, we even have phones and electicity!!!)Flying in SE Alaska will definately aclimate you to 'weather flying' though. Personally, you can have Oct through March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlo Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 Can only speak for SE myself...Ketchikan, Juneau, Petersurg, Skagway........The CRUISE ships start into these ports early May, though you'd be getting there a month (typically) before that. April, May... WET and cold. WHEN the sun comes out, it will warm up into the 40s perhaps. Ive been in Ketchikan late March/early April, and still see it snowing... frost not uncommon. Latter part of May, June, July and August.... temps 50s-70s. I live in Juneau, and have seen eveything from 90s (records 2005) to 29 out of 31 days of measurable precip in August, with July almost the same. Its a crap shoot. Ive never seen any two summers the same, and Ive been there through 10 of them. September: when the jet stream really looses ground, are notorious for the weather turning cold and wet... snow level drops, and the days are getting shorter Fast. And BTW, sometimes youll see the Aurora Borialis in the spring and/or the fall.In summary, its better to have too much than not enough, though you can buy clothes up there too!! (Hell, we even have phones and electicity!!!)Flying in SE Alaska will definately aclimate you to 'weather flying' though. Personally, you can have Oct through March.gg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lasiter Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 I was planning to go to Alaska in springtime, and was wondering when it would a good time to go for flying tours - I thought maybe May. Would like it to be still jacket weather - a little cool, but not too cold. When is the season for tours by flying? Is the weather good for it in May? Or April? Klas,Hmmm....that is a hard question. It totally depends upon where you are planning to go during your trip to Alaska. I grew up near Juneau and know of several outfits which can provide "reasonable" flight tours. I am assuming since we are in a helicopter forum you are interested in heli-tours. Temsco is a proven entity in Juneau and runs nearly like a scheduled carrier during the summer months. Juneau's weather is notoriously unpredictable, but is totally worth it if you luck out and catch Juneau on one of it's "sunny days". The other option I know quite well is to hook up with Alpine Air out of Girdwood (30 mins. south of Anchorage). This is the outfit whom I am currently flying with and you can either do a tour (if you have others in your group) or look into a "intro training flight" and go up in their R22 or R44. This is a cool option to log some "AK TIME" while on vacation. And finally, it is always a good idea to take along a jacket as Alaska's weather is unpredictable mainly between the months of January through December. LOL Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klas Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Thanks, all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrose Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Good tip, Anchorage in May. My experiance is, the further North the more flying days in May. I have 2 trips in Jan/Feb. I told my customers not Jan - JUNE! I don't know when ERA starts their Mt McKinley tours but next to Juneau (home for 22 years) then Skagway it's all great! Check their webs etc.. Lots of heli-sking in Cordova/Valdez too these days. Temsco has big ops in Southeast AK. Have fun Mrose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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