It is not unusual for the Bush Hooligans to return to a previous event. There always seem to be one or two spots that you either don’t have time to find, or they simply hide from you. Sometimes even spending an additional day in the area is not enough. So it is with the San Juan Islands, our ultimate playground destination for this month’s event.
Located in the Pacific Northwest, the area is rich in scenic bush strips. You will no doubt remember our friend Wookie’s wonderful scenery package that includes over 20 unique and challenging airstrips. You are also aware that nearby iconic airports are strategically located, offering us a chance to extend the San Juan experience. A few possible options are detailed below:
Option 1: Stick to San Juan. Many of us have yet to see all of the Wookie’s amazing creation. You may chose to focus on the area in and around Friday Harbor, enjoying the opportunity to discover a few more of those airstrips.
Option 2: North from Kimshan. Depart the private field approximately 40 miles south of Friday Harbor and traverse the Straight of Juan De Fuca free from any controlled airspace. If you are up for a warmup touch and go, consider Olympic Field just 9 miles north of Kimshan.
Option 3: West from Mears. Depart Mears Field Westbound along the Skagit River. There will be plenty of sandbar opportunities along the way if you fancy. Pay attention to the Whidbey Island airspace as you approach Friday Harbor.
Option 4: South from Nanaimo. If your passport is up to date, depart CYCD and travel Southeast along the Strait of Georgia. There is controlled airspace to consider around Victoria, although a touch and go isn’t out of the question.
Option 5: East from Sekiu. If you are looking just looking to warm up your cylinder heads, you might consider departing from 11S for a lazy trip up the Straight of Juan De Fuca. Stay South of the Victoria Harbour Delta and it’s smooth sailing all the way in to Friday Harbor.
Flight Information:
The event takes place on Monday, May 2nd. All pilots should plan to meet in the DownwindSim DWS Group Flights Discord channel for the flight briefing at 8:00pm EDT (0000z) with departures immediately after. As you’ve read above, your choice of departure field and route is completely up to you. There’s no time limit, so stay as long as you’d like.
Scenery Information
X-Plane Freeware Downloads:
Wookie’s San Juan Island Package (Part 1 & Part 2)
Kimshan
Olympic
Mears
Nanaimo
Victoria
Sekiu
MSFS Freeware Downloads
Wookie’s San Juan Island Package
Nanaimo
Bush League Basics:
- Everyone is welcome! Whether you’re an expert or beginner with flight simulators, radio communications, or navigation, etc., you’re invited! We’re a friendly bunch and enjoy learning from each other.
- We are encouraging you to break out your favorite bush-style aircraft for this event. The best aircraft for these events are those that can handle short, narrow airstrips. STOL mods are not mandatory, but helpful. Fat tires help make the bouncy strips that much more enjoyable.
- We encourage you to join the VATSIM network and use the CTAF frequency of 122.8 to announce positions. We will not be in communication with ATC unless you plan to extend your flight into a controlled airspace.
- We’ll also use the Downwindsim Discord Group Flights channel during the flight for non-ATC related chit-chat.
- As always, the main goal of these flights is to have fun and practice good airmanship. The event is intended to be VFR, so you are free to configure your weather and time of day as you see fit.
Questions:
If you get stuck or have a question, drop a message on the DownwindSim Discord bush-flying text channel. There’s a bunch of friendly folks that’d be happy to help. I look forward to have you tagging along on the Bush League Backcountry Fly-In Series! -Melvin