Misty Fjords flightseeing plane crash

[Daveywavey70]

Anybody else booked on this excursion on the Muse this season? 

We’re currently booked on that very excursion in June. Thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/14/five-dead-one-missing-after-sightseeing-planes-collide-alaska-cruise-line-says/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.95963e9faaca

[Unibok]

DW, this is so very sad. From what I've heard, the aviation community in Ketchikan is fairly small and tightly knit, and this will hit them hard, both personally and professionally.

 

We are booked on a June 3rd floatplane excursion independent of SS, with a small family company not involved in this tragic accident. I do know from past experience that they will not fly if conditions are unsafe, and we will not be cancelling our reservation.

 

There is an active conversation about all this, with periodic news updates, on the Alaska board. It will be interesting to see if Silversea issues any kind of statement.

Edited May 14, 2019 by Unibok
clarity

[zigtraveller]

Tragic news out of Ketchikan.  

I did the flight in 2014 when it was operated by Promech Air.  Since then there has been the 2015 and this recent crash.  I'm really not sure I would be brave enough to take the flight again.

I also did a flight in Kodiak to see the bears which was a once in a lifetime experience.  

[Lois R]

Hi Davey, there is a long, detailed thread over on the Princess forum about it. I have done a floatplane tour twice from there before.

 

My heartfelt condolences go out to all those involved.

[Daveywavey70]

Thanks Unibok and Lois.

[rols]

I don't know the details of this terrible crash; mid air crashes are very rare indeed, it is a very big sky however as a pilot I also know that when planes head into narrow channels the risk increases. If you look at the traffic flying up and down the Hudson River in NY, squashed below 1000', planes, helicopters, you'd think there would be an accident a day but there isn't and many of the pilots, like me, flying up and down there are just private pilots. 

If I were booked on this tour I'd still do it, if the weather looks a little bad and the pilot didn't cancel it themselves, which I'd expect any professional pilot to do, I would think twice perhaps. 

This is a sad event but for two planes to collide in the sky it takes a lot of things to go wrong and a huge amount of bad luck. I'd take this trip tomorrow with no concerns. 

[shipsmail]

Silversea also uses the Taquan Air for their excursions. We did it a few years ago.

[TLCOhio]

9 hours ago, rols said:

mid air crashes are very rare indeed, it is a very big sky however as a pilot I also know that when planes head into narrow channels the risk increases. If you look at the traffic flying up and down the Hudson River in NY, squashed below 1000', planes, helicopters, you'd think there would be an accident a day.  If I were booked on this tour I'd still do it, if the weather looks a little bad and the pilot didn't cancel it themselves, which I'd expect any professional pilot to do, I would think twice perhaps.  It takes a lot of things to go wrong and a huge amount of bad luck. I'd take this trip tomorrow with no concerns. 

 

Appreciate these various comments and follow-ups, especially the above by rols.  Your pilot-perspective viewpoints are true and realistic.  In July when on the Silver Muse, we are booked for a boat-tour to see wildlife (hopeful) and scenic sights.  No Ketchikan flying!!  

 

BUT, in Juneau, we are booked for a floatplane, glacier flyover and travel out to Taku Lodge, etc.  It is through the highly-rated Wings Airways in Juneau.  This firm has a CEO from here in Central Ohio.  I know her mother well.  I have been in personal touch with their firm leader and she is going to have me in the co-pilot's seat.  I'll be watching out very, very carefully!!  Agree that there are always risks and concerns, but I have done hundreds and hundreds of air flights, including in single-engine planes.  I am reasonably confident it will all work out OK for us.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 235,104 views.

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