In july I went to Canada and Alaska, it was truly a awesome trip, with 2 surprises, one in the middle and one in the end!
So here we go! I'll tell the story in between the photos.
Schiphol
On the morning of July the 7th, we went to Schiphol, checked in for flight KL0677 to Calgary international airport (YYC)
After that I got started up with taking some photos ofcourse.
1. N812NW taxi'ing to her gate after landing on runway 18R. Taken from the end of the G-pier.
2. As you can see I'm very happy with my 10-22mm USM lens, couldn't have done this photo without it!
3. Former CO Boeing 767-400 in her new livery being pushed back.
After some time I decided to act easy and go to the gate, awaiting boarding. While boarding I asked the Purser if I could take a look at the cockpit, but she told me to try after the flight...
PH-KCE was the lucky airframe!
Then we had a quick start up and sprinted to runway 24, departed as first in line..
4. Cloudbusting on departure.
5. Overflying beautiful greenland!
Alberta, Canada.
After a very smooth landing on runway 16 we taxi’d into the gate. I asked the captain, and he sent me straight up front!
6. Beautiful cockpit..
Calgary is a nice city, not really much to see.. But a nice one to start off.
We went on to Banff national park, where I met up with scramble member 757flyer (Olmo Müller), such a coincidence to be at the same place at the same time on the other side of the planet. (Sort of).
After Banff we headed for Jasper national park, where at the town, this helicopter was slinging some cargo over to the train station!
7.
British Colombia, Canada.
After driving trough the rockies, going to beautiful lakes and seeing LOTS of bears (Seen more than 20 in Total I believe; all wild btw!) we ended up in Vancouver. Been there last summer as well, great city, friendly people and ofcourse; lots of floatplanes!
8. coming in to land in the busiest water aerodrome in the world!
9. my first attempt at propblur, worked out pretty nice!
Alaska, USA.
After only one night in Vancouver, we boarded the MS Volendam! A beautiful cruise ship of the Holland America Line, truly an amazing ship.
This ships route was:
Vancouver - Juneau (Alaskas’ capitol), Skagway - Glacier bay national park - Ketchikan - Vancouver.
At the first destination (Juneau) we got ourselves a bush-flying flight!!! We took a Otter from Juneau to a lodge somewhere far away in between a deep forest and a glacier, called TAKU lodge.
10. The MS Volendam together with a Otter.
I asked the pilot if I could be his co-pilot; Okay! I took my seat, strapped in and off we go!
The lucky airframe this time was: N339AK
11. Departure from Juneau.
12. Isn’t that just beautiful? I lost my words when I saw that view…
13. Taku Glacier… That is one of the most beautiful views I ever got to see from a airplane…
14. Landing at Taku Lodge.
After having dinner at the lodge, a fresh catched Salmon, we returned in the same airplane, this time I wasn’t in the cockpit.
15. On the approach in Juneau, we first overflew the landing spot which is visible in front of the ships, then turned 180 degrees and landed there. Lovely view from the bubbled window.
The next day we were in Skagway, a old gold rush village where all the people arrived for the Klondike Gold rush… Quite amazing to see all that, we took a train ride all the way up to the Yukon territory. Then took a bike tour back!
After I got back in town I saw the airport and thought: I HAVE TO GO THERE.
16. The commuter of town, just like a bus… N950PA. Grand Caravan.
17. TEMSCO Helicopters providing heli-tours and a landing and walk on top of the Davidison Glacier for the tourists.
The next day we were in Glacier bay, wich REALLY REALLY REALLY is a place you just have to see with your own eyes… It’s so beautiful.
The day after we were in Ketchikan, wich is a floatplane capitol!! There isn’t a road system along the city, so everywhere you go, you either take a ferry, or a floatplane or jetliner!
18. Taxi’ing at Ketchikan international airport prior to departure from runway 11.
19. One of the MANY floatplanes flying by the ship while we were entering port.
British Colombia, Canada.
After Ketchikan we returned to Vancouver, had a night of sleep and went to the airport and checked in for flight KL0682 from Vancouver international (YVR) to Schiphol.
Spotting at Vancouver:
20. Air China Taxi’ing for a runway 08R Departure.
21. My ride home arriving from Schiphol! PH-KCD.
22. Arriving on runway 08L.
23. runway 08L landing with only the outer engine reverse thrust deployed.
24. After landing on runway 08L.
NOW It’s time for the big story of the trip.
I have been very lucky to be on a flight with a captain I know. So I walked up to him when he got up to the gate, he went ahead inside and I waited a few minutes before he picked me up for the cockpit preparation.
25. The second officer on the left seat taking care of ACARS while the first officer is filling in the waypoints for our flight.
I couldn’t be there on take off, so I took my seat (14A) and got up in the air, enjoyed dinner and some rest. Then the Purser picked me up at my seat to go up front while cruising over northern Canada….
26.
27. Beautiful light on a mid-summer night!
I got explanation of all the screens and buttons switches and valves, enjoyed the view and before I knew it we were in the middle of the runway 06 approach at Schiphol! Time flies when you’re having fun…
We picked up a south eastern course, descended to a thick pack of clouds, turned while in them and were on final approach at the time we got out of the clouds.
The first officer landed the big beautiful machine! He just got to fly on the MD-11, as he was a Fokker 70 F/O just 3 months before. He REALLY did a great job.
28. On the final approach for runway 06.
Conclusion: I had one of the best summer holidays ever!! No doubt, such a beautiful scenery.
I have plenty of shots left from the jumpseat flight, If you’re interested I can edit them and upload them as well… Upon request that is.
I hope you enjoyed the report, comments are always very very welcome!
Kind regards, Jeffrey Schäfer!
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In one word BEAUTIFUL 
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