Islands – The Finer Points Adventure Flying Trips

Islands of the Pacific Northwest
2023 August 17, 18, 19, 20

Learn emergency water landing survival skills, coastal weather and flight planning,
search and rescue services, scenic tours over Vancouver glaciers for owners and renter
Location
We will be hosting you 1 block from the airport at a charming locationwith plenty of room to stretch out and learn. (This is not a camping trip) Come to the island and join us for lectures, food, funand an aviation experience you'll remember forever. This trip is open to experts and beginners alike.
"Even as a relatively experienced aviator, I learned a ton on this trip. There's no substitute for the hands on experience of trying to climb into a life raft or the wisdom one can get by talking with a bunch of expert flight instructors around a campfire. I would highly recommend it."
Chris Clearfield
Itinerary
This trip will have you staying on the shores of the San Juan islands,
just a block from where your plane is parked. This is not a camping trip.
We'll be learning survival skills, navigating island geography,
and flying across international borders.

Learn emergency life raft deployment and other safety skills,
border crossing procedures,
fire starting in a wet climate,
signal mirroring and more.

Come explore these beautiful islands in the Pacific Northwest!
Day 1
KBFI tour to KORS, lectures
0700 (renters meet at Galvin Flying Services, KBFI Boeing Field, to brief the 1 hour flight out to the islands.)

0900 Meet on Orcas Island
1000 - 1230 Ground Lectures:
Executing a Forced Landing
Post Crash Survival
1230 Lunch
1330 Ground lectures:
What's Important In a Survival Kit
Fire Starting and Signaling
ELTs, PLBs, and other tracking devices
1600-1800 Island Hopping
1830 Appetizers/Drinks/Dinner
2000 Ryan Van Haren gives Firelight lecture on border crossing
Day 2
Crossing The Border, Life Raft
0700 Breakfast
0800 Preflight Briefing
0900 Wheels up for Canada / Glacier Tour

0900-1200
Touring the glaciers north of Vancouver
Olympic Peninsula
1200 - 1300 Lunch
1400 Cold Water Immersion Survival Lecture by Dr. Howard Donner
1500 Life Raft Deployment
1800 Seafood Boil Dinner - Featuring fresh Buck Bay oysters on the half shell
2000 J.P. Shultze
Day 3
Seaplane flight, Island flying
0700 Breakfast
0800 How to Ditch an Airplane - Peter Lert
0830 Preflight Briefing
0900 Reposition to Seaplane Base on Orcas Island
1000 Seaplanes / Signaling - Seaplane Scenics

1200 Lunch
1300 Depart
ITINERARY
4 DAYS OF LEARNING AND ADVENTURE!
Day 1
THE FLIGHT UP
1400 -1600 - Arrive at Orcas Island

1800 Welcome + Hors D'Ouvres
1830 Dinner
Day 2
KBFI tour to KORS, lectures
0800 Breakfast

0900 - 1230 Ground Lectures:
Executing a Forced Landing
Post Crash Survival
1230 Lunch
1330 Ground lectures:
What's Important In a Survival Kit
Fire Starting and Signaling
ELTs, PLBs, and other tracking devices
1600-1800 FLYING! ISLAND HOPPING

1830 Appetizers/Drinks/Dinner
2000 Ryan Van Haren gives Firelight lecture on border crossing
Day 3
Crossing The Border, Life Raft
0700 Breakfast
0800 Preflight Briefing
0900 Wheels up for Canada / Glacier Tour

0900-1200
Touring the glaciers north of Vancouver
Olympic Peninsula
1200 - 1300 Lunch
1400 Cold Water Immersion Survival Lecture by Dr. Howard Donner
1500 Life Raft Deployment
1800 Seafood Boil Dinner - Featuring fresh Buck Bay oysters on the half shell

2000 SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
Day 4
Seaplane flight, Island flying
0700 Breakfast
0800 How to Ditch an Airplane - Peter Lert
0830 Preflight Briefing
0900 Reposition to Seaplane Base on Orcas Island
1000 Seaplanes / Signaling - Seaplane Scenics

1200 Lunch
1300 Depart
A Truly Unique Experience
We believe that by immersing you in the environment and surrounding you with decades of experience, you will learn as much as absolutely possible about the art and science of flying safely near the open water. We believe an emphasis on survival planning is an important factor of your education if you plan to fly across large bodies of water. Our staff has experience in over 50 single engine ocean crossing flights.

The course includes ground lectures on the following topics:
Flying the Islands
Cold Water / Island Meteorology
International Procedures
ELTs, PLBs, and other tracking devices
What's important in a survival kit
Post crash survival
Cold Water Immersion
Search and Rescue
Pro Lecture Series
Sea Plane Flight
You will fly a seaplane
Vans RV flight
You will fly an RV-10
Life Raft Deployment
You will experience what most do not
Special Guests
Peter Lert
Burt Rutan's test pilot
Peter has over 20,000 hours of flight time and has worked as a test pilot for Burt Rutan. He has been a training program developer for FlightSafety International, editor of Air Progress Magazine, a Part 135 charter and Air Ambulance pilot, and an international ferry and demonstration pilot. Peter has made over 50 ocean crossings, almost entirely in single engine airplanes.
Ryan Van Haren
ATP, Air Traffic Controller
Ryan Van Haren is an accomplished pilot who works as an air traffic controller in the airspace between the San Juan islands and Vancouver BC. He is here to help us understand the border crossing procedures between the two countries. He also leads survival "shakedowns" which leave pilots stranded overnight to test their survival preparedness.
Pricing
Whether you join us in your own plane or rent one of ours, we will help pair you with an instructor to tailor the weekend to your needs.

We provide the learning environment for you to get the most out of your weekend adventure in the Pacific Northwest Islands.
Accommodations
Custom TFP survival kit
Gourmet food
Lectures by Jason Miller, Peter Lert, and Dr. Howard Donner
Sea plane flight experience
A huge part of the value on this trip are the lectures, the life raft deployment, the Seaplane time, and signal mirroring. Come join us! Stay on the island, attend the lectures, workshops, life raft deployment, and seafood boil. Fly a Seaplane! Beginners to Experts welcome. This will be the time of your life!
Airplane Owners
Fly with us in your aircraft. We help partner you with an experienced mountain flying instructor.
KBFI Boeing to KORS Orcas roundtrip with CFI

If you own an airplane, we will connect you with an experienced dedicated instructor for your airplane to train you in island flying in your own aircraft. Kids 12 and under free with owners.

$4950 Course fee
$2000 Instructor fee

Non-flying guests $1250
Rental
Fly with us in a rented aircraft. We help pair you with an experienced flight instructor.
San Francisco to (KORS) Orcas Island, roundtrip with CFI.

$4950 Course fee + aircraft rental
$2000 Instructor fee

Non-flying guests $1250
Islands Adventure Trip 2021

Place a deposit to reserve your spot.
“I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the San Juan Islands adventure. We learned a lot about the Diamond, the airspace, the 'what would we do IF?' and the geography while in the air. I also enjoyed Howard and Denise's great breakfast on Saturday morning, going into town for pizza on Friday night and Adam's outstanding "seafood boil" on Saturday night. I really enjoyed Howard's lectures...I found his information very helpful and relevant as we have Lake Michigan to deal with in our neck of the woods. And I've already put my 'survival kit' in my plane. I am looking forward to more cool adventures in the future...”

Christine Duncan
Videos
Be sure to catch these highlights from the San Juan Islands 2017 maiden voyage...

Blowing $5,000 in 5 Seconds! Life Raft Deployment
Survive Ditching an Aircraft
...courtesy of Flight Chops
Check out this Flight Chops Coast Guard rescue video. Our course will help prepare you in the event you ever need a rescue like this.
Wilderness Medicince
Immersion and Drowning
Dr. Donner discusses swim failure, hypothermia, drowning, hyperventilation, cold water cooling, life jackets, and more.
Islands Trip
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