Location
We will be hosting you 1 block from the airport at a charming location
with plenty of room to stretch out and learn. (This is not a camping trip)
Come to the island and join us for lectures, food, fun
and an aviation experience you'll remember forever.
This trip is open to experts and beginners alike.
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
- 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.
$3950 Course fee
$1500 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.
Let us take care of everything. You will have a spot in a late model C182 split with one other rental pilot. You can expect around 8-12 hours of PIC time and to fly at least one of the long cross country routes. The value of the backseat time will surprise you. Prices are all-inclusive.
$6450 Course fee and aircraft rental
$750 Instructor fee
Non-flying guests $1250
