Eli: Today was one of those magical flying days thanks to some great weather and alot of cooperation from people on the ground.
We were wheels up from Iqaluit at 9:12 am local time. It always seems to take a little extra time to prepare survival equipment for the over water legs. Despite earlier predictions for a layer of low marine fog over Frobisher Bay, skies were blue and winds were calm. We were able to turn almost immediately on course, first to a waypoint at the border between Canadian and Greenlandic airspace and then directly Sondrestrom Fjord/ Kangerlussuaq Airport. Winds were not quite as favourable as promised but we were still able to average about 130 nm/hr.
Bren took some great shots as we made landfall, the Greenland coast. No matter how smooth the plane is running, it's always a relief to see terra firma rising up to greet you. Rising up is literally the case along Greenland's eastern shores. We had just descended to 9,000 feet and it seemed that we were practically level with the coastal mountain tops. Following vectors up the fjords - first around Holsteinborg and then joining Sondrestrom Fjord proper - it felt like the land was a detailed map unfolding in front of us. The airport came into view when we were about 15 nautical miles to the west in near perfect meteorological conditions and we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 09.
Our hotel in Kangerlussuaq is part of the airport terminal and was once the officer's quarters for the American airbase that was situated here from 1941-1992. Finally we have a good hi-speed Internet connection and are looking forward to uploading some great photos we've taken along the way.
Flying a Cessna 182 into Greenland is the aviation equivalent of backpacking with a Volkswagen Beetle. I definitely feel I'm getting back to my Eurorail Pass roots. People though have been very welcoming and treating us like adventurers rather than tourists. It's also a good excuse for not shaving!
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