How to stay safe when flying outside of cell coverage

Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Ashleigh Oliver, a well-known aviation photographer in Alaska… Read on to learn how Ashleigh and her husband regularly fly throughout Alaska and use TracPlus for improved safety and peace of mind when flying outside of cell coverage.

Describe what you do in Aviation and how did you get started?

“My husband and I spend summers exploring remote lakes in Alaska in our 1957 Cessna 182 floatplane. Being based on Fire Lake in Eagle River (near Anchorage) makes it easy to fly just an hour or two into the Kenai Mountain Range to splash in at lakes with Forest Service cabins in the mountains.

It's a float plane pilot's dream. Each cabin has an adequate beaching location, a boat of some sort, fantastic fishing, and complete solitude. We learned about these Forest Service cabins through an article we read several years ago by Tom Bass, a Seaplane Pilot Association member who visited every Alaska Forest Service cabin accessible by floatplane.

We also have a cabin of our own on a lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, and in the summers we fly there with the floatplane. We use our cabin as a base to go explore other lakes and the stunning scenery in the area around Kennicott.

My husband has been flying in Alaska for 25 years, and I'm an aviation photographer and new student pilot."

What type of aircraft are you tracking with TracPlus?

“A Cessna 182 on floats and wheels; and a Cessna 172 on wheels."

What TracPlus features and functionalities are the most important for you, and why?

“Number one is the peace of mind we have knowing that someone at home can track our location and know we arrived at our destination. Why? Because we can't close a flight plan due to the remote areas we travel to in Alaska having no cellular coverage. So the fact that TracPlus has satellite coverage and an app to allow others to see our location is priceless. Occasionally someone else will fly with my husband, and I can keep their family members notified of their status, like where their location is, when their destination is reached, and when the plane is en-route home.

Number two is the ability to use the RockAIR satellite device to communicate with our mechanic if we have a problem and need them to come help us.

Number three is just how easy the TracPlus App is to use."

Has there been any specific occasion you can think of where TracPlus has potentially saved time, or money, or a life?

"TracPlus has already provided a lot of comfort for family members wondering if our remote destination has been reached successfully."

What does having TracPlus mean for you when flying in remote locations?

"TracPlus is absolutely essential for peace of mind! The TracPlus platform and the devices it can integrate with are perfectly designed for Alaska use. Satellite and cell coverage in one device - perfect."

What would you say to someone thinking about implementing a tracking system?

"Do it for your friends and family who find it stressful not knowing if you arrived at your destination. Fishing, hunting, and exploring remote areas of the country without cell coverage? Use TracPlus, and have your family member or contact person download the app to check in on your location."

Interested in learning more about how TracPlus can improve the safety of your operations? Get in touch with us at sales@tracplus.com.