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TRAVELOGUE
were VFR, so I canceled IFR and went to uncontrolled airspace at 5,000. I was then VFR, where the ice fell off. As we continued north and over Disko Island, the peaks grew higher and continued to rise to where it was clear we were not 1,000 feet above them. Almost simulta- neously Justin and I looked ahead and saw a high peak, obscured by a small cloud, which looked like a problem. I pulled up immediately and went over, but it was a little too close. As there are no VFR charts for Greenland, all I had as guidance was the Canada low IFR and thinking 5,000 was fine for VFR. I had misinterpreted the 4,500 and if I had looked at the Jeppesen charts I would have seen the W20 altitudes increased along the route.
Further north I went back up to 7,000 in controlled airspace and kept a close eye on the wings. The temps hovered around 0˚C but I didn’t gain any ice. We approached Upernavik (BGUK) in IMC and shot the RNAV 22 approach using the SOPAN IAF. As we were headed in
toward SOPAN, an Air Greenland Dash 8 flight was right behind me and a lot faster. I asked the controller what they wanted me to do about the traffic but they said it was up to me. The pilot called out to me and said he’d slow down and be ready for me if I had to go missed. I think he was surprised to hear a Cirrus was going up there. As I turned inbound on final, an Air Greenland helicopter was inbound offshore and I saw them on ADS-B. They quickly communicated to me that they’d wait. All of us were communicating our intentions and they both waited for my landing. It was great. The information controller didn’t really get involved. It was like landing at uncon- trolled airports in the states.
Upernavik is a short field atop an island mountain, and I was flying very heavy and had to prepare for a low and slow short final which was a big balancing act. As I continued the approach, we popped out of the clouds at 1,200 where DA was 700, so plenty of space to get down. As we were about a mile out from
the field, we could see the bright rainbow colors of the town below the airport and giant icebergs sitting offshore.
Lesson Learned: It’s safer to fly off- shore of Greenland in uncontrolled airspace instead of having to navigate ice and mountains, with no VFR charts available. Once I dropped out of the IFR corridor and went uncontrolled VFR, I was on my own without a good under- standing of the safe VFR altitudes. We obviously saw the peak and avoided it, but it was still too close.
There is no fuel at Upernavik, but it’s very accessible with a little planning and I highly recommend it to my fellow Cirrus pilots. The colors of the town are brilliant and there is a great B&B there.
Day Four: Aug. 10
Leg 7 : BGUK:BGQQ (348 NM)
Looking ahead while still in Upernavik, it was cold in Qaanaaq that day, but beautiful VFR conditions. They were forecasting high winds, freezing rain
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JULY 2023 COPA Pilot
The majestic Herbert (Qeqertarsuaq) Island, a welcome mat to Qaanaaq, Greenland.