Iditarod 1994

The Moroney's in Alaska

Bruce & Diana Moroney

                            January 2007

Chugiak, Alaska

Welcome to our web site! Alaska Wings

 

 

I have put this web site together mainly for my mother to keep track of her favorite son but also for the rest of our family, friends and those interested in our Alaska lifestyle. We are just an ordinary family who have taken advantage of living in an extra ordinary State, Alaska.

What we have accomplished in Alaska is from our desire to enjoy and experience what is Alaska!
The Last Frontier, enjoy.
E-mail Contact
bruce@alaskawings.com
diana@alaskawings.com
 
 
              About Us - Iditarod -Iditarod Airforce -  Empire Airlines - Atlas Air - Skywagon  - On The Wing - Feedback - Josh&John - Recipes
Aircraft Rebuild Projects
background picture, winter flying the Iditarod Trail
 
Navigating this web site: For specific topics click on the link above. There are also links direct in the highlights section below
        Skywagon - Cessna 185 project
        Atlas Air - Flying 747-400 around the world, travel logs.
        On The Wing - Diana and Bruce flying our Cessna 185, Alaska, US, Canada, Bahamas and Mexico travel logs.
 
 
Iditarod National Historic Trail logo  Atlas Air
               Iditarod Air Force            Iditarod Trail        Historic Trail      Alaska Airman's Association                          Empire Airlines                                                   Atlas Air Cargo
On Floats
Iditarod Airforce 2008
Diana on the trail

ATR 72

Bahamas 2007

Baja 2006

Iditarod 2005

Bush Flying

Atlas Air

Grant Aviation

Anchorage | Mat-Su | Kenai

Currently Snow and 2 degrees

2° low: 5 ° high: 13°

5 day forecast | aurora

sunrise: 9:50 a.m. - sunset: 4:31 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  
                     Here now! Bruce's recipe page, it's not diet fare... If you've sampled my cooking and like it, I'll tell how it's done!
 
The latest from Bruce & Diana
 
    Highlights 2009:
April: Paris 2009!
We headed off for an April vacation to Luxembourg and Paris. So far all has worked according to plan. After Diana finished work on Friday, we jump-seated on a Fed-Ex plane to Memphis, then Northwest to Huntsville. Got a bit of rest then our next leg was in style aboard an Atlas 747-400. First class seating all the way to Luxembourg. Here in time to walk around the city and take a short tour by bus. A wonderful and relaxed dinner at a sidewalk cafe ended the day... Paris 2009!
       
   Cathedral De Notre Dame                        Our Hotel Luxembourg                  What a view                               Renoir Museum d'Orsay 
 
   
                                                             The City of Lights from the Eiffel Tower
          
March: Iditarod.
25 Years, This year marks our 25th. Diana's first Iditarod 1984 and the first year I flew support for the Last Great Race, in a 1063 180, N2162Z. A lot of trail miles have past for Diana and I running our dogs to Nome, 10 Iditarods for Diana and 2 for me. Plus over 2000 hours Flying support for the IAF (Iditarod Air Force).
     
            Race start Anchorage                                  Chris Beck, G-kids and Me                            Karin and crew Nome finish
January: Wright Pat AF Museum. Diana accompanied me on a trip to Willington Ohio. I had a weekend layover just 20 minutes from 2nd largest aviation museum and the home of the Wright Brothers. This was no afternoon excursion but 3 full days or hundreds of exhibits and aircraft. From the birth of powered flight at the Wright B museum to cutting edge space and the future of aviation and technology.
        
                             Wright B Flyer                                            B-29 Superfortress Bockscar which dropped Fat Man on Nagasaki       Diana on a mission
 
          
                 Flying Boat OA-10 Catalina                                                                              F-117 Stealth Fighter
 
     Highlights 2008:
December: Josh and Kasie are married. Saturday December 27 a garden wedding in Lake Havasu with Gracie as flower girl and Christopher as ring barer Josh and Kasie became Mr. & Mrs. Joshua James Honey Buckles Moroney.
       
               Joshua and Kasie Moroney                   Josh, Kasie, Dad, Christopher, Grace                  The cake & CJ               Josh with Grandma
 
October - Monday Night Football: Bruce, Diana, John & Sarah, head to Nashville for Monday Night Football. Tennessee Titans hosting Indianapolis Colts. Great game till the 4qt when the Titans roared ahead to win. After the game downtown for great music and packed clubs till 2am!
                                     
             Crossing the Cumberland River to LP Stadium         Dejected Colts fans, Titans undefeated 7-0      John & Sarah with the  Bethel Newspaper
 
August September: Salmon Fishing Hells Hole, Halibut in the Sound and Moose Hunting the Yukon: Our summers might be short but with endless daylight, our aircraft geared and gassed up, a vast wilderness to explore, the possibilities are endless and exciting. More On The Wing
      
    Malia's Coho catch            Fishing off the Floats                     Bob and our Halibut haul                              Cory Eberhardt and a monster 64"
 
August: Mom's 80th: The Moroney's all converged on Placerville California for our latest family reunion and to celebrate Mom's upcoming 80th. A day of Golf, picnicking, winery indulging and a trip to Tahoe was all crammed to a long weekend. Ending with a catered party at Brookstone winery, complete with Bagpipes.
       
    On the Course                      Grace at Tahoe                    Kaise and Josh                                   The descendants                                   Look who's 80!
       
 
 
May:
    A spring trip on the Alaska Railroad: Diana and I have been in Alaska for over 30 years and we were embarrassed to say we had never taken a trip on the Alaska Railroad! Love those Airline Miles. Mom escaped the early 100'f heat in Eldorado Hills on an Alaska Airlines First Class seat North. Diana had planned a trip for the 3 of us on The Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Denali Park for over night stay and return.  Mom arrived while I was on a short trip so to fill Mom's time Diana had a round of golf planned. I told Diana I didn't think that was such a good idea, Mom's almost 80, she needs to be around for he 80th birthday bass in August! Friday morning they awake to rain. Diana insist the weather will be fine and there off to Moose Run for a round. A bucket of balls at the range then off to the first hole. The rains stopped and the sun came out and according to Mom she did pretty good for an old gal, completing 9 holes. Spring in Alaska, it's lush and green with the leaves just out, still a bit cool but just after a rain Diana and Mom had the golf course to them selves and had a blast.

I arrive home midnight Friday with Mom and Diana abusing the Hot Tub with wine and their female talk, good thing I wasn't around, gave Mother and Daughter In law time together and from the look of it they had fun. I tucked them in for the night!

Saturday a recovery day. Actually the girls went shopping, a little bit of everything and flowers for the garden. Bed early for our 6am get up to catch a train.
        
   Mom & Diana at Moose Run                      Sneaking up to the doom car                          Alaska Railroad                                      Moose Calf

All Aboard was the call and on our way North. 8 hours through some of the most spectacular scenery crossing rivers and valleys to Denali. We say Moose, Black Bear, Owls, Eagles and Fox. Diana's sister Deb meant us in Denali where we stayed at the Denali Cabins. Dinner and an evenings reveling and the next days 8 hours back to Anchorage.

Iditarod 2008:
    The first major event of the year is always Iditarod. 2008 saw a record number of teams, 97 and the most hours flown by Diana and I during any Iditarod, 135 flight hours!... For us Iditarod starts 2 weeks before the race actually starts. We spend several days flying all the supplies from Anchorage to check points on the East side of the Alaska range then will spend a week in McGrath supplying the West side. When the race is under way were flying 6+ hours a day till the last Musher is off the trail and all checkpoints are cleaned.
     
     Bob & I with a load of trail markers        DeeDee Jonrowe on the Big Su                        Induction icing                     In Nome Live Bearing Sea King Crab
 
    Highlights 2007:
 
November December:
   
          
             Our 185 made the cover of Trade-a-Plane                     Captain Diana                                                      Diana's 2008 Prius
    The close of 2007 was filled with great surprises for both Diana and Bruce. Before Thanksgiving Diana interview with Empire Airlines and accepted a Captain position on the ATR 72 flying out of Anchorage. Training went well and Diana was typed in the ATR just before the new year, Captain Diana! Wow.
   
    Mom flew to Alaska for Thanksgiving. We had planned to fly to Fairbanks but the weather horrible so we drove north. We spent 3 days with Diana's sister Deb and family in their lodge, Taste of Alaska Lodge, a beautiful log lodge overlooking the Tanana River and our favorite place to spend the holidays and traditional family gatherings.
 
    Bruce turned 59 in November and was entering the last year of his career with Atlas when two weeks latter President Bush sighed a new law extending the mandatory airline pilot retirement age to 65. Flying the 747-400 around the world is a great challenge and to continue past 60 fantastic...
 
   In preparation for retirement I started another Aircraft rebuild. Purchasing a 1963 Cessna 182 that was flipped over during landing. Towards the end of 2007 I studied, took the test and added the FAA Inspection Authorization to my A&P Certificate.
 
    A picture of our Cessna 185 over the North Rived east of Unakleet last March during Iditarod was on the cover of the December issue of Trade-a-Plane.
 
    Were turning Green; For Christmas Diana got a new Toyota Prius Hybrid! 
 
June:
The Youmans fly North: June 21st Terry, Allison, James and Mom flew to Alaska to experience the Land of the Midnight Sun. 21st of June, the longest day of the year. It was 10 days of family, flying, fishing and late nights enjoying Alaska's summer.  More On The Wing
     
          A rewarding day in Seward                                      Flying to the Yentna River                  At a friends Yentna River cabin for some King fishing
 
May:
Diana and I arrived back home May 3rd. 81 hours of flying to the Bahamas and back, what a fantastic trip we had. Were both looking forward to a fun summer of flying Alaska and this year our Cessna 185 will be on floats. Back to work for a few weeks. May 23rd We married our Cessna 185 to EDO 2960 floats.
 
                   More On The Wing
               Ready the hoist                                 Grant Aviation hanger                              Amber Lake
 
April:
Alaska to the Bahamas, it's been year in the planning and were off. Diana and I are flying South and East, Sun n Fun in Florida then Island hopping the Bahamas... Were Here Sun n Fun
 
           Sun n Fun 3 days                 Flying in to Biminis Islands                 It's a vacation                              Kim & Bruce
 
March:
March 26, 2007. We have a second grandchild, born today. Caden James Moroney. Josh and Kasey had a baby this morning.
 
Joshua and Family  Link
                                           
                         A proud Dad                                      Grace and brother                   A new Mother
 
   Highlights 2006:
 
April:
With the skis stored for another winter and a new belly pod installed and full of fuel Diana and I took off from
Birchwood in the Cessna 185 at 5am April 15. We were headed for sun, warm water and cold margaritas, Baja
   
             The Tip of Baja                                         Fishing, Sea of Cortez                               Cold Margaritas
 
March:
As with most years, once the holidays are over were getting ready for March and Iditarod.
This will be the first year neither Diana or I will be on a dog team. After Diana's 2005 race
were down to 9 retired dogs. I expect Diana to exhibit withdrawal symptoms...
 
We will see the trail from above. Diana and I will take turns flying our Cessna 185 on skis for the
Iditarod Air Force, flying officials, supplies and dogs along the trail. For more on the Iditarod Airforce
   
                Diana & Jenny                                 Dropped dogs hitching                    Broken axel at Wolf Kill Slue
 
   Highlights 2005:
 : March Diana competed in her 10th and last Iditarod
              Diana announced her retirement after 20 year involvement.
     
                                      Diana finished 29th out a starting field of 89 teams.
 
Project: April to July; Strip & paint our Cessna 185.
     
                                                                    Makeover, inside and out.
                                        Replaced windows, add skylights, new interior and presto!
 
Iditarod Airforce: In March the winter days are long and sunny. Flying on skis is like having a snowmobile with wings.
     
                                  Flying support for the Last Great Race it's a dog sled on wings
 
Diana At Work: Another Alaska Bush Pilot. Grant Aviation
     
              Diana flying Cessna 402---Cessna 185 on Skis----Cessna Caravan
 
 
 
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Site design and maintained by Bruce Moroney
bruce@alaskawings.com
This site was last updated 04/25/09
                
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