Parks & Coasts: Not Just for Recreation - TPC Charters Airline Fall 2026 Event
The majestic beauty of our national parks and the west coast are yours to behold and enjoy during the TPC Charters Airline Fall 2026 event. Whether you are a seasoned airline captain, an up-and-coming jet pilot, or a GA flyer, we have something for you. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to transport scientists, documentary filmmakers, and wealthy donors along the West Coast (for GA) and among a number of national parks (airliner/executive flights).
These scientists are studying changes in the environment and climate in these precious areas of our country. The wealthy donors are along for the ride and to enjoy the scenery. Prepare yourself for this important mission!
This event starts at 00:00:01z on 1 September 2026 and runs through 23:59:59z 30 September 2026.
Airliners
Airline and executive pilots will be tasked with taking researchers and their subsequent donors across the western United States, visiting 9 airports near national parks before returning the researchers and their donors back to Jackson Hole.
Pilots will receive 500 points for each airport they visit. Therefore, your first trip from KJAC will earn you 1000 points (500 for KJAC and 500 for your first destination). All airliners will begin at KJAC. Note: you will only get credit for completing all airports once you have returned the researchers and donors back to KJAC. No stranded scientists, please!
GA Aircraft
The California Gauntlet
Wheels up by dawn, punching through the heavy San Diego marine layer. First stop, Santa Monica (KSMO) - a short, high-stress strip surrounded by multi-million dollar homes where the strict noise-abatement rules mean you fly like a ghost or face a massive fine. After a quick corporate drop-off, you push north along the coast, grabbing a brief fuel stop at San Luis Obispo (KSBP) before facing the soup at Monterey Regional (KMRY). The fog is thick enough to chew, requiring absolute focus on the instruments until the runway lights finally blurred into view at minimums. After a quick hop into Petaluma (O69) to clear the San Francisco airspace, the real flying began.
The Lost Coast and the Pacific Northwest
Shelter Cove (0Q5) is the kind of runway that makes your palms sweat. It’s a tiny strip of asphalt carved right onto a cliffside edge over the crashing Pacific waves. The crosswinds off the water try to push you into the mountain, but you pin the aircraft down, drop off three eager hikers, and slam the throttles forward to get airborne again. From there, the flight turns into a relentless battle against Pacific Northwest weather. Crescent City (KCEC), North Bend (KOTH), Tillamook (KTMK), and Hoquiam (KHQM) fly by in a blur of low-lying gray clouds, driving rain, and short runways smelling of salt air and pine trees.
The Final Approach
By the time the Canadian border comes into view, the sun is dipping below the horizon, painting the rainy sky a deep, bruised purple. As you guide your GA aircraft safely onto the runway at Bellingham International (KBLI), the engines finally whine down to a halt. Eleven airfields, three fuel stops, and a lifetime of microclimates all handled in a single day's work.
