#Dmitry Kudryn

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Power for Adventures – CRAVE Power Bank

Recently, the popular cross-platform messaging application, WhatsApp, crashed and 1.5 Billion Users went haywire. Imagine the need for “staying connected” with people.

Whether you’re going outdoors for a skiing spree or a hiking adventure, you will always want yourself on-the-grid with family, friends, or work. Also, you will need to connect with anyone for a distressed call, in case of emergency situations.

Although the companies these days are offering Smartphone or handheld devices with monster batteries, regular usage of the same will drain out the power eventually. It also triggers a safety concern when in need.

Fortunately, the specifically designed and tested power banks from CRAVE come to the rescue of adventurers like you. Indeed, the founders Dmitry Kudryn and Vitaly Kudryn established CRAVE with the motto of designing and creating high-quality electronic products for fulfilling users’ exact needs.

Driven by the direct-to-consumer business model, the Kudryn brother-duo have expanded the company since 2015 without compromising any terms of quality. In fact, their consistency in quality and reasonable prices have touched a raw nerve with the customers.

As you would look into the phenomenal models from CRAVE, you will discover innovative designing and featuring in the power banks. The latest model, CRAVE Plus, is a robust 10,000 milliamp hour charge pack with USB and Type C ports. Whether you are using an Apple or Android set, you don’t need to worry about the charging ports.

With a unique slim and lightweight design, the CRAVE Plus offers a durable aluminum housing to keep the innards protected. Tested over a thousand times, this power bank is an absolute keeper of power for adventurers. Next time you plan for an outing, you know one thing that you should definitely pack.

Visit Now:- https://www.gofundme.com/replacing-joe-fedewa-buick-after-alaska-earthquake

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Touring Talkeetna Alaska including a MUST SEE site

Dmitry Kudryn

Today we depart Birchwood Airport and fly 40 minutes North to a small town called Talkeenta. It is located at the fork of 3 rivers called Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna.

Talkeetna is a major hub for those flying to see the Denali park and Mt. Denali. It has many daily flights to the base camp of the mountain for tourists and those climbing in attempt to summit Denali.

We explore the main strip that contains the popular tourist sites with a special visit to a building that takes you back close to 100 years.

Enjoy the trip as we explore this beautiful Alaskan town.

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A different way to fly

Dmitry Kudryn of the Crave Life YouTube channel recently posted a new video of flying in a ski-plane to Thompson Pass where he and his boys skied with kites. Snow kiting, which looks like a lot of fun, is definitely a new way to fly!

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In loving memory of Draco

CraveLife’s Dmitry Kudryn had just finished editing his video about Mike Patey’s STOL aircraft Draco at the Valdez STOL competition when he learned about the crash in Reno, which destroyed Draco, but fortunately injured none of the three on board. He posted his video two days ago, with a heartfelt tribute to Draco at the end.

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Flying in a 1942 Stearman

Dmitry Kudryn of the Crave Life YouTube channel travels to Walla Walla, Washington, to take a flight in a 1942 Boeing Stearman with the owner Mark Small.

Mark and his wife Kathleen operate the Honor Project, which is a non-profit set up to fly veterans around the Walla Walla Valley in Eastern Washington in honor of their service to our great nation.

“This experience gives our warriors the experience of the open cockpit in the aircraft many of them trained to serve our nation in,” Dmitry says. “Big thank you for taking such great care of our heroes. Without them we wouldn’t be living the life we do or enjoying the freedoms we enjoy today.

“Let’s get strapped in behind the beautiful 9 Cylinder Pratt & Whitney BT13 450HP radial engine and take the PT-17 Stearman to the skies,” he adds.

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Flying to Alaska’s most remote salmon streams

Dmitry Kudryn, the force behind the Crave Life YouTube channel, recently posted a video of he and his brother Val flying to one of Alaska’s most remote and restricted salmon streams, the Talachultina River (AKA Tal River). He notes you can’t land on the airstrip without permission and the only way in is by a float plane arrival or taking a several hour jet boat trip.

If you’re into fishing and flying this video is for you.

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MX-2 vs. Mountain

Dmitry Kudryn of the Crave Life YouTube Channel recently posted his fourth video from the Valdez STOL 2019 event, which features aerobatic star Gary Ward in his MX-2.

The video features clips from cameras attached to Gary’s plane, as well as from the ground.

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Scott Sexton’s aerobatics at Valdez

In his second report from the Valdez STOL competition in Alaska, Dmitry Kudryn of the CraveLife YouTube channel features Scott Sexton of Kenai, Alaska, performing aerobatics in his Bellanca 7KCAB.

“I have known Scott for 15+ years,” Dmitry says. “He loves aviation, loves to share it with others, and is actively involved with programs to teach new up and coming aviators achieve their dreams of becoming pilots. Thank you Scott for what you do, it was a blast watching you perform in Valdez!”

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Valdez STOL competition 2019

Dmitry Kudryn of the CraveLife YouTube channel, just posted a video from the 2019 Valdez STOL competition. Dmitry says it was a “spectacular event with some great outside visitors.”

“Some of the highlights were Draco flown up by Mike Patey from Spanish Fork, Utah; Gary Ward in his MX2 from Georgia; a Pilatus PC6 flown all the way from Switzerland; and a lot of friends from across the border in Canada. It was a blast watching airplanes fly at their limits!”

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Alaska Picnic Strip Fly-In

Dmitry Kudryn of the CraveLife YouTube video channel sent us this link to a recent video he shot at the Alaska Picnic Strip Fly-in 2019.

“Don’t you wish on those bad weather days the weather would only get better? That’s exactly what happened at the Alaska Picnic Strip Fly-in 2019,” Dmitry says. “The weather was uncooperative all day until two hours before the scheduled time. A last minute dash to the airport certainly paid off!”

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Landing on a road

Have you ever landed on a road? On purpose? I haven’t.

But I’ve seen videos of aircraft, mostly in Alaska, taking off or landing on roads in rural Alaska. You probably have as well.

While there are many roads that would make fine runways, especially in an emergency, I have a hard time picturing myself using them as part of “normal” operations. But that’s me, and my personal minimums.

To get a better understanding of what it is like to land on a road, I reached out to pilot and YouTuber Dmitry Kudryn. We’ve featured a number of his Crave Life videos on GeneralAviationNews.com.

Following is a lightly edited Q&A with Dmitry, who flies a Cessna 172 and a Bellanca Citabria on his many adventures.

Q: Is landing on a road in Alaska legal? Or is it better said as not illegal?

A: This is a great question and very important when considering a landing on a road.

The FARs do not have any language that would prohibit a landing on a highway. The most important piece to consider is local and state laws. What works in Alaska may not be practical or legal in other states.

Alaska has many locations that do not have a formal airport, thus the need for alternative options to get into these remote locations. The off-airport bush flying scene is no secret in Alaska and actually quite common.

Landing on the road system is not something encouraged by local and state governments, but is not considered illegal. That said, exercising good decision making is required. If a more suitable option is available, other than the road, that would be my choice.

Q. Can you fly to the grocery store, as in normal operations, or is landing on a road viewed as a back-up plan?

A. Yes, you indeed can fly to a grocery store. In fact, many living in rural Alaska do just that. Flying the family airplane into the nearest town or city for a “grocery run” or “Costco run” is common and in some places the only option.

Q. Are there places known to be as more acceptable for road operations?

A. One particular destination where you will find airplanes sharing a major highway with vehicles is in Cantwell, Alaska. You’ll pull off the highway to access the convenience store while driving North to Fairbanks and see aircraft standing in the same parking lot stocking up on food, supplies, and fuel. Ironically, the Cantwell airport is just a short distance away, yet it’s much more convenient to fly than walk.

Q: You’ve done it. What’s it like to land on a road? What are the obvious, and not obvious, differences to landing on a runway or in the backcountry?

A. Prior to landing on a road, I did my due diligence and spoke to my friends at the FAA. They are always the best source if you aren’t sure something is legal or looking for some guidance in an area you aren’t familiar with.

The procedure I use is one recommended to me by the FAA and ones obvious to pilots:

Clear the landing area in both directions; Look for traffic, wildlife, and any obstructions, such as power lines, mailboxes, signs, etc.; Identify the favorable winds; and Land with a high level of vigilance for unexpected changes.

Safety is #1. Don’t ever compromise it. If the conditions are not right, proceed to your alternate.

I do not recommend landing on a road for the sake of doing it. In many situations it can be very hazardous and can result in an accident.

The less obvious things in the backcountry to consider are:

You don’t have a windsock, so I read the wind direction on the lakes and rivers. If there’s no water, then look at treetops or any vegetation.

Firmness of the landing surface can be deceitful. In the spring or early summer, many backcountry destinations are soft and take time to firm up. This condition can return with increased levels of moisture. Inspecting multiple times and running the wheels across surfaces is a common technique used prior to committing to a landing. With speed, soft surface will be displaced and leave ruts. If I see ruts, I don’t land.

Again, safety is one thing I can’t stress enough! Just because you have done it before doesn’t make the next time safer. Never let complacency settle in. The “been there done that” attitude is a trap that will result in tragedy.

I categorize everything in life into two categories: Risk vs. recklessness. I am comfortable with managed risk, but I do not engage in recklessness.

Q: What is your story Dmitry? Are you an Alaska native? If not, where are you from and why’d you settle in Alaska?

I was born in the Ukraine and am the oldest of 12 children (eight brothers and three sisters). I am married to my beautiful wife of 14 years and together we have four children (two boys and two girls, in that order.)

In 1989 my parents immigrated to Walla Walla, Washington. We moved to Alaska in 1999 and my parents decided to home school me for high school. This turned out to be an advantage for me. Home schooling gave me the time to work a lot of odd jobs to fund flight training.

I started flying when I was 14 years old. I soloed an airplane before I could obtain a driver’s license and went on to become the youngest pilot hired at two separate airlines.

My father taught me at a young age the value of hard work and this helped me self fund my entire aviation training without any debt, which I am very thankful for.

I got hired to fly the DHC-6 Twin Otter at 18 years of age, with 253 hours total time and the ink still wet on my new commercial pilots license. The requirement was 250TT at the time. Things sure have changed!

I ended up with jet fever and at 19 was hired into the EMB-145 regional jet. I eventually settled into the DHC-8 Q400 for the long haul, or at least so I thought. Sadly the economy took a turn for the worse in 2008. I found myself in a dilemma of a possible furlough looming.

At that time the entrepreneurial passion of my teens was re-ignited and I started a business buying and selling products. That eventually led from one thing to the next and finally put me at an ultimatum: Do I continue to fly professionally or go full time in my business.

Ten years since retiring from the airlines, I am the CEO of CraveDirect.com, which manufactures a range of consumer electronic products for everyday gadgets with operations in 12 countries on five continents.

While I do miss commercial flying from time to time, I quench the flying cravings by flying just for fun all over Alaska.

I take great enjoyment in helping others see their own potential to do more than the status quo. If you push yourself outside of your comfort zone, you will accomplish things that your mind cannot fully grasp until you actually try. I am one of those types of people who would rather fail trying than later regret not trying.

Hard work is one of the greatest life hacks I have learned and what allowed me to achieve things that are against all the odds. It’s a lot simpler in hindsight then when you’re just starting out. The key is not to wait for the perfect time, but start working on your dreams now! You’ll be amazed at the results.

Q: You have a lot of videos on your Crave Life YouTube channel. How did you get into shooting video?

A. Back when I was a teenager, I had a hobby of taking pictures of airplanes at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC). That hobby came back when I decided to share all my crazy adventures and travels with others.

I find video a great way to help others see what great memories can be made with a simple camera doing the things you enjoy. I named my YouTube channel Crave Life, with the purpose of encouraging others to get out and adventure more. Now is the time to go on your next adventure and experience the beauty of the country we live in!

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Exploring ice caves in Alaska

From the Crave Life YouTube Channel, Dmitry Kudryn and friends fly a Cessna 182 from the Wolf Lake Airstrip to frozen Lake George to explore an ice cave in the middle of the lake in Alaska backcountry.

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The best fishing in Alaska

Dmitry Kudryn, the force behind the Crave Life YouTube channel, recently posted a video he calls The Best Fishing in Alaska.

He flew his Cessna to a small Salmon stream at the base of Mt. Iliamna called Polly Creek, a prize fishing location only accessible by air.

“The site is very famous for its Razor Clam beaches and Salmon filled rivers,” he says.

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Delivering food to a stranded hiker in Alaska

Dmitry Kudryn of the Crave Life YouTube channel recently posted a video of a flight he and his brother took to the wilds of Alaska to deliver food to a friend who hiked in and is now stranded at a cabin with no electricity or water.

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When all hell breaks loose…..how do you handle it!?

“The search continues for my missing friend,” says Crave Life YouTuber Dmitry Kudryn. “We have decided to make one more safety checkup to make sure we did not miss him on the previous flight the day before prior to taking the next step working with the authorities. The weather was incredible and views extra breathtaking.”

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Delivering more food to the wilds of Alaska

Dmitry Kudryn of the Crave Life YouTube channel is very concerned for a friend who hiked into the wilds of Alaska several months earlier and hasn’t been heard from in weeks. In the first video in this series, Dmitry was able to see his friend from the plane. But that was in November. In this episode it is now December 23. Dmitry packs three buckets of food to drop for his friend.