About a month ago my student and I did a cross country flight from Fairbanks to Tanana and Rampart, both small villages here in interior Alaska. It was my first x-country with a student since I had started instructing up here, and neither airport I had ever been to. I was a little intimidated, but was certainly up for the adventure.

We departed Fairbanks late afternoon in the 172 and the weather couldn't have been better. Clear skies and unrestricted visibility. Had a great view of...