Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Flying The "Jet"......
Today was a beautiful morning, and early AM I was off to Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge with a load of propane, flying C-GBTU, our Walter Turbine Otter. Dave Martin, our Chief Pilot, is off for some well-deserved rest, and Johnny Friesen from our Sub-Base in Bissett is flying Polack Otter HYB.
An Otter with a turbine sure gives the pilot a different perspective over the "cowl"..........
BTU ran like a clock, with all temperatures and pressures nicely stabilized in the low end of the normal operating ranges.
ITT 600*C, 70% Torque, 92% NG, 1800 RPM, everything as it should be!
I made Aikens, unloaded, and loaded my passengers. I was picking up ex-NHL "grinder" Kris King, and ex-NHL "50 goal-scorer" Mike Gartner, and their buddies. I returned them safely to Silver Falls.
I loved watching both of these guys play. King always gave 100%, and never backed down from a "scrap", and could Gartner ever skate. Both real good "Canadian Boys"...........(me on the left, Kris King middle, Mike Gartner right, with our "Jet" in the background)
Ernie Nicholls from Huron Air And Outfitters was in Silver today for an inspection on 1953 Otter, C-FIOF, Serial# 24. IOF is the prototype Walter Turbine Otter. Ernie and I discussed the "pros and cons" (not many cons) of the conversion during the day, and had some laughs, as we always do. Then, he took to the skies for home, as his wife was cooking him supper, and he could smell it!
The "hangar boys" hard at work on IOF...........
Well, tomorrow I fly the "Jet" again, and the weather is supposed to be good, and Thursday evening I am off work for the weekend, as child #2, Kody Lynn, graduates from High School on Friday. Doesn't time fly? It seems like a few short years ago my 2 oldest kids were still in diapers, making crayon "hieroglyphics" on the walls, and in September, they will both be in University. Makes a guy feel "radio carbon-dated"! Still as agile as a cat, though, you have to be to fly an Otter on floats! Till next time,
"Senebti"!!!
An Otter with a turbine sure gives the pilot a different perspective over the "cowl"..........
BTU ran like a clock, with all temperatures and pressures nicely stabilized in the low end of the normal operating ranges.
ITT 600*C, 70% Torque, 92% NG, 1800 RPM, everything as it should be!
I made Aikens, unloaded, and loaded my passengers. I was picking up ex-NHL "grinder" Kris King, and ex-NHL "50 goal-scorer" Mike Gartner, and their buddies. I returned them safely to Silver Falls.
I loved watching both of these guys play. King always gave 100%, and never backed down from a "scrap", and could Gartner ever skate. Both real good "Canadian Boys"...........(me on the left, Kris King middle, Mike Gartner right, with our "Jet" in the background)
Ernie Nicholls from Huron Air And Outfitters was in Silver today for an inspection on 1953 Otter, C-FIOF, Serial# 24. IOF is the prototype Walter Turbine Otter. Ernie and I discussed the "pros and cons" (not many cons) of the conversion during the day, and had some laughs, as we always do. Then, he took to the skies for home, as his wife was cooking him supper, and he could smell it!
The "hangar boys" hard at work on IOF...........
Well, tomorrow I fly the "Jet" again, and the weather is supposed to be good, and Thursday evening I am off work for the weekend, as child #2, Kody Lynn, graduates from High School on Friday. Doesn't time fly? It seems like a few short years ago my 2 oldest kids were still in diapers, making crayon "hieroglyphics" on the walls, and in September, they will both be in University. Makes a guy feel "radio carbon-dated"! Still as agile as a cat, though, you have to be to fly an Otter on floats! Till next time,
"Senebti"!!!
