Monday, July 30, 2007
28 Cylinders, "Whirring" in "Unison"!
This past Saturday, myself and Doug "McLeod" Burton had finished early, so we were going to take a "road trip" up to Matheson Island, and see some friends, and "inhale" some "wobbly pops". We would first head to the airport at Pine Dock and secure Cessna "amphib" Caravan C-GNWG, the aircraft Doug has been flying, which was parked on wheels, as there were "T-storms" in the forecast. As we rounded the last corner to the airport, we saw a "tail" sticking above the "horizon"...............
"Damn, a DC-3 came to visit"!
"CF-FTR"!
Gary Foster was the Captain, and they were on their way from Island Lake to Gimli. A few days back, they had "blown a jug" on takeoff, and returned to Island Lake. The maintenance crew had been sent north with an engine, and they had changed it out. They were on their way south, and stopped at Pine Dock for fuel. This aircraft runs Pratt and Whitney R-1830, two row, 14 cylinder radial engines.
The boys "gassed" her up, and prepared to head south. FTR is operated by FNT Transport, which operates from Gimli, Manitoba. They also run DC-3s CF-OOW and CF-QHY, which is Plummer's Lodges "old machine". They also run Curtis "Commando" C-46 C-GIBX, and have a second C-46, C-GTPO, which will be "on-line" soon. I tell you, the community of Gimli is treated to a "symphony" every morning when these "birds" take-off!
Gary fires up "#2 engine" before they leave...........
.......then "#1"!
Gary and FTR taxi for "take-off"!
The "last" word of my "post" goes to FTR, as she "sings a song", and becomes airborne..................
"We're outta' here".............
"Adios"!
"Damn, a DC-3 came to visit"!
"CF-FTR"!
Gary Foster was the Captain, and they were on their way from Island Lake to Gimli. A few days back, they had "blown a jug" on takeoff, and returned to Island Lake. The maintenance crew had been sent north with an engine, and they had changed it out. They were on their way south, and stopped at Pine Dock for fuel. This aircraft runs Pratt and Whitney R-1830, two row, 14 cylinder radial engines.
The boys "gassed" her up, and prepared to head south. FTR is operated by FNT Transport, which operates from Gimli, Manitoba. They also run DC-3s CF-OOW and CF-QHY, which is Plummer's Lodges "old machine". They also run Curtis "Commando" C-46 C-GIBX, and have a second C-46, C-GTPO, which will be "on-line" soon. I tell you, the community of Gimli is treated to a "symphony" every morning when these "birds" take-off!
Gary fires up "#2 engine" before they leave...........
.......then "#1"!
Gary and FTR taxi for "take-off"!
The "last" word of my "post" goes to FTR, as she "sings a song", and becomes airborne..................
"We're outta' here".............
"Adios"!
