Friday, September 14, 2007

 

"Red-Blooded" Canadian Boy "Thai"s One On......

My buddy Doug "McLeod" Burton has recently accepted a job in Phuket, Thailand, flying an amphib Caravan. He leaves today, and heads on a new adventure. Doug has been flying Northway's amphib Caravan, NWG. I have known Doug for about 15 years, and his "aviation" skills are second to none. He started flying a C-180 on floats, then the Beaver, flew Islanders, Navajos, Pilatus PC-12s, and handled them all like he owned them. I remember a good story from years back, when I was doing his "initial" company training on Navajo C-FBKK. We were over frozen Lake Winnipeg, at a decent altitude, near Hecla Island. I was making Doug do a climbing, power-on stall in a turn, with the gear and flaps "hanging". We hit the "buffet", entered the stall, and old BKK just about went inverted. As we looked "up" at Lake Winnipeg, Doug recovered the aircraft. As he pulled her back to level, right side up, and cleaned her up, we looked at each other and started laughing. Doug stated: "Can you imagine if that happened in IMC?" Then , in "unison", we both relaxed our "sphincter muscles". Anyways, before he goes, I thought I would let Doug show us how to "tie one on".

 


 

Gord Johnston was the customer, and as Doug "tied on" his canoe, Gord told us a story how another local Air Carrier had his canoe "depart" the aircraft after takeoff a number of years back. It ended up on Lake Winnipeg, and was recovered. The canoe sure looked "beat", but I think Gord had "imbibed" the story somewhat. Who knows?

 


 


 

The canoe "butts" against the ladder, and will not move rearward.

 


 

"Cinch" rope in place.

 


 


 

Lighting the "stove"......

 

Taxiing out.......

 


 

Doug "slaps" 675 Clydesdales.......

 

........and is airborne! "Good luck" in Thailand, Doug, show them how to "Thai" one on! (Doug likes to "take on" a "crowd"!)

"Adios"!

# posted by Steve @ 5:04 PM
Comments:
Good luck to Dougie and his future adventures, BUT, he never did show up for the beer tasting session we were going to have this week. Softjug
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 8:08 PM
 
yes, i am going to miss that deep voice over the blower "832 over sas 4500 paiungassi", i wish him the best of luck and hear him on traffic again someday - hulk
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 9:09 PM
 
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