Saturday, May 31, 2008
Life, ...."As A Pilot"
Life, ...."As A Pilot"
-------------------
22 years old: Graduated from college. Go to military flight school. Become hot shot fighter pilot. Get married.
25 years old: Have 1st kid. Now hotshot fighter jock getting shot at in war. Just want to get back to USA in one piece. Get back to USA as primary flight instructor pilot. Get bored. Volunteer for war again.
29 years old: Get back from war all tuckered out. Wants out of military.
30 years old: Join airline. World is your oyster.
31 years old: Buy flashy car, house and lots of toys. Get over the military poverty feeling.
32 years old: Divorce boring 1st wife. Pay child support and maintenance. Drink lots of booze and screw around while looking for 2nd wife.
33 years old: Furloughed. Join military Reserve unit and fly for fun. Repeat above for a few more years.
35 years old: Airline recall. More screwing around but looking forward to a good marriage and settling down.
36 years old: Marry young spunky 25 year old flight attendant.
37 years old: Buy another house. Gave first one to first wife.
38 years old: Give in to second wife to have more kids. Father again. Wife concerned about "risky" military Reserve flying so you resign commission.
39 years old: Now a captain. Hooray! Upgrade house, buy boat, small single engine airplane and even flashier cars.
42 years old: 2nd wife runs off with wealthy investment banker but still wants to share house (100%).
43 years old: Settle with wife #2 and resolve to stay away from women forever. Seek a position as a check Captain for 10% pay override to pay mounting bills. Move into 1 bedroom apartment with window air conditioners.
44 years old: Company resizes and you're returned to copilot status. 25% pay cut. Become simulator instructor for 10% override pay.
49 years old: Captain again. Move into 2-bedroom luxury apartment with central air conditioning
50 years old: Meet sexy Danish model on International trip. She loves you and says you are very "beeeeg!"
51 years old: Marry sexy Danish model for wife #3. Buy big house, boat, twin engine airplane and upgrade cars.
52 years old: Sexy model wants kids (not again). Resolve to get vasectomy.
54 years old: Try to talk wife out of kids, but presto, she's pregnant. She says she got sick after taking the pill. Accident, sorry, won't happen again.
55 years old: Father of triplets.
56 years old: Wife #3 wants very big house, bigger boat and very flashy cars, "worried" about your private flying and wants you to sell twin engine airplane. You give in. You buy a motorcycle and join motorcycle club.
57 years old: Make rash investments to try and have enough money for retirement.
59 years old: Lose money on rash investment and get audited by the IRS. You have to fly 100% International night trips just to keep up with child support and alimony to wife #1 and #2.
60 years old: Wife #3 (sexy model) says you're too damned old and no fun. She leaves. She takes most of your assets. You're forced to retire due to Age 60 rule. No money left.
61 years old: Now Captain on a non-schedule South American 727 freight outfit and living in a non-air conditioned studio apartment directly underneath the final approach to runway 9 at Miami Int'l. You have "interesting" Hispanic neighbors who ask you if you've ever flown DC-3's.
65 years old: Lose FAA medical and get job as sim instructor. Don't look forward to years of getting up at 2 AM for 3 AM sim in every God-forsaken town you train in due to the fact your carrier can find cheap, off-hours sim time at various Brand X Airlines.
70 years old: Hotel alarm clock set by previous FedEx crewmember goes off at 1:00 AM. Have heart attack and die with smile on face. Happy at last!
Ain't aviation great?
May The Wings Of Freedom Not Lose A Feather! (One Nation, Under God)
"Yee-Haa! I am retired, relaxed, and rejoicing" .....says Rooster!
-------------------
22 years old: Graduated from college. Go to military flight school. Become hot shot fighter pilot. Get married.
25 years old: Have 1st kid. Now hotshot fighter jock getting shot at in war. Just want to get back to USA in one piece. Get back to USA as primary flight instructor pilot. Get bored. Volunteer for war again.
29 years old: Get back from war all tuckered out. Wants out of military.
30 years old: Join airline. World is your oyster.
31 years old: Buy flashy car, house and lots of toys. Get over the military poverty feeling.
32 years old: Divorce boring 1st wife. Pay child support and maintenance. Drink lots of booze and screw around while looking for 2nd wife.
33 years old: Furloughed. Join military Reserve unit and fly for fun. Repeat above for a few more years.
35 years old: Airline recall. More screwing around but looking forward to a good marriage and settling down.
36 years old: Marry young spunky 25 year old flight attendant.
37 years old: Buy another house. Gave first one to first wife.
38 years old: Give in to second wife to have more kids. Father again. Wife concerned about "risky" military Reserve flying so you resign commission.
39 years old: Now a captain. Hooray! Upgrade house, buy boat, small single engine airplane and even flashier cars.
42 years old: 2nd wife runs off with wealthy investment banker but still wants to share house (100%).
43 years old: Settle with wife #2 and resolve to stay away from women forever. Seek a position as a check Captain for 10% pay override to pay mounting bills. Move into 1 bedroom apartment with window air conditioners.
44 years old: Company resizes and you're returned to copilot status. 25% pay cut. Become simulator instructor for 10% override pay.
49 years old: Captain again. Move into 2-bedroom luxury apartment with central air conditioning
50 years old: Meet sexy Danish model on International trip. She loves you and says you are very "beeeeg!"
51 years old: Marry sexy Danish model for wife #3. Buy big house, boat, twin engine airplane and upgrade cars.
52 years old: Sexy model wants kids (not again). Resolve to get vasectomy.
54 years old: Try to talk wife out of kids, but presto, she's pregnant. She says she got sick after taking the pill. Accident, sorry, won't happen again.
55 years old: Father of triplets.
56 years old: Wife #3 wants very big house, bigger boat and very flashy cars, "worried" about your private flying and wants you to sell twin engine airplane. You give in. You buy a motorcycle and join motorcycle club.
57 years old: Make rash investments to try and have enough money for retirement.
59 years old: Lose money on rash investment and get audited by the IRS. You have to fly 100% International night trips just to keep up with child support and alimony to wife #1 and #2.
60 years old: Wife #3 (sexy model) says you're too damned old and no fun. She leaves. She takes most of your assets. You're forced to retire due to Age 60 rule. No money left.
61 years old: Now Captain on a non-schedule South American 727 freight outfit and living in a non-air conditioned studio apartment directly underneath the final approach to runway 9 at Miami Int'l. You have "interesting" Hispanic neighbors who ask you if you've ever flown DC-3's.
65 years old: Lose FAA medical and get job as sim instructor. Don't look forward to years of getting up at 2 AM for 3 AM sim in every God-forsaken town you train in due to the fact your carrier can find cheap, off-hours sim time at various Brand X Airlines.
70 years old: Hotel alarm clock set by previous FedEx crewmember goes off at 1:00 AM. Have heart attack and die with smile on face. Happy at last!
Ain't aviation great?
May The Wings Of Freedom Not Lose A Feather! (One Nation, Under God)
"Yee-Haa! I am retired, relaxed, and rejoicing" .....says Rooster!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Steve's Video Of The Day: Aviation & Alaska; A Living Legacy
I love Alaska, and I love airplanes. No wonder Alaska and Aviation are such a "perfect fit". See some excellent "scenery" as you listen to Coldplay perform their great hit "Clocks"! Enjoy!
VIDEO -
Aviation & Alaska; A Living LegacyWednesday, May 28, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #60" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the KAI T-50 "Golden Eagle"! Nice try with the F-16 guesses, as the cockpits are very similar! The Golden Eagle is built by Korean Aerospace Industries, with principal subcontractor Lockheed Martin. A "warehouse" of "sailboat fuel" up for grabs next week!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the KAI T-50 "Golden Eagle"! Nice try with the F-16 guesses, as the cockpits are very similar! The Golden Eagle is built by Korean Aerospace Industries, with principal subcontractor Lockheed Martin. A "warehouse" of "sailboat fuel" up for grabs next week!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Hauling Lumber To "Malaher Lake"........
Malaher Lake is a fine "body of water" on the Keeper River system that then flows into Moar Lake, and joins the Berens River system. Nestor Falls Fly-In Outposts operates an outpost on the lake, a fine building set up from a sand beach. Dave and Michelle Beaushene, Nestor Falls Fly-In operators, decided this Spring to add a screened-in porch to the building at "Malaher". The addition was supposed to be completed already, but the ice was two weeks late leaving the lake. "Well, better late than never." A couple of days ago KOA and SOR, two fine "Super Otters", hauled the building supplies into Malaher Lake. Check out KOA, the "bird" I was flying........
Yup, "Otter" season is upon us again!
NESTOR FALLS FLY-IN OUTPOSTS - Malaher Lake!
"Adios!"
Yup, "Otter" season is upon us again!
NESTOR FALLS FLY-IN OUTPOSTS - Malaher Lake!
"Adios!"
Sunday, May 25, 2008
"Heroes" Among Us......
Today is Memorial Day, for the good old U.S. of A., but I think the day "transcends" borders, North America, and her Allies. I have heard reference to a "lack of heroes" recently, but I think it depends where you "look". The Stanley Cup Playoffs have started, with Detroit and Pittsburgh playing Game 2 tonight. "Heroes?" Hardly! Exceptional athletes, yes, but not "heroes". Take the time to stop and remember, there must be a family member somewhere in the "lineage" that has given the "ultimate sacrifice". Now, there is a hero. By the way, don't forget to "hug a Vet", and tell them how proud you are of them, and how they are held in the "highest regard". If it wasn't for them, we would all be "under a jackboot" or "Red"........ Take a walk through Arlington, in Virginia, Flanders Field, in Belgium, or Beechwood, in Ottawa, or other similar "resting places", you will be in "fine company". Please, "remember".
MEMORIAL DAY
MEMORIAL DAY
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
As we are all aware, lately, there have been a number of people and companies searching for, and rescuing, Otters and Otter parts from all over the world, no matter what condition. As the numbers of the DHC-3s "dwindle", their "stock" goes up, and the Otter "turbinization" continues. Unfortunately, we know the location of some Otters, but alas, they will always be part of "bush flying lore", and will continue to "rest" where they are. Here is one such Otter.
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 138
Otter 138 was delivered to Wideroes Flyveselskap & Polarfly A/S of Norway on 27th July 1956 registered LN-BDD. It was the second Otter to be delivered to Wideroes, the first having been LNSUV (41) in June 1954. As with 'SUV, LN-BDD was flown across the Atlantic in wheel-plane configuration and then put on floats for operation in the fjords of northern Norway. The Otter passed through Prestwick Airport, Scotland on 3rd August 1956 on delivery, flown by pilots of Fleetway Inc, a ferry company. LN-BDD continued in service with Wideroes for fifteen years, until 1971, when along with the other two surviving Wideroe Otters it was sold to Laurentian Air Services Ltd. The Bill of Sale for all three aircraft is dated 19th October 1971. The three Otters (LN-BDD, LN-BIB and LN-LMM) were shipped to Laurentian's base at Ottawa, Ontario. On the date of sale, LN-BDD's total time was 11,900 hours. On arrival in Ottawa, all three Otters were given a major refurbish and repainted from the Wideroe green colour scheme into Laurentian's colours. On completion of the work, LN-BDD was reregistered CF-APP to Laurentian Air Services Ltd on 10th July 1972 and entered service with its new owners. It went on lease to Labrador Airways at Goose Bay from 30th January 1973 to 28th February '73, then returning to service with Laurentian, flying in northern Quebec. CF-APP suffered an accident and was lost on 5th May 1973 at Port Burwell, some eighty miles south of Resolution Island, Northwest Territories. After landing, the Otter was taxied off the ice strip so that a passenger could get a better photograph of an iceberg. Sadly, it then sank through the ice and became completely submerged. The occupants escaped, but the Otter sank to the bottom and was never salvaged.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Wouldn't it be something if this aircraft was "resurrected"? Time will tell, "never say never"..............
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 138
Otter 138 was delivered to Wideroes Flyveselskap & Polarfly A/S of Norway on 27th July 1956 registered LN-BDD. It was the second Otter to be delivered to Wideroes, the first having been LNSUV (41) in June 1954. As with 'SUV, LN-BDD was flown across the Atlantic in wheel-plane configuration and then put on floats for operation in the fjords of northern Norway. The Otter passed through Prestwick Airport, Scotland on 3rd August 1956 on delivery, flown by pilots of Fleetway Inc, a ferry company. LN-BDD continued in service with Wideroes for fifteen years, until 1971, when along with the other two surviving Wideroe Otters it was sold to Laurentian Air Services Ltd. The Bill of Sale for all three aircraft is dated 19th October 1971. The three Otters (LN-BDD, LN-BIB and LN-LMM) were shipped to Laurentian's base at Ottawa, Ontario. On the date of sale, LN-BDD's total time was 11,900 hours. On arrival in Ottawa, all three Otters were given a major refurbish and repainted from the Wideroe green colour scheme into Laurentian's colours. On completion of the work, LN-BDD was reregistered CF-APP to Laurentian Air Services Ltd on 10th July 1972 and entered service with its new owners. It went on lease to Labrador Airways at Goose Bay from 30th January 1973 to 28th February '73, then returning to service with Laurentian, flying in northern Quebec. CF-APP suffered an accident and was lost on 5th May 1973 at Port Burwell, some eighty miles south of Resolution Island, Northwest Territories. After landing, the Otter was taxied off the ice strip so that a passenger could get a better photograph of an iceberg. Sadly, it then sank through the ice and became completely submerged. The occupants escaped, but the Otter sank to the bottom and was never salvaged.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Wouldn't it be something if this aircraft was "resurrected"? Time will tell, "never say never"..............
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Steve's Video Of The Day: Boeing 777 "PTQ"!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
"Larus Beach".......
The late "breakup" of the ice on the inland lakes in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario's "Shield Country" this year has left basically all the tourist camp operators "behind the eight ball". If they haven't had to cancel their early guests due to ice on the lakes, then they have scrambled to have their camps ready. The camps Nestor Falls Fly-In Outposts owns are all now operating and experiencing guests, but it has been hectic getting the camps operational... ie.- cleaned, boats and motors set up, fuel hauled, and docks hooked up, firewood cut,... you get my point. Anyways, we are just about caught up, but I have had little time to Blog, as we have been having long days. This AM I took a group into Larus Beach, which is on Larus Lake, on the Bloodvein River system. This lake is loaded with "humongous" walleye, and the camp is situated in a beautiful spot on the lake, and is a highly sought after camp to fish at. It was about 2*C when I landed at Larus, but beautiful. Out came my new camera, a Kodak Z712 IS. I was "flogging" Super Otter KOA this morning....
"KOA!"
Your cabins await!
Aircraft, boats, and a..........
......."beach!"
Time to go! "Up, up....."
.... and "away!"
Till next time,
"Adios!"
NESTOR FALLS FLY-IN OUTPOSTS - "Larus Lake"!
"KOA!"
Your cabins await!
Aircraft, boats, and a..........
......."beach!"
Time to go! "Up, up....."
.... and "away!"
Till next time,
"Adios!"
NESTOR FALLS FLY-IN OUTPOSTS - "Larus Lake"!
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #59" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
- photo by Markus Vollmer
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Dassault “Mirage III", which I figured someone would guess! More “sailboat fuel” added for next week!
"Adios!"
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
- photo by Markus Vollmer
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Dassault “Mirage III", which I figured someone would guess! More “sailboat fuel” added for next week!
"Adios!"
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Today, I formally met a "fine female". I had laid eyes on her before from afar, but today I got to "hold" her. Our meeting was at Selkirk, Manitoba. My "caress" stirred something inside her, and she "purred" like a kitten. I was so "enamoured" by her, I brought her to Nestor Falls with me, as we will be providing employment for "her" for two weeks. "Oh", did I mention? She is also a "proud" Vietnam Veteran, having served her country well, and the 18th Aviation Company. "Salute!"
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 130
Otter 130 was delivered to the United States Army on 20th June 1956 with serial 55-3281 (tail number 53281) and was assigned to the 2nd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas which later deployed to Germany, then France (as described in relation to Otter 124). By January 1962 the Otter was in the depot at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany as a maintenance float and in May '62 was allocated to SETAF in Italy, where it served until September 1963. Details of its subsequent military career are unfortunately missing until it arrived at the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, California in July 1968 for overhaul. It was transported from there to Vietnam where it was received in March 1970 by the 388th Transportation Company at Vung Tau.
The Otter was allocated in August 1970 to the 18th Aviation Company and based at Qui Nhon, but its service with the unit was relatively brief, as it stood down in January 1971. The Otter was then placed with the 79th Transportation Company at Qui Nhon and was shipped back to the United States, arriving at the Army's Red River Depot in Texas in May 1971, where it was put into storage. It was deleted from the inventory in May 1972 and put up for disposal as “salvage”, apparently not being in the best of shape after its time in Vietnam.
The Otter was sold on 15th February 1973 to J.W.Duff Aircraft Company of Denver, Colorado for $31,800. Duff Aircraft, based at Denver's Stapleton Airport, were a company which specialised in dealing in military surplus aircraft and spare parts. Very rapidly they sold on the Otter on 27th February '73 to Seneca Aviation Inc of Mena, Arkansas who proceeded to return the aircraft to flying condition. It was registered to Seneca Aviation Inc on 1st March 1973 as N88753 and performed a test flight at Mena on 12th April 1973 after rebuild and conversion to civilian configuration. The Certificate of Airworthiness was issued to Seneca Aviation Inc on 21st May 1973, at which stage the Otter had a total time of 3,553 hours on the airframe.
The Otter was put up for sale and the American registration cancelled on 26th October '73 on the sale of the aircraft to Lauzon Aviation Company Ltd of Algoma Mills, Ontario, to whom it was registered as CF-KOA. After five years service with this Ontario bush operator, KOA arrived in Calgary, Alberta on 4th March 1979. The 'Lauzon Aviation' titles were removed that week and the aircraft prepared for its next operator, which was Parsons Airways Northern Ltd of Flin Flon, Manitoba. It served with them for eleven years, until sold to Sioux Narrows Airways Ltd, to whom it was registered on 28th February 1990. The Otter was converted by its new owners with the Polish PZL 1000 engine and joined another PZL-powered Otter C-GSMG (363) which also flew for Sioux Narrows Airways.
This operator was owned by Warren Plummer and used to service the sports fishing lodges he had established on Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake and on the Arctic Coast in the Northwest Territories. The fishing season runs from May to September each year, guests typically arriving by chartered Boeing 737. Then the Plummers Lodge's fleet took over for transport within the Northwest Territories. Their long-serving DC-3 C-FQHY connected the Great Slave, Great Bear, Trophy and Tree River camps and tied in to Yellowknife, carrying not only the passengers but fuel and supplies as well. The two Otters were used to take guests, eight at a time, from the lodges on special fly-outs to choice fishing spots. A Beaver and a Cessna 206 catered to smaller groups. At season's end the fleet flew south to Selkirk, Manitoba for winter maintenance and storage.
Two incidents were recorded during June 2001. On 18th June C-FKOA was in the cruise thirty miles north of Thompson, Manitoba when the pilot noticed the carburettor temperature indicator was above the normal range. He elected to return to Thompson and landed without incident. Maintenance found a cracked weld in the exhaust system near the engine air intake. This was repaired and returned to service. A few days later, on 27th June, forty eight miles west of Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories during the float take-off on a small lake, the engine failed. The pilot was able to land on the lake without damage to his Otter and relay his situation to Fort Smith through a passing airliner. Again the Otter was repaired and resumed service.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 130
January 1st, 2008. C-FKOA. Sioux Narrows Airways/Plummers Lodge, Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories. Texas Turbine.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, she is quite the machine, with her 900 HP turbine and 8100 floats! Tomorrow she "goes to work!" Stay tuned!
- photo by Anthony J. Hickey
- photo by John Kimberley
- photo by Steve Taylor, May 18, 2008
- photo by Dave Beaushene, May 18, 2008
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 130
Otter 130 was delivered to the United States Army on 20th June 1956 with serial 55-3281 (tail number 53281) and was assigned to the 2nd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas which later deployed to Germany, then France (as described in relation to Otter 124). By January 1962 the Otter was in the depot at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany as a maintenance float and in May '62 was allocated to SETAF in Italy, where it served until September 1963. Details of its subsequent military career are unfortunately missing until it arrived at the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, California in July 1968 for overhaul. It was transported from there to Vietnam where it was received in March 1970 by the 388th Transportation Company at Vung Tau.
The Otter was allocated in August 1970 to the 18th Aviation Company and based at Qui Nhon, but its service with the unit was relatively brief, as it stood down in January 1971. The Otter was then placed with the 79th Transportation Company at Qui Nhon and was shipped back to the United States, arriving at the Army's Red River Depot in Texas in May 1971, where it was put into storage. It was deleted from the inventory in May 1972 and put up for disposal as “salvage”, apparently not being in the best of shape after its time in Vietnam.
The Otter was sold on 15th February 1973 to J.W.Duff Aircraft Company of Denver, Colorado for $31,800. Duff Aircraft, based at Denver's Stapleton Airport, were a company which specialised in dealing in military surplus aircraft and spare parts. Very rapidly they sold on the Otter on 27th February '73 to Seneca Aviation Inc of Mena, Arkansas who proceeded to return the aircraft to flying condition. It was registered to Seneca Aviation Inc on 1st March 1973 as N88753 and performed a test flight at Mena on 12th April 1973 after rebuild and conversion to civilian configuration. The Certificate of Airworthiness was issued to Seneca Aviation Inc on 21st May 1973, at which stage the Otter had a total time of 3,553 hours on the airframe.
The Otter was put up for sale and the American registration cancelled on 26th October '73 on the sale of the aircraft to Lauzon Aviation Company Ltd of Algoma Mills, Ontario, to whom it was registered as CF-KOA. After five years service with this Ontario bush operator, KOA arrived in Calgary, Alberta on 4th March 1979. The 'Lauzon Aviation' titles were removed that week and the aircraft prepared for its next operator, which was Parsons Airways Northern Ltd of Flin Flon, Manitoba. It served with them for eleven years, until sold to Sioux Narrows Airways Ltd, to whom it was registered on 28th February 1990. The Otter was converted by its new owners with the Polish PZL 1000 engine and joined another PZL-powered Otter C-GSMG (363) which also flew for Sioux Narrows Airways.
This operator was owned by Warren Plummer and used to service the sports fishing lodges he had established on Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake and on the Arctic Coast in the Northwest Territories. The fishing season runs from May to September each year, guests typically arriving by chartered Boeing 737. Then the Plummers Lodge's fleet took over for transport within the Northwest Territories. Their long-serving DC-3 C-FQHY connected the Great Slave, Great Bear, Trophy and Tree River camps and tied in to Yellowknife, carrying not only the passengers but fuel and supplies as well. The two Otters were used to take guests, eight at a time, from the lodges on special fly-outs to choice fishing spots. A Beaver and a Cessna 206 catered to smaller groups. At season's end the fleet flew south to Selkirk, Manitoba for winter maintenance and storage.
Two incidents were recorded during June 2001. On 18th June C-FKOA was in the cruise thirty miles north of Thompson, Manitoba when the pilot noticed the carburettor temperature indicator was above the normal range. He elected to return to Thompson and landed without incident. Maintenance found a cracked weld in the exhaust system near the engine air intake. This was repaired and returned to service. A few days later, on 27th June, forty eight miles west of Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories during the float take-off on a small lake, the engine failed. The pilot was able to land on the lake without damage to his Otter and relay his situation to Fort Smith through a passing airliner. Again the Otter was repaired and resumed service.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 130
January 1st, 2008. C-FKOA. Sioux Narrows Airways/Plummers Lodge, Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories. Texas Turbine.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, she is quite the machine, with her 900 HP turbine and 8100 floats! Tomorrow she "goes to work!" Stay tuned!
- photo by Anthony J. Hickey
- photo by John Kimberley
- photo by Steve Taylor, May 18, 2008
- photo by Dave Beaushene, May 18, 2008
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #58" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the "Super Otter", 1957 DHC-3, S/N 239, C-FSOR, with a Garrett 900 HP turbine engine! Every morning I "strap" this "piece of iron" on, and head to a "gunfight"! Good old (young!) Duncan Danard, grandson of Geiri Johnson, famous aviator, author, and Northway Aviation "builder", wins the "sailboat fuel"!
"Adios!"
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the "Super Otter", 1957 DHC-3, S/N 239, C-FSOR, with a Garrett 900 HP turbine engine! Every morning I "strap" this "piece of iron" on, and head to a "gunfight"! Good old (young!) Duncan Danard, grandson of Geiri Johnson, famous aviator, author, and Northway Aviation "builder", wins the "sailboat fuel"!
"Adios!"
Monday, May 12, 2008
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
***INTERNET "FINALLY" UP AND RUNNING!*** "Yee-haa!" I am "wired" again, folks! (To the "Net", that is. No "liquid intellect" yet!) Anyways, here is an Otter I saw today, and have only met recently. She was once owned by Art Gaffray from Silver Falls, Manitoba, father of my good buddies Steve and Ed Gaffray. She was waking up the neighbours today.........
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 276
Otter 276 was delivered to the United States Army on 17th July 1958 with serial 57-6131 (tail number 76131). It was allocated to the 12th Aviation Company, Fort Sill, Oklahoma and in August 1961 it flew north to Alaska when the Company was re-assigned there to join the Yukon Command. The Company was based at Fort Wainright, Fairbanks but maintained a platoon at Fort Richardson, Anchorage and 76131 alternated between the two bases while it flew for the 12th Aviation Company throughout the 1960s.
In June 1971 the Otter was re-assigned to the Alaska National Guard, based at Bethel, and served there until October '71 when its military career came to an end. It was ferried south to Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona where it was put into storage in the Sonora Desert 'boneyard', one of five US Army Otters to be stored there. It had flown south alongside Otter 81685 (291), also retired from the National Guard at Bethel at the same time and also put into storage in the 'boneyard'. Inventory code of 81685 was UA002 and for 76131 it was UA003.
None of these five US Army Otters remained in storage for long. The following year, 76131 was allocated to the University of Wisconsin, registered N1UW in September 1972and based at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It remained in use with the university until sold in 1979 to Art Gaffray of Silver Falls, Manitoba. He arranged for it to be flown to his base at Silver falls, where it was overhauled and registered C-GYYS. He then sold it on in May 1979 to Northwestern Flying Services Ltd based at Nestor Falls, Ontario. In December 1987 there was a change of title to Northwest Flying Inc. It flies alongside the company's Beaver C-GEBL and Beech 18 C-FNKL, operating during the summer months, flying fishermen and tourists.
The Otter was badly damaged in an accident while landing at Sabaskong Bay at Nestor Falls, Ontario on 3rd June 1998. As the accident report states: “The pilot did not see the hydro power lines that were strung between the mainland and a group of islands. The pilot knew the power lines were there, and had flown in and out of the same bay many times. He believed that he had flown past the wires, which did not have any markers. The Otter hit the power lines, which folded the aircraft's right wing back against the fuselage and tore off the rudder. The Otter struck the water upright and the pilot taxied the aircraft to the shore”. YYS was trucked to Recon Air at Geraldton, Ontario for repair, after which it re-entered service with Northwest Flying Inc.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 276
January 1st, 2008. C-GYYS. Northwest Flying Inc, Nestor Falls, Ontario. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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Pretty amazing to land upright after the "power line episode". The aircraft "occupants" all should have bought Lotto tickets after they "disembarked".....
- photo by Peter Kirkup
- photo by Rich Hulina
- photo by Steve Taylor
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 276
Otter 276 was delivered to the United States Army on 17th July 1958 with serial 57-6131 (tail number 76131). It was allocated to the 12th Aviation Company, Fort Sill, Oklahoma and in August 1961 it flew north to Alaska when the Company was re-assigned there to join the Yukon Command. The Company was based at Fort Wainright, Fairbanks but maintained a platoon at Fort Richardson, Anchorage and 76131 alternated between the two bases while it flew for the 12th Aviation Company throughout the 1960s.
In June 1971 the Otter was re-assigned to the Alaska National Guard, based at Bethel, and served there until October '71 when its military career came to an end. It was ferried south to Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona where it was put into storage in the Sonora Desert 'boneyard', one of five US Army Otters to be stored there. It had flown south alongside Otter 81685 (291), also retired from the National Guard at Bethel at the same time and also put into storage in the 'boneyard'. Inventory code of 81685 was UA002 and for 76131 it was UA003.
None of these five US Army Otters remained in storage for long. The following year, 76131 was allocated to the University of Wisconsin, registered N1UW in September 1972and based at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It remained in use with the university until sold in 1979 to Art Gaffray of Silver Falls, Manitoba. He arranged for it to be flown to his base at Silver falls, where it was overhauled and registered C-GYYS. He then sold it on in May 1979 to Northwestern Flying Services Ltd based at Nestor Falls, Ontario. In December 1987 there was a change of title to Northwest Flying Inc. It flies alongside the company's Beaver C-GEBL and Beech 18 C-FNKL, operating during the summer months, flying fishermen and tourists.
The Otter was badly damaged in an accident while landing at Sabaskong Bay at Nestor Falls, Ontario on 3rd June 1998. As the accident report states: “The pilot did not see the hydro power lines that were strung between the mainland and a group of islands. The pilot knew the power lines were there, and had flown in and out of the same bay many times. He believed that he had flown past the wires, which did not have any markers. The Otter hit the power lines, which folded the aircraft's right wing back against the fuselage and tore off the rudder. The Otter struck the water upright and the pilot taxied the aircraft to the shore”. YYS was trucked to Recon Air at Geraldton, Ontario for repair, after which it re-entered service with Northwest Flying Inc.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 276
January 1st, 2008. C-GYYS. Northwest Flying Inc, Nestor Falls, Ontario. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretty amazing to land upright after the "power line episode". The aircraft "occupants" all should have bought Lotto tickets after they "disembarked".....
- photo by Peter Kirkup
- photo by Rich Hulina
- photo by Steve Taylor
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Sunday, May 04, 2008
"Nestor Falls"........
I will be flying this Float season for Nestor Falls Fly-In Outposts from Nestor Falls, Ontario. I do not have an "Internet connection" yet at my ``digs``, so regular "Posts" will resume in the near future. Anyways, some quick pics......... Check out the "locals" that welcomed me to my "cabin by the lake".
`
Then we went to Minaki to check out my new "horse", Garrett Otter "SOR".........
......and her "sister ship", River Air's Garrett Otter "YKO".......
Fine "pieces of iron", I hope to have Internet soon,......
Last word to SOR, ....."Stay Tuned"!
`
Then we went to Minaki to check out my new "horse", Garrett Otter "SOR".........
......and her "sister ship", River Air's Garrett Otter "YKO".......
Fine "pieces of iron", I hope to have Internet soon,......
Last word to SOR, ....."Stay Tuned"!
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
As with interesting and "history-impacting" people, sometimes too little is known or written. The same for the Otter. Here is another aircraft that returned to the "elements" taking the majority of her "story" with her........
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 319
Otter 319 was delivered to the United States Army on 16th March 1959 with serial 58-1705 (tail number 81705). It was assigned to the 18th Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas, the first Otter delivered to the Company. It flew with the rest of the Company's Otters during December 1961 from Fort Riley to Oakland, California and sailed on board the 'USNS Core' from San Francisco on 18th January 1962 en route to Vietnam. As at December 1963, 81705 was still in service with the 18th Aviation Company, coded T, based at Can Tho in support of IV Corps. The Otter was destroyed in an accident in December 1964, still serving with the 18th Aviation Company, and was deleted from the Army inventory in July 1965.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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A "belated salute" to this "proud Veteran" and "her men".........
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 319
Otter 319 was delivered to the United States Army on 16th March 1959 with serial 58-1705 (tail number 81705). It was assigned to the 18th Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas, the first Otter delivered to the Company. It flew with the rest of the Company's Otters during December 1961 from Fort Riley to Oakland, California and sailed on board the 'USNS Core' from San Francisco on 18th January 1962 en route to Vietnam. As at December 1963, 81705 was still in service with the 18th Aviation Company, coded T, based at Can Tho in support of IV Corps. The Otter was destroyed in an accident in December 1964, still serving with the 18th Aviation Company, and was deleted from the Army inventory in July 1965.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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A "belated salute" to this "proud Veteran" and "her men".........
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
