Wednesday, July 30, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #69" 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 Grumman G44 "Widgeon"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Grumman G44 "Widgeon"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
“Continued VFR into adverse weather”. The "final blame" rests with "pilot error". As far as I am concerned? "Nope"! No such thing. "Human error", maybe. It is very "clinical and final" to always say "pilot error". I wish these people that make these "final" addressments of the situation could just once experience changing weather that builds below, in front of, in back of, and above you as you "auger" through "barren, hilly, unforgiving terrain", with little weather information to help your decision-making. They will never experience that, as they sit in their "air-conditioned" offices.........
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 372
Otter 372 was delivered to Eastern Provincial Airways Ltd, (EPA), Gander, Newfoundland on 5th July 1960, registered CF-MIT. It was initially allocated to EPA's air ambulance service, based at St.Anthony, where there is a hospital. It was painted in EPA's all red colour scheme with white cheatline, and carried “Newfoundland Government Department of Health” titles on the tail. It replaced a Beaver CF-JAT, which had provided the ambulance service up to then, but which was moved to Northwest River to operate from there for the Department of Health. Marsh Jones, in his book on EPA “The Little Airline that Could”, describes MIT's delivery: “Another new Otter was bought and my family accompanied me on the delivery flight from Toronto on 6th July 1960. MIT was destined to become the International Grenfell Association flagship, based in St.Anthony. Our routing was down the north shore of the St.Lawrence with stops at Lac-a-la-Tortue and overnight at Sept Iles, then nonstop the following day to Gander. Flying time was eleven hours and five minutes”.
EPA's air ambulance service was an essential facet of the company's diversified operation, flying under contract with the provincial Department of Health, and in conjunction with the International Grenfell Association. The Otter was used to transport patients to hospital and in some instances medical personnel were flown to outlying settlements for emergency service. As with all the EPA aircraft, MIT was registered to Eastern Provincial Airways (1963) Ltd in September 1963. It continued flying as an air ambulance until 1967, when that particular contract was taken over by a Turbo Beaver, and MIT then joined the general EPA Otter fleet, flying as a passenger/freighter aircraft.
On 22nd May 1970, CF-MIT had a “controlled collision with the ground” due to a fatigue fracture of the engine structure, 115 miles south east of Goose Bay, Labrador. The Otter was on wheel-skis at the time and was substantially damaged. It was taken to Field Aviation for repair. During 1970, EPA's bush division was sold to Labrador Airways Ltd, but MIT was not part of that sale. After repair, it was sold to Austin Airways Ltd of Timmins, Ontario and continued to fly for Austin Airways until destroyed at Abitibi Canyon, Fraserdale, Ontario on 4th September 1976, a crash which resulted in the deaths of the pilot and nine passengers.
The Otter was one of two floatplanes chartered for the Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning for Ontario, to transport 13 people on a fact-finding tour of northern Ontario. The tour was to last four days, commencing on 30th August and terminating on 2nd September at Timmins. Delays in completing meetings extended the tour time by one day. On 3rd September the Otter departed Winisk on a direct VFR flight to Timmins/South Porcupine, with an estimated time of arrival of 2300 hours. The other aircraft remained behind to allow four passengers to go fishing. Deteriorating en route weather compelled the pilot to divert to Moosonee, where he landed at 2240. The passengers were advised that space was available aboard a company DC-3 which was proceeding northward to Attawapiskat before returning to Timmins. They declined this alternate transportation and overnighted at Moosonee.
On Saturday 4th September '76 at approximately 1200 hours, the pilot while preparing Otter MIT for flight, called the local company radio operator to request weather information for his VFR flight to Timmins. The operator transmitted the 1123 terminal forecast for Timmins, the 1000 observation for Moosonee and the 1118 special observation for Timmins. The terminal reports for Moosonee and Timmins were much better than forecast and acceptable for VFR flight. At about 1210 the radio operator at Moosonee received a special weather observation for Timmins which indicated deteriorating weather but did not pass this vital information to the pilot at that time. The Otter departed at 1230 and shortly after take off the pilot advised the company operator at Moosonee that his estimated time of arrival at the South Porcupine seaplane base was 1430. A few minutes later the radio operator attempted several times to contact the aircraft, to pass the new weather information, but without success. No other radio transmission was heard from the Otter.
Because the flight was operating under VFR rules and because some of his passengers had limited time to make airline connections at Timmins, the pilot elected for the direct route, a distance of 165 nautical miles between the Moosonee and Timmins NDBs. To follow this route, the pilot would have used his ADF radio equipment and/or map reading techniques. Considering the cloud ceilings were at about one thousand feet and some terrain in the area rises to 950 feet, the deteriorating conditions would have induced the pilot to divert from the planned track. Since the accident site was 28 miles west of the direct track, it is probable that he diverted westward toward lower terrain to go around poor weather. Arriving at the Abitibi River, he followed the river southward to the accident site near the Abitibi Canyon Dam. The valley narrows and the terrain rises at this site of the power dam.
It is believed that the pilot found the visibility decreasing rapidly in dense upslope fog in this vicinity. At 1337 hours the aircraft struck the high tension electrical cables near the generating station and crashed to the ground. After impact a fire developed and consumed the aircraft, which had 11,573 hours on the airframe at the time. From the geometry of the wirestrike, it is probably that the pilot saw the wires and commenced a climbing turn to try and get over them, but had insufficient time to avoid the collision. The brief epitaph of this Otter, and many before and after, reads “continued VFR into adverse weather”.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"At about 1210 the radio operator at Moosonee received a special weather observation for Timmins which indicated deteriorating weather but did not pass this vital information to the pilot"..... "Ai-yi-yi......."
"Gone, but not forgotten", the Otter and her more important "precious cargo".....
CF-MIT of Eastern Provincial Airways at Downsview prior to delivery (DHC)
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 372
Otter 372 was delivered to Eastern Provincial Airways Ltd, (EPA), Gander, Newfoundland on 5th July 1960, registered CF-MIT. It was initially allocated to EPA's air ambulance service, based at St.Anthony, where there is a hospital. It was painted in EPA's all red colour scheme with white cheatline, and carried “Newfoundland Government Department of Health” titles on the tail. It replaced a Beaver CF-JAT, which had provided the ambulance service up to then, but which was moved to Northwest River to operate from there for the Department of Health. Marsh Jones, in his book on EPA “The Little Airline that Could”, describes MIT's delivery: “Another new Otter was bought and my family accompanied me on the delivery flight from Toronto on 6th July 1960. MIT was destined to become the International Grenfell Association flagship, based in St.Anthony. Our routing was down the north shore of the St.Lawrence with stops at Lac-a-la-Tortue and overnight at Sept Iles, then nonstop the following day to Gander. Flying time was eleven hours and five minutes”.
EPA's air ambulance service was an essential facet of the company's diversified operation, flying under contract with the provincial Department of Health, and in conjunction with the International Grenfell Association. The Otter was used to transport patients to hospital and in some instances medical personnel were flown to outlying settlements for emergency service. As with all the EPA aircraft, MIT was registered to Eastern Provincial Airways (1963) Ltd in September 1963. It continued flying as an air ambulance until 1967, when that particular contract was taken over by a Turbo Beaver, and MIT then joined the general EPA Otter fleet, flying as a passenger/freighter aircraft.
On 22nd May 1970, CF-MIT had a “controlled collision with the ground” due to a fatigue fracture of the engine structure, 115 miles south east of Goose Bay, Labrador. The Otter was on wheel-skis at the time and was substantially damaged. It was taken to Field Aviation for repair. During 1970, EPA's bush division was sold to Labrador Airways Ltd, but MIT was not part of that sale. After repair, it was sold to Austin Airways Ltd of Timmins, Ontario and continued to fly for Austin Airways until destroyed at Abitibi Canyon, Fraserdale, Ontario on 4th September 1976, a crash which resulted in the deaths of the pilot and nine passengers.
The Otter was one of two floatplanes chartered for the Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning for Ontario, to transport 13 people on a fact-finding tour of northern Ontario. The tour was to last four days, commencing on 30th August and terminating on 2nd September at Timmins. Delays in completing meetings extended the tour time by one day. On 3rd September the Otter departed Winisk on a direct VFR flight to Timmins/South Porcupine, with an estimated time of arrival of 2300 hours. The other aircraft remained behind to allow four passengers to go fishing. Deteriorating en route weather compelled the pilot to divert to Moosonee, where he landed at 2240. The passengers were advised that space was available aboard a company DC-3 which was proceeding northward to Attawapiskat before returning to Timmins. They declined this alternate transportation and overnighted at Moosonee.
On Saturday 4th September '76 at approximately 1200 hours, the pilot while preparing Otter MIT for flight, called the local company radio operator to request weather information for his VFR flight to Timmins. The operator transmitted the 1123 terminal forecast for Timmins, the 1000 observation for Moosonee and the 1118 special observation for Timmins. The terminal reports for Moosonee and Timmins were much better than forecast and acceptable for VFR flight. At about 1210 the radio operator at Moosonee received a special weather observation for Timmins which indicated deteriorating weather but did not pass this vital information to the pilot at that time. The Otter departed at 1230 and shortly after take off the pilot advised the company operator at Moosonee that his estimated time of arrival at the South Porcupine seaplane base was 1430. A few minutes later the radio operator attempted several times to contact the aircraft, to pass the new weather information, but without success. No other radio transmission was heard from the Otter.
Because the flight was operating under VFR rules and because some of his passengers had limited time to make airline connections at Timmins, the pilot elected for the direct route, a distance of 165 nautical miles between the Moosonee and Timmins NDBs. To follow this route, the pilot would have used his ADF radio equipment and/or map reading techniques. Considering the cloud ceilings were at about one thousand feet and some terrain in the area rises to 950 feet, the deteriorating conditions would have induced the pilot to divert from the planned track. Since the accident site was 28 miles west of the direct track, it is probable that he diverted westward toward lower terrain to go around poor weather. Arriving at the Abitibi River, he followed the river southward to the accident site near the Abitibi Canyon Dam. The valley narrows and the terrain rises at this site of the power dam.
It is believed that the pilot found the visibility decreasing rapidly in dense upslope fog in this vicinity. At 1337 hours the aircraft struck the high tension electrical cables near the generating station and crashed to the ground. After impact a fire developed and consumed the aircraft, which had 11,573 hours on the airframe at the time. From the geometry of the wirestrike, it is probably that the pilot saw the wires and commenced a climbing turn to try and get over them, but had insufficient time to avoid the collision. The brief epitaph of this Otter, and many before and after, reads “continued VFR into adverse weather”.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"At about 1210 the radio operator at Moosonee received a special weather observation for Timmins which indicated deteriorating weather but did not pass this vital information to the pilot"..... "Ai-yi-yi......."
"Gone, but not forgotten", the Otter and her more important "precious cargo".....
CF-MIT of Eastern Provincial Airways at Downsview prior to delivery (DHC)
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #68" 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 Hafner "Rotabuggy", a flying "Willys Jeep"! I want one! Good guess, SoftJug, certainly does look like one of "Igor's" early machines!
"Adios"!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Hafner "Rotabuggy", a flying "Willys Jeep"! I want one! Good guess, SoftJug, certainly does look like one of "Igor's" early machines!
"Adios"!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Here is a "storied" Otter, just check her history. She is an Otter that flew for a company that became a major Canadian airline, Pacific Western. Remember, Otters also flew for another famous major airline, Qantas, as detailed HERE, and also HERE. Unfortunately, later in her "northern trekking" life, this Otter prematurely passed in "her sleep". Read her story as she "augered" through the skies and over the geography immortalized in Stompin' Tom Connors' classic "The Marten Hartwell Story".
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 129
Otter 129 was delivered on 6th June 1956 to V.C.Simmonds of Edmonton, Alberta registered CFJAO. Referring back to Otter number 80, it had been ordered by Associated Airways Ltd of Edmonton but just as it was delivered as CF-IKK in January 1956, Associated Airways Ltd was taken over by Pacific Western Airlines. IKK flew for a time in the colours of Associated Airways and later as part of the Pacific Western fleet. V.C. Simmonds had been the Operations Manager of Associated Airways and it was not long before Otter CF-JAO was transferred to Western Aero Renters Ltd and then leased to Pacific Western Airlines (Alberta) Ltd, the same company to which CF-IKK was registered. JAO flew as part of the Pacific Western fleet. As with IKK, the files of the Western Area SAR Co-Ordinator provide interesting data on the comings and goings of JAO during 1957 and '58 in the remote reaches of the Northwest Territories.
It was particularly active flying between Coppermine, Bathurst Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Contwoyto Lake and Yellowknife during the latter part of 1957, servicing mining and exploration camps. Routings during 1958 included Yellowknife-Hotta Lake-Port Radium (25th January); Norman Wells-Good Hope-Aklavik (25th April); Norman Wells-East Three-Hay River-Fort Providence-Hay River (17th to 20th May) and Coppermine-Fort Radium-Sawmill Bay-Yellowknife (14th September 1958). CF-JAO took part in a few SAR operations while flying for PWA. During August 1961 it participated in the search for Cessna 180 CF-ICR, missing on a flight from Yellowknife to Coppermine. It flew two hours on the search, covering 400 square miles. Also involved in this operation (code name “SAR Herriman”) were RCAF Otters 3694 and 3743 of 111 C&R Flight. CFJAO was also involved in August 1962 in the search for a missing boat in the vicinity of Tuk Tuk. Also involved in this search were RCAF Otter 3743 and RCMP Otter CF-MPW.
JAO continued to fly for PWA until 1965 when it joined the fleet of Northward Aviation Ltd, a company created by the amalgamation of the charter divisions of Pacific Western Airlines, Bow Valley Industries and Northward Air Services. Northward Aviation went on to become one of the biggest bush operators in Canada, based at Edmonton but with aircraft operating all over the Canadian North. Unfortunately JAO's service with Northward Aviation was not all that long, as it was
completely destroyed in a hangar fire at Edmonton on 26th February 1967. Also destroyed in the same fire was Beechcraft C-45 Expediter CF-MPA of the RCMP.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretty amazing. Surviving the skies, terrain, and weather of northern Canada, just to die in a "housefire". Tragic............
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 129
Otter 129 was delivered on 6th June 1956 to V.C.Simmonds of Edmonton, Alberta registered CFJAO. Referring back to Otter number 80, it had been ordered by Associated Airways Ltd of Edmonton but just as it was delivered as CF-IKK in January 1956, Associated Airways Ltd was taken over by Pacific Western Airlines. IKK flew for a time in the colours of Associated Airways and later as part of the Pacific Western fleet. V.C. Simmonds had been the Operations Manager of Associated Airways and it was not long before Otter CF-JAO was transferred to Western Aero Renters Ltd and then leased to Pacific Western Airlines (Alberta) Ltd, the same company to which CF-IKK was registered. JAO flew as part of the Pacific Western fleet. As with IKK, the files of the Western Area SAR Co-Ordinator provide interesting data on the comings and goings of JAO during 1957 and '58 in the remote reaches of the Northwest Territories.
It was particularly active flying between Coppermine, Bathurst Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Contwoyto Lake and Yellowknife during the latter part of 1957, servicing mining and exploration camps. Routings during 1958 included Yellowknife-Hotta Lake-Port Radium (25th January); Norman Wells-Good Hope-Aklavik (25th April); Norman Wells-East Three-Hay River-Fort Providence-Hay River (17th to 20th May) and Coppermine-Fort Radium-Sawmill Bay-Yellowknife (14th September 1958). CF-JAO took part in a few SAR operations while flying for PWA. During August 1961 it participated in the search for Cessna 180 CF-ICR, missing on a flight from Yellowknife to Coppermine. It flew two hours on the search, covering 400 square miles. Also involved in this operation (code name “SAR Herriman”) were RCAF Otters 3694 and 3743 of 111 C&R Flight. CFJAO was also involved in August 1962 in the search for a missing boat in the vicinity of Tuk Tuk. Also involved in this search were RCAF Otter 3743 and RCMP Otter CF-MPW.
JAO continued to fly for PWA until 1965 when it joined the fleet of Northward Aviation Ltd, a company created by the amalgamation of the charter divisions of Pacific Western Airlines, Bow Valley Industries and Northward Air Services. Northward Aviation went on to become one of the biggest bush operators in Canada, based at Edmonton but with aircraft operating all over the Canadian North. Unfortunately JAO's service with Northward Aviation was not all that long, as it was
completely destroyed in a hangar fire at Edmonton on 26th February 1967. Also destroyed in the same fire was Beechcraft C-45 Expediter CF-MPA of the RCMP.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretty amazing. Surviving the skies, terrain, and weather of northern Canada, just to die in a "housefire". Tragic............
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Friday, July 18, 2008
"JACKFISH!" (...also known as Northern Pike....)
This "season" has been a "whirlwind" of busy days and "bad weather". My "blogging" has been at a minimum lately, although I do have good material to share once I have time. I started thinking the other day.... "I haven't even mentioned anything about how fishing has been this year." Well, fishing in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario never needs a "snake oil salesman standing on a soap box" to "sing it's praises", the fishing "speaks for itself". It has been fantastic! Record numbers caught, and lots of big ones. Guess what? Into my Inbox popped an e-mail with a picture from friend Lloyd Giesbrecht who had been fishing at Sasaginnigak Lake recently, in Central Manitoba. Here it is......
------------------------------------
Saturday, July 12, 2008 7:54 PM
From: "Lloyd Giesbrecht"
To: "Steve Taylor"
I just had to send you this one.
Lloyd.
---------------------------------
Nice fish, Lloyd! Thanks for the pic, enjoy the rest of the summer! Check out Lloyd's Blog for more fishing and Sasaginnigak Lake pictures!
LLOYD'S BLOG - WELCOME TO LEAK-OFF LAND!
------------------------------------
Saturday, July 12, 2008 7:54 PM
From: "Lloyd Giesbrecht"
To: "Steve Taylor"
I just had to send you this one.
Lloyd.
---------------------------------
Nice fish, Lloyd! Thanks for the pic, enjoy the rest of the summer! Check out Lloyd's Blog for more fishing and Sasaginnigak Lake pictures!
LLOYD'S BLOG - WELCOME TO LEAK-OFF LAND!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #67" 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 Douglas "DC-2"! The "sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
"Adios"! What a "bird"!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Douglas "DC-2"! The "sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
"Adios"! What a "bird"!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
I chuckle to myself as I read about this Otter. Operating in the "Middle East", where temps regularly hit "triple digits Fahrenheit"! We all know how Pratt and Whitney R-1340 engines like "the heat"! Anyways, she served with the United Nations, did "her part", and returned to Canada "honourably". Find out the rest of "her-story".....
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 437
Otter 437 was delivered to the United Nations Organisation (UN) on 15th February 1963 with serial 308. It was one of four delivered to the UN at that time, the other three being 433 (UN serial 305), 434 (UN serial 306) and 436 (UN serial 307). All four were packed into crates at Downsview and shipped to the Congo, where they arrived at Leopoldville in June 1963. Three of the Otters (306, 307 and 308) were unpacked on arrival and transported by USAF Hercules to Aden in the Yemen where there was a requirement for Otters with the UN Observation Mission in the Yemen. In Aden, the three Otters were re-assembled and entered service with 134 Air Transport Unit (ATU), an RCAF unit which operated the Otters on behalf of the UN.
134 ATU also operated some Caribou aircraft, and had bases at Sanaa, Quizan and Najran. Otters 306 and 308 were based at Najran. This operation continued until December 1963, when 134 ATU was disbanded, and it was arranged to ferry the Otters to El Arish in Egypt where they would be put into storage with 115 ATU pending disposal. 115 ATU was another RCAF unit supporting a UN mission as part of the Arab-Israel cease fire. Both 306 and 308 encountered some difficulty on the ferry flight from Najran to El Arish, as the following extract from the 115 ATU history explains, referring to the 17th January 1964: “UN Otter 308 force landed in the desert fifty five miles from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia with a blown cylinder. The aircraft was towed to Jeddah. A crew was sent from El Arish on 4th February and changed the engine. The Otter was flown to El Arish on 29th February '64. Also on 17th January, UN Otter 306 landed at Jeddah out of oil. Contamination was found in the oil filter. A crew was sent from El Arish on 4th February to repair 306 as well as change the engine on 308. Otter 306 was sold to Saudi Arabia "on site”.
Having arrived at El Arish, Otter 308 remained in store there until sold to Field Aviation Company of Toronto on 15th July 1965. It was shipped back to Toronto, where it was rebuilt and sold to White River Air Services Ltd of White River, Ontario, registered CF-SOX, later C-FSOX. The Otter continued to fly for White River Air Services until November 1974. That month, White River A/S became the parent company of Austin Airways Ltd, after which SOX flew for Austin Airways, based at Timmins, Ontario. In June 1981, the Otter was sold on to Leuenberger Air Service Ltd of Nakina, Ontario. An incident was recorded on 20th February 1985. The Otter had landed at Ogoki Post, Ontario and while completing the landing roll, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to swing left and hit a snowbank. It was repaired and converted to a Vazar turbine Otter by Recon Air at Geraldton, Ontario. It flies alongside Leuenberger's other Otters C-GLCW (172) and C-GLCS (428) during the summer months, serving fishing lodges and the tourist industry.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 437
January 1st, 2008. C-FSOX. Leuenberger Air Service, Nakina, Ontario. Vazar.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
She is still "alive", boys, looking "fine", and I have seen her recently......
"Old" clothes....
I took this photo this Spring, SOX in her "new" clothes......
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 437
Otter 437 was delivered to the United Nations Organisation (UN) on 15th February 1963 with serial 308. It was one of four delivered to the UN at that time, the other three being 433 (UN serial 305), 434 (UN serial 306) and 436 (UN serial 307). All four were packed into crates at Downsview and shipped to the Congo, where they arrived at Leopoldville in June 1963. Three of the Otters (306, 307 and 308) were unpacked on arrival and transported by USAF Hercules to Aden in the Yemen where there was a requirement for Otters with the UN Observation Mission in the Yemen. In Aden, the three Otters were re-assembled and entered service with 134 Air Transport Unit (ATU), an RCAF unit which operated the Otters on behalf of the UN.
134 ATU also operated some Caribou aircraft, and had bases at Sanaa, Quizan and Najran. Otters 306 and 308 were based at Najran. This operation continued until December 1963, when 134 ATU was disbanded, and it was arranged to ferry the Otters to El Arish in Egypt where they would be put into storage with 115 ATU pending disposal. 115 ATU was another RCAF unit supporting a UN mission as part of the Arab-Israel cease fire. Both 306 and 308 encountered some difficulty on the ferry flight from Najran to El Arish, as the following extract from the 115 ATU history explains, referring to the 17th January 1964: “UN Otter 308 force landed in the desert fifty five miles from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia with a blown cylinder. The aircraft was towed to Jeddah. A crew was sent from El Arish on 4th February and changed the engine. The Otter was flown to El Arish on 29th February '64. Also on 17th January, UN Otter 306 landed at Jeddah out of oil. Contamination was found in the oil filter. A crew was sent from El Arish on 4th February to repair 306 as well as change the engine on 308. Otter 306 was sold to Saudi Arabia "on site”.
Having arrived at El Arish, Otter 308 remained in store there until sold to Field Aviation Company of Toronto on 15th July 1965. It was shipped back to Toronto, where it was rebuilt and sold to White River Air Services Ltd of White River, Ontario, registered CF-SOX, later C-FSOX. The Otter continued to fly for White River Air Services until November 1974. That month, White River A/S became the parent company of Austin Airways Ltd, after which SOX flew for Austin Airways, based at Timmins, Ontario. In June 1981, the Otter was sold on to Leuenberger Air Service Ltd of Nakina, Ontario. An incident was recorded on 20th February 1985. The Otter had landed at Ogoki Post, Ontario and while completing the landing roll, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to swing left and hit a snowbank. It was repaired and converted to a Vazar turbine Otter by Recon Air at Geraldton, Ontario. It flies alongside Leuenberger's other Otters C-GLCW (172) and C-GLCS (428) during the summer months, serving fishing lodges and the tourist industry.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 437
January 1st, 2008. C-FSOX. Leuenberger Air Service, Nakina, Ontario. Vazar.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
She is still "alive", boys, looking "fine", and I have seen her recently......
"Old" clothes....
I took this photo this Spring, SOX in her "new" clothes......
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #66" 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 Wag-Aero "Sportsman" 2+2, with a Lycoming IO-360, 200 HP engine! "Honourable mention" to SoftJug, as the "Sportsman" is based on the PA-14!
"She" has a nice "rear".........
On Adventure "2440" floats........
"Fine-looking" machine......
"Adios"!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Wag-Aero "Sportsman" 2+2, with a Lycoming IO-360, 200 HP engine! "Honourable mention" to SoftJug, as the "Sportsman" is based on the PA-14!
"She" has a nice "rear".........
On Adventure "2440" floats........
"Fine-looking" machine......
"Adios"!
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
"Anatomy" Of A "Takeoff"!
A friendly "Otter" comes to visit us regularly in "Dawes Bay", Nestor Falls, when the wind is out of the "north" or "northwest". I love watching the "standard" Otter "backtrack". It comes to mind that the "backtrack" on "floats" in any airplane gives one time to run through the pre-takeoff checklist, see some scenery, and have an abundance of time to prepare for the "big event" once one "turns into wind". Let's "analyze" the "scenario"....... Remember, "click" on the pictures, they go "full-screen"!
"Backtracking", headset on and radio on correct frequency. I have known "drivers" that never put their headsets on until just before takeoff, but this is incorrect. When a floatplane is in motion, proper radio frequencies should be monitored, as "waterways" are similar to "taxiways"............
Time for checks..... "Master on, mags on both, fuel on fullest tank, prop control forward, mixture rich, rudder trim set, aileron trim set, elevator trim set.........
Flaps at takeoff position........
Doors locked, seatbelts secured, controls free..........
Start the turn, water rudders up, takeoff radio call made.......
Into wind, DG set........
"Hammer to her", throttle up.........
36" of manifold pressure, RPM hits 2200......
"Hydrodynamics" must work on a floatplane to get "on the step" before "aerodynamics" takes over......
"Poetry in motion".........
"Over the top"........
"Acceleration".........
"Airborne"..........
Throttle back to 30" MP, 2000 RPM.....
Climb away, we're outta' here.......
"Adios"!
"Backtracking", headset on and radio on correct frequency. I have known "drivers" that never put their headsets on until just before takeoff, but this is incorrect. When a floatplane is in motion, proper radio frequencies should be monitored, as "waterways" are similar to "taxiways"............
Time for checks..... "Master on, mags on both, fuel on fullest tank, prop control forward, mixture rich, rudder trim set, aileron trim set, elevator trim set.........
Flaps at takeoff position........
Doors locked, seatbelts secured, controls free..........
Start the turn, water rudders up, takeoff radio call made.......
Into wind, DG set........
"Hammer to her", throttle up.........
36" of manifold pressure, RPM hits 2200......
"Hydrodynamics" must work on a floatplane to get "on the step" before "aerodynamics" takes over......
"Poetry in motion".........
"Over the top"........
"Acceleration".........
"Airborne"..........
Throttle back to 30" MP, 2000 RPM.....
Climb away, we're outta' here.......
"Adios"!
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
United States, London, France, Germany, Belgium, Libya, Iran. Yes, this Otter saw some "geography" in her short life, until the Iranian "geography" took her life, and her three crew.
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 143
Otter 143 was delivered to the United States Army on 24th July 1956 with serial 55-3291 (tail number 53291). It was assigned to the 2nd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas which later deployed to Germany, then France (as described in relation to Otter 124). 53291 was noted visiting London's Croydon Airport on 13th March 1958. The 2nd Aviation Company deployed to France in 1959 and by January 1962 53291 was at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany as a maintenance float. It was overhauled by SABCA at its facility at Gosselies, Belgium in May 1962, at which stage it had 2,504 hours on the airframe and the following month was assigned to the 572nd Engineer Platoon (Topographic Aviation), based at Wheelus Air Base, Libya.
The 572nd Engineer Platoon was also supporting survey work in Iran, and 53291 was sent to Iran, where the operating unit was known as the Topographic Training Team. As well as two Otters it also had some U-6A Beavers and UH-19D and OH-23D helicopters. 53291 continued flying in Iran until it was destroyed in an accident there on 23rd April 1963, sadly with the loss of life of the three crew on board. Captain Patton was newly assigned and this was his first flight with the unit. Captain Mollnhauer was acting as Instructor Pilot on the flight. The crew chief was Carl Bell. The Otter departed from Qualeh Morghi airfield, Tehran at 0742 hours that day, en route to Masjid-I-Sulaiman airfield, which was located in mountainous terrain, to pick up an OH-23D engine and transmission. After arrival, the Otter was refuelled, the cargo loaded and at 0842 the aircraft called for taxi and was given runway 07 for departure. The runway was 3,550 feet long and upon passing the departure end of the runway, the Otter was at 50 feet, airspeed was 60 knots and it had take-off flap deployed. It made a 20 degree turn and flew into a rocky valley that was rising steadily to one thousand feet in four miles.
The Otter was unable in the 'hot and high' conditions to fly out of the valley, due to the turbulence and downdrafts. The Instructor Pilot attempted to execute a right turn to reverse course. As the aircraft was banked to the right, with a relatively low airspeed, maximum power and take-off flap it stalled, striking the lip of a plateau. Upon initial impact it broke in half, rupturing the fuel tank. The forward fuselage continued onto the plateau, engulfed in flames. The rear fuselage, into which the crew chief had been thrown, fell back into the valley. An F-27 Friendship of the National Iranian Oil Company departing from the airfield pinpointed the crash site. An oil company helicopter was summoned and evacuated the two injured pilots to hospital, where sadly they died some days later of their injuries. The crew chief had been killed in the crash. The Otter was totally destroyed in the crash.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ouch. "R.I.P.".
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 143
Otter 143 was delivered to the United States Army on 24th July 1956 with serial 55-3291 (tail number 53291). It was assigned to the 2nd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas which later deployed to Germany, then France (as described in relation to Otter 124). 53291 was noted visiting London's Croydon Airport on 13th March 1958. The 2nd Aviation Company deployed to France in 1959 and by January 1962 53291 was at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany as a maintenance float. It was overhauled by SABCA at its facility at Gosselies, Belgium in May 1962, at which stage it had 2,504 hours on the airframe and the following month was assigned to the 572nd Engineer Platoon (Topographic Aviation), based at Wheelus Air Base, Libya.
The 572nd Engineer Platoon was also supporting survey work in Iran, and 53291 was sent to Iran, where the operating unit was known as the Topographic Training Team. As well as two Otters it also had some U-6A Beavers and UH-19D and OH-23D helicopters. 53291 continued flying in Iran until it was destroyed in an accident there on 23rd April 1963, sadly with the loss of life of the three crew on board. Captain Patton was newly assigned and this was his first flight with the unit. Captain Mollnhauer was acting as Instructor Pilot on the flight. The crew chief was Carl Bell. The Otter departed from Qualeh Morghi airfield, Tehran at 0742 hours that day, en route to Masjid-I-Sulaiman airfield, which was located in mountainous terrain, to pick up an OH-23D engine and transmission. After arrival, the Otter was refuelled, the cargo loaded and at 0842 the aircraft called for taxi and was given runway 07 for departure. The runway was 3,550 feet long and upon passing the departure end of the runway, the Otter was at 50 feet, airspeed was 60 knots and it had take-off flap deployed. It made a 20 degree turn and flew into a rocky valley that was rising steadily to one thousand feet in four miles.
The Otter was unable in the 'hot and high' conditions to fly out of the valley, due to the turbulence and downdrafts. The Instructor Pilot attempted to execute a right turn to reverse course. As the aircraft was banked to the right, with a relatively low airspeed, maximum power and take-off flap it stalled, striking the lip of a plateau. Upon initial impact it broke in half, rupturing the fuel tank. The forward fuselage continued onto the plateau, engulfed in flames. The rear fuselage, into which the crew chief had been thrown, fell back into the valley. An F-27 Friendship of the National Iranian Oil Company departing from the airfield pinpointed the crash site. An oil company helicopter was summoned and evacuated the two injured pilots to hospital, where sadly they died some days later of their injuries. The crew chief had been killed in the crash. The Otter was totally destroyed in the crash.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ouch. "R.I.P.".
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Saturday, July 05, 2008
2007 Midland Airshow and the "Confederate" Air Force!
Richard Seaman, the "Flying Kiwi", has kept his camera lens busy! Check out the following beauties!
RICHARD SEAMAN'S - 2007 Midland Airshow and the "Confederate" Air Force!
Also.....
CHECK OUT THE - Midland Airshow 2006!
That is one helluva' lot of "beautiful iron"!
RICHARD SEAMAN'S - 2007 Midland Airshow and the "Confederate" Air Force!
Also.....
CHECK OUT THE - Midland Airshow 2006!
That is one helluva' lot of "beautiful iron"!
Friday, July 04, 2008
"Ugly" Americans?
I sit and ponder "world" events this July 4th, nearing the end of George Bush's "Presidency". Terrorism, water shortages, adverse weather, stock market falling, civil wars,.... "Whew"! I have heard it said that the "prestige" of the United States of America is at an "all time low". Well, not for me it isn't. The Americans are the "hardest" working people on earth, and the most "compassionate", along with all their "faults and flaws". Their Government sometimes makes very serious mistakes, but in some of the world regions where these mistakes are made, it doesn't matter what decisions are made, the "genetic hatred" of the peoples of the areas concerned would see the "killing" continue. "Evil" doesn't lay down "it's sword" and become a "good citizen". Anyways, today is "America's birthday", and I remember an old speech I heard in my childhood. It was by that "crusty old curmudgeon" Gordon Sinclair. Lo and behold, I found a copy. The words are as valid today as they were when he spoke them. Here they are........
"The Americans: A Canadian's Opinion By Gordon Sinclair"
Outstanding. Yes, France, Germany, Belgium, Japan, South Korea, Israel... are all amazingly successful and prosperous, thanks to... "Yes, the Americans". Following are my favourite words ever written by my favourite ... "American".
"Gettysburg Address"
"Honest Abe" gives me the "chills", what an "orator". He could say more meaningful words in 2 minutes than anyone today could say in 2 years. Anyways, what I am trying to say is give the U.S. a "break". Their Government is far from perfect, but the people are second to none, and they strive to be better. They are our "brothers and sisters". Happy Birthday, "U.S.A"!
Title: The Gettysburg Address
Author: Abraham Lincoln
Year Published: 1863
"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."
"The Americans: A Canadian's Opinion By Gordon Sinclair"
Outstanding. Yes, France, Germany, Belgium, Japan, South Korea, Israel... are all amazingly successful and prosperous, thanks to... "Yes, the Americans". Following are my favourite words ever written by my favourite ... "American".
"Gettysburg Address"
"Honest Abe" gives me the "chills", what an "orator". He could say more meaningful words in 2 minutes than anyone today could say in 2 years. Anyways, what I am trying to say is give the U.S. a "break". Their Government is far from perfect, but the people are second to none, and they strive to be better. They are our "brothers and sisters". Happy Birthday, "U.S.A"!
Title: The Gettysburg Address
Author: Abraham Lincoln
Year Published: 1863
Gettysburg Address
"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #65" 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 Hawker "Hurricane", that famous "Battle of Britain" machine! "SoftJug" wins the "sailboat fuel"!
"Adios"!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Hawker "Hurricane", that famous "Battle of Britain" machine! "SoftJug" wins the "sailboat fuel"!
"Adios"!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
The "Maple Leaf Forever"!
I believe you would be "hard-pressed" to find anywhere on Earth as "pristine" as Canada. From west to east, north to south, "she has it all". A "tolerant" population, and "founded" on "Freedom". You know what? Let's let a native from "Skinner's Pond, Prince Edward Island", put it into words better than mine! Happy Birthday Canada!
VIDEO -
The "Maple Leaf Forever"!
