Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Here is an early Otter whose first "region" of employ was Norway, and saw time in the Antarctic during "Operation Penguin". She returned to Canada eventually, and continues to "fly the bush" to this day, in her original "persona"!
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 31
Otter number 31 was the last of the first batch of six of ten DHC-3 delivered to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, as explained in relation to Otter number 18. The batch of six were delivered in crates by ship and formally handed over on 2nd March 1954. The ship arrived in Oslo Harbour on 8th April '54, the Otters being assembled at Kjeller Air Base, Oslo. The Otter took serial 5331 and code O-AG. The Otter originally joined the Communications Flight at Jarlsberg Air Base in July '54, moving to Gardermoen Air Base in November '54. In May 1955 it joined the Communications Flight at Bodo Air Base in northern Norway.
Otter number 31 deployed to the Antarctic on “Operation Penguin” from October 1958 until March 1959, as explained in relation to Otter number 30. After its exploits in the Antarctic, it was reassembled at the Horten Marine Base and joined 7192 Stotteving (Support Flight) at Orland Air Base in May 1959. In June 1964 it joined 7193 Support Flight at Bodo Air Base. In January 1966 this unit was re-designated 719 Squadron and in December 1966 the Otter received its new squadron code XJ-U. In April 1967 the Otter moved south to Orland Air Base, joining C Flight of 720 Squadron and it continued to fly for that until 16th June '67 when its military career came to an end and it was struck off charge, having flown 4,177 hours in Air Force service. As with all the other Royal Norwegian Air Force Otters, it was handed over to Halle & Peterson, Oslo the DHC agents in Norway for disposal.
The Otter was sold to Wideroes Flyveselskap A/S to whom it was registered LN-LMM on 22nd June '67. For the next four years, the Otter flew on Wideroes scheduled services linking the remote communities of northern Norway, until replaced by the Twin Otter. LN-LMM was one of the last three Otters flown by Wideroes, all three of which were sold to Laurentian Air Services Ltd of Ottawa. LN-LMM became CF-APR, the other two being CF-APP (138, ex LN-BDD) and CF-APQ (201, ex LN-BIB). By this stage of its career, LN-LMM's total airframe time had risen to 8,150 hours. The Bill of Sale for all three aircraft is dated 19th October 1971. The three Otters were shipped back to Canada and re-assembled at Laurentian's Ottawa base.
All three Otters entered service with Laurentian Air Services, which was a large operator of the DHC-3. Over the years, it operated 14 Otters. Although based at Ottawa, most of the company's flying was done in Quebec and Labrador. CF-APR continued in service with Laurentian until sold in 1977 to Bearskin Lake Air Services Ltd of Big Trout Lake, Ontario, the registration by that stage having been changed to C-FAPR. It was to fly for this operator for the next eight years, one incident being recorded, on 19th December 1979 at the aircraft's base at Big Trout Lake, where the outside air temperature was a sharp -20C. This extract from the report: “Prior to commencing take-off from the ice strip, the pilot selected an abort point. On take-off the aircraft passed the selected point, but the pilot continued, thinking that the aircraft would soon lift off. The Otter did become airborne but the gear struck a pile of snow. The pilot continued and landed at a land strip to inspect the damage”.
In April 1988 the Otter was sold to Ignace Airways Ltd of Ignace, Ontario, being re-registered in August 1996 to Ignace Airways (1996) Ltd. C-FAPR supports fly-in fishing camps during the summer months.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 31
January 1st, 2008. C-FAPR. In service with Ignace Airways (1996) Ltd, Ignace, Ontario. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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Lots of history in this aircraft, even flying for the fabled "Bearskin Airlines", started by my friend Henri Boulanger, along with his pals Johnny Heglund and Bert Cone........
C-FAPR of Bearskin Lake Air Service at Calgary February 1980 with signs of structural repairs to the undercarriage following its December 1979 incident (Anthony J. Hickey)
C-FAPR of Ignace Airways August 1995 (Rich Hulina)
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 31
Otter number 31 was the last of the first batch of six of ten DHC-3 delivered to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, as explained in relation to Otter number 18. The batch of six were delivered in crates by ship and formally handed over on 2nd March 1954. The ship arrived in Oslo Harbour on 8th April '54, the Otters being assembled at Kjeller Air Base, Oslo. The Otter took serial 5331 and code O-AG. The Otter originally joined the Communications Flight at Jarlsberg Air Base in July '54, moving to Gardermoen Air Base in November '54. In May 1955 it joined the Communications Flight at Bodo Air Base in northern Norway.
Otter number 31 deployed to the Antarctic on “Operation Penguin” from October 1958 until March 1959, as explained in relation to Otter number 30. After its exploits in the Antarctic, it was reassembled at the Horten Marine Base and joined 7192 Stotteving (Support Flight) at Orland Air Base in May 1959. In June 1964 it joined 7193 Support Flight at Bodo Air Base. In January 1966 this unit was re-designated 719 Squadron and in December 1966 the Otter received its new squadron code XJ-U. In April 1967 the Otter moved south to Orland Air Base, joining C Flight of 720 Squadron and it continued to fly for that until 16th June '67 when its military career came to an end and it was struck off charge, having flown 4,177 hours in Air Force service. As with all the other Royal Norwegian Air Force Otters, it was handed over to Halle & Peterson, Oslo the DHC agents in Norway for disposal.
The Otter was sold to Wideroes Flyveselskap A/S to whom it was registered LN-LMM on 22nd June '67. For the next four years, the Otter flew on Wideroes scheduled services linking the remote communities of northern Norway, until replaced by the Twin Otter. LN-LMM was one of the last three Otters flown by Wideroes, all three of which were sold to Laurentian Air Services Ltd of Ottawa. LN-LMM became CF-APR, the other two being CF-APP (138, ex LN-BDD) and CF-APQ (201, ex LN-BIB). By this stage of its career, LN-LMM's total airframe time had risen to 8,150 hours. The Bill of Sale for all three aircraft is dated 19th October 1971. The three Otters were shipped back to Canada and re-assembled at Laurentian's Ottawa base.
All three Otters entered service with Laurentian Air Services, which was a large operator of the DHC-3. Over the years, it operated 14 Otters. Although based at Ottawa, most of the company's flying was done in Quebec and Labrador. CF-APR continued in service with Laurentian until sold in 1977 to Bearskin Lake Air Services Ltd of Big Trout Lake, Ontario, the registration by that stage having been changed to C-FAPR. It was to fly for this operator for the next eight years, one incident being recorded, on 19th December 1979 at the aircraft's base at Big Trout Lake, where the outside air temperature was a sharp -20C. This extract from the report: “Prior to commencing take-off from the ice strip, the pilot selected an abort point. On take-off the aircraft passed the selected point, but the pilot continued, thinking that the aircraft would soon lift off. The Otter did become airborne but the gear struck a pile of snow. The pilot continued and landed at a land strip to inspect the damage”.
In April 1988 the Otter was sold to Ignace Airways Ltd of Ignace, Ontario, being re-registered in August 1996 to Ignace Airways (1996) Ltd. C-FAPR supports fly-in fishing camps during the summer months.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 31
January 1st, 2008. C-FAPR. In service with Ignace Airways (1996) Ltd, Ignace, Ontario. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Lots of history in this aircraft, even flying for the fabled "Bearskin Airlines", started by my friend Henri Boulanger, along with his pals Johnny Heglund and Bert Cone........
C-FAPR of Bearskin Lake Air Service at Calgary February 1980 with signs of structural repairs to the undercarriage following its December 1979 incident (Anthony J. Hickey)
C-FAPR of Ignace Airways August 1995 (Rich Hulina)
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
