Ol' Sam. A Work in Progress.: Adventure Flying.

Flying Pt2...Revisited (July '05 archive.)

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:47:25 GMT

Way back in July of '05, I wrote a little story called 'Flying Pt2'. It's in the archives. In the story I talked about the survival of Bob Gauthier , a bush pilot lost in the wilderness. Yesterday while surfing the 'net' looking for something else, I came across this little CBC story and sound file about him.

http://archives.radio-canada.ca/400d.asp?id=1-112-1311-7708&wm6=1

Bare Cupboards.

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 18:13:06 GMT

Due to ice conditions, in 1962 the annual September Sea Lift to Spence Bay and Gjoa Haven failed to arrive, leaving both settlements short of supplies. PWA to the rescue. As soon as light and weather conditions improved in March of 1963, PW flew a DC-4 into Spence carrying essential things to get us through until the Sea Lift could get in to us next September. I can't remember if one or, two trips were made.

Feeling very isolated and beyond the edges of the civilised world, I was impressed, to say the least, that such a large airplane would come to Spence Bay and attempt a landing on our airstrip. An airstrip designed to handle much smaller DeHaviland Single Otters, but expertly lenghted and widened by Ernie Lyall on a D-4 Cat.

New to the Arctic and to photography, I unfortunately neglected to photograph her call letters. They would have been CF-PW? I think. The number on the nose gear doors is '403'.

Here are three snaps of the old girl, on final, unloading and taxi-ing to take off.

Cheers.

Icemannwt.

Planes of Fame.

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 23:47:51 GMT

Two photos of Old Norsemen. CF-LZO & CF-ZMX I had the misfortune of flying in both of 'em.

Wardair's first Twin Otter, CF-WAH, at the Barnstrom River NWT, June '68. Landed and took off in less than 600 feet of ice free water in front of the Falls.

The Bristol, TFX. Now on a pilon, guarding the gateway to Yellowknife.