Ice Pilots..? Yes, really !

If you aren't already aware, check out the information online relating to the new History Channel reality series about Buffalo Airways, a company flying a mix of DC-3, DC-4 and C-46 cargo planes around the North West Territories. There will be 13 episodes, so if you missed the first one, which introduced the owning McBryan family and key aircrew and other figures, there's lots more to come. Before you bemoan the business of using the Herman Nelson to pre-warm our aircraft and the check for icing in Winter time, watch these guys clean a cargo aircraft of snow, balancing on a slippery wing 15 feet off the ground. The adventure starts long before they leave the ground. Conversations among members who saw episode 1 suggest that everyone with an interest in aviation will love this series and its characters. This link will take you to the History Channel's page describing the series and providing the schedule.

Club Pilot supports TV Coverage of Napanee Solar Farm

The Club's involvement with the media in its 80th year is not always obvious. This week, Sushee, one of our charter pilots, took a news crew from Global TV in Toronto on a trip to observe and record the massive solar farm near Napanee. If you haven't heard about this project, here's a link to an October Reuters News article. This is a major undertaking of some importance.

The results of the filming will be on air on Sunday, November 8th on the Global News (Cogeco Channels 3 / 715) on their evening news bulletins at 6 and 11 pm.

Vintage Aircraft has an outing...

This morning, Mark, who has authorization to fly the Tiger Moth kept at the Club, decided to take it up for a few circuits. Dave was a very happy passenger. The only drawback to flying this lovely machine is the open cockpit. After a while in the air at this time of year, just below the cloud base (somewhere between 2 and 3 thousand feet today), the portions of the face that are unprotected become extremely cold, Mark reported, and significantly reduce the pleasure to be extracted from flying the biplane. But this is a pilot who's been seen to take the old kite up in mid Winter, with snow on the ground and frost in the air. Expect to see the familiar silhouette of the Moth in Kingston's skies again before long.

A Picture speaks a thousand words...

The picture of Kaitlyn is telling everyone that she's thrilled to have her flight test and other obstacles to certification behind her. Matt, her very proud instructor, had been trying to catch up with Kaitlyn for a picture ever since she passed her Flight Test on October 18th. Today, he finally did so - in flying conditions that were absolutely great. Can you tell it's just a little cold though - check out Kaitlyn's mittens.

Matt is still trying to get his trio of successful pilots, Kaitlyn, Steve and Scott, together for a group picture. Recording their achievement over the same weekend would be quite something.

Veteran pilot takes to the air..

I had the privilege this morning of taking an aviator back into the air, who saw his first flying, in postwar Germany, in the 1950s. Hans spent more than 400 recreational hours in a variety of aircraft, including Tiger Moths, the J-3 Cub and the very British Auster, which he didn't like at all. His last flight at the controls was in 1963, but this morning, as a treat from his son-in-law, he sat in the right-hand seat and enjoyed the sensation of flight in a light aircraft again - in near perfect conditions. His delight at the experience is evident...

By the way, we showed him our resident Moth, which he remarked differed only a little from the ones he'd flown in that it has a tail wheel rather than a skid.

July Jump for AIQ officially commemorated...

This morning a montage of pictures from the fund-raising parachute jump made in July by Anne-Marie and others was installed in the Club. It joins a variety of displays highlighting the Club's 80th Anniversary and brings a welcome splash of colour to the wall, just inside the front door.

Flying Club well represented at Bush Pilot Talk...

Felicity McKendry is shown having her copy of Gene Manion's book, "Flying on the Edge" signed by the author after an excellent talk he gave to a meeting of the Wolfe Island Historical Society. The talk, which lasted just over an hour, gave some amazing insights into the practical, and political, challenges faced by those who provided aviation services to an impoverished Newfoundland from the early 1960s on. Manion, originally a Wolfe Islander, moved to Newfoundland in 1960 after 7 years as a pilot with the RCAF, flying the CF-100. Despite daunting conditions and significant business rivalries, he went on, over several decades, to build the most successful aviation service company around, with more than a dozen aircraft, including a four-engined transport and a number of contracted helicopters. Members of the Club present, besides Felicity, included James Baldwin and Mike Hill. Anyone wishing to pick up a copy of Gene Manion's excellent book can find details, including ordering information, here.