Fun Commute yesterday

[Hardy Boy]

Still get to fly in float planes for work every now and then (not as much as I used too) and its still fun. Had a 1.5 hour flight up to the central coast in the morning and then back in the late afternoon. Lots to see when flying 500 to 800 feet (low ceiling) and 100 knots.Here is also a pic of the massive residential area of Port Hardy BC (not to be mistaken with Central California !!  ). There is a song that says in Canada we have trees and rocks and water ...................... so true.

Cheers:

Todd

[steelfish]

nice view amigo Todd, so, it was 1.5hrs flying, how much time its driving that same commute

[Keta]

Nice!  Air time is one of the things I miss about my job with the AMHS.

[Maxed Out]

Wow, you actually have pavement in Port Hardy !! 

[Hardy Boy]

nice view amigo Todd, so, it was 1.5hrs flying, how much time its driving that same commute

Alex: I flew up to Klemtu which is a First Nation village on an island, on the central coast of BC that would have a grand total of 5 miles of road from their ferry terminal. The only way to get there is by boat or air as it is many miles from the nearest road on the mainland. Remote but beautiful.

Cheers:

Todd

[Alto Mare]

Beautiful view, Todd...you wouldn't catch me on that Puddle Hopper ...I give you lots of credit.

Sal

[steelfish]

nice view amigo Todd, so, it was 1.5hrs flying, how much time its driving that same commute

Alex: I flew up to Klemtu which is a First Nation village on an island, on the central coast of BC that would have a grand total of 5 miles of road from their ferry terminal. The only way to get there is by boat or air as it is many miles from the nearest road on the mainland. Remote but beautiful.

Cheers:

Todd

nice,

my commute its pretty boring and straight, I live 3 minutes from the "entrance" of the town, then I take a mostly empty highway which go along the sea shore just away 1/2 mile from the beach for the next 15 minutes to get to my office, on weekdays I can see the sea while driving pretty calm and beautiful but on weekends is always rough and windy.

[Hardy Boy]

Beautiful view, Todd...you wouldn't catch me on that Puddle Hopper ...I give you lots of credit.

Sal

Sal: Its got floats and your flying mostly over water so that's not so bad, plus it was a "newer" Beaver built in the late 40's or early 50's (pilot wasn't sure, he just said after WW 11 but not a "new" one) ........................ so what can go wrong !!

Cheers:

Todd

[Alto Mare]

 

Beautiful view, Todd...you wouldn't catch me on that Puddle Hopper ...I give you lots of credit.

Sal

Sal: Its got floats and your flying mostly over water so that's not so bad, plus it was a "newer" Beaver built in the late 40's or early 50's (pilot wasn't sure, he just said after WW 11 but not a "new" one) ........................ so what can go wrong !!

Cheers:

Todd

..that would require 2 bottle of homemade vino, one might not cover it

[foakes]

With floats, I am seldom concerned — I do check out the reputation and experience of the charter operators and FBO's.

I have flown in Cessnas, Twin Otters, and Beavers with floats.

At one point I was going to get certified on floats since it only took 6 hours of training to add the certification to your license.  But I figured I would not use it — and would rather rely on experienced pros who know the area and conditions.

Personally, I am more concerned with flying single engine over the ocean with no floats.  You can easily bring a float plane down even with a dead stick landing safely after an engine failure — provided you have altitude to set up a no stall glide approach at proper air speed for a safe landing.   With a twin engine over water — the other engine will get you home.  With a single — and fixed landing gear — the best you can expect with an engine failure over the ocean — is flipping upon water contact — and trying to get out before the plane sinks — if you are still conscious.  Not a place I would want to bring my passengers down into.

I have personally known two pilots who went down with floats — one was a Twin Otter that was ferrying mining equipment and 4 workers to a remote operation in North Central BC — just outside of Smithers.  The equipment broke loose inside the plane upon takeoff from its lashings — then slid tailwards — causing the plane to go into a nose up stall.  Pilot was the only one who survived by breaking out a window.

The other was a 185 on floats — complete engine failure over land — pilot landed it on a 2 lane road.  Extensive damage to the floats — but everyone walked away.

The typical bush pilot in the North — is pretty savvy.

Best,

Fred

[gstours]

Thanks for sharing your pictures with us,  we fly a lot to go to town, medical,Costco,Fred Meyer,  I,be never tired of getting up in the air and seeing the spots that could be a deer camp,  oer a anchor up spot for trolling or 🦀.   Not much roads here either.     The beavers have the best sound and when I,m outside and hear one going over I always wish I was on it.   It takes my imagination for an upbeat ride.......🚣‍♀️

[Dominick]

Thanks for sharing your pictures with us,  we fly a lot to go to town, medical,Costco,Fred Meyer,  I,be never tired of getting up in the air and seeing the spots that could be a deer camp,  oer a anchor up spot for trolling or 🦀.   Not much roads here either.     The beavers have the best sound and when I,m outside and hear one going over I always wish I was on it.   It takes my imagination for an upbeat ride.......🚣‍♀️

I know what you mean Gary.  I am always looking at planes and wondering where they are going.  I happen to be one of those guys that likes airports and flying.  Dominick

[Hardy Boy]

We have two companies flying float planes here and at one time Hardy had one of the largest fleets of amphibious planes in the world including: goose,otters, beavers and cesnas. You see a steady parade of float planes coming and going all day especially in the summer starting shortly after first light. Lots of trips to lodges, logging camps and small settlements on the coast. One time my wife got her cousin from Australia a trip on the "mail run" from Hardy to eight different stops in the inlets .............. he was amazed having never been in a float plane before. It was the highlight of his trip to Canada.


Cheers:

Todd     

[whalebreath]

Thanks for posting this Todd I've flown out of Hardy many times sometime from the airport sometime from 'downtown' on the water-brings back memories.

Carl Z in Vancouver

[gstours]

Here is today from the jet south of Juneau .   Ground fog low just above the water .  I thought it was kind of cool .   Unless you have to fish in that stuff .    Low ceiling!