The Kenmore beaver on the last run of the day, up to Friday Harbor and return.  Hope the weather doesn't go Seattle on him  .                   

Gosh darn...oh golly gee, holy smokes and all that.   

Is it just me or did an old rudder stomping flying geezer like you take off with the water rudders down?

You owe me a beer if you did "olderndirt".        

They do look down to me but it could just be the shot which by the way is wonderful...love it.   

How many folks here know the civilian hours of operation for a seaplane or floatplane when taking off and landing on water at an unlit/unilluminated water strip?


Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

....Just looking at the picture, perhaps it is just the way it looks to me.   

Flying amphibs it got to be a habit to double check gear position and water rudder position.  As an instructor I made it a point the students, the aviator taking the check ride or the co-pilot did the same thing.

The tower folks now don't do this but years ago they would say to somone on final, "check gear down and locked".  Guess things just got too busy in the glass house to continue to do that now.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

Goodly morning....

I still practice GCAs down at the base in both aircraft, we usually do it during the evening and the controllers like it because it gives their students practice and breaks the monotony.
We also get to check out our ILS system in the aircraft, our ADF and GPS get a work out as well.
There are still a couple of controllers who will only let us come down to minimums and not touch down because we are civillian and then we do have a friend or two who will let the wheels roll, it is their call.

We do drop in on the odd Saturday for a lunch at the Officers Mess but it is not like it used to be.  It is now I believe 72 hours prior request to land and park with a very good reason.  It used to be I do believe 48 hours prior request with a very good reason.

The base restrictions can be a bit of a hardship for folks who wish to fly into the National Air Force Museum of Canada which is on the base but with prior landing permission it is well worth going through the proper channels.

In the early 60s I did a GCA into a military airfield in a single radial engine Otter on wheel/skis.  Did not see the runway until the wheels hit.  That young controller got his beer, the heavies were being rerouted all over the place from Buffalo to Toronto which were quickly going below minimums as well.  I was moonlighting from flying heavies to running folks into several ice fishing camps for a friend who operated an Otter and several Cessna 180s & 185s.  That snow storm caught everyone with their pants down.   

I still like that GCA approach.       

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug
P.S. Dang...sorry got off topic again