I think it's a good idea. I wore a non-automatic inflatable when I was flying a Norseman out of a remote lodge, and I got no end of Americans drawling "Jeez, I don't think I like it when the Captain is wearing a life preserver". Do that in a Okie accent and you've got it. My response was that it is ...

I found an interesting perspective online from Laurie Hawn, LCol RCAF (ret), former parliamentary secretary to MinNatDef. I read that he has been asked to resign for this post. "Speaking truth to power can be risky I re-confirmed that this week by speaking out rather more forcefully than was appreci...

Fair point.

Good question. Don't really have a solid answer, but I would hypothesize that lodge owners have 2 dozen motors constantly in need of upkeep, on site, but a Beaver is only periodically in need of upkeep, off-site, and it has to go there occasionally anyway for groceries. Frankly, it beats me why CPL ...

Agreed. That summary of mechanical aptitude is great cover letter material, and it's fantastic as far as it goes, but you aren't trying to sell to us, you're trying to sell to them. What I'm saying is that if you have the actual ticket for Marine Power Maintenance (or equivalent), then writing all o...

I finished my CPL and got my float rating last year because I'm in my mid 30s and highly doubted I could climb the airline ladder in time to do much with it (without winning a lottery to pay for hours, but that's taboo!). I want to go float because it was a natural fit as soon as I was on the water...

^ It was.

I last flew by Ball Lake 18 months ago. Some structures were burnt down or just wrecked. The bush is slowly retaking it. Shame.

My goodness, that postcard brings back memories. Many a refreshing brew was sipped in that warehouse.

BWS

I have heard over the years that a low time pilot with their small engine / outboard maintenance ticket often finds their resume on the top of the stack. I myself don't have it, but so I've heard.

The search, recovery and analysis of MH 370 will make the $100 million spent on Air France 447 look like pocket change.

Much of the damage from chronic alcoholism remains low key for years, sometimes decades. The Carson Air pilot was only 34, so it's entirely possible that nothing was obvious. (Assuming that the current narrative is borne out by the evidence) The alcohol intake question can of course be lied about, a...

I am happy to provide perspective in an area of expertise for the benefit of people lacking the training. I don't see it as cutting through the BS per se, rather helping people out with a field of study that can be very terminology-dense, and frankly, the fine details of death and dying are not for ...

Oops. Beg your pardon AuxBatOn. My mistake.

The only thing we can say for sure is that by the time the body was recovered it presented the results offered by the coroner. How long was the pilot dead before the body was tested ? The body chemistry can change a lot between when it has a violent end and before it is tested. Does anyone know how...

Indeed, clearly these findings should not be viewed in isolation, but rather part of the larger investigation. As to the presentation of those suffering from alcoholism, it can be deceptive. I do not hold any formal certification in substance abuse counselling per se, but doing what I do for as long...

Thanks for the expert opinion BigWilly. To your knowledge is there any way alcohol could be reintroduced into blood from other tissues during extreme trauma, possibly sustained over an extended period? Upon re-reading, I think I answered a different question. If I understand you correctly, the ques...

To the best of my knowledge, there is no way to re-introduce any substance back into tissues, either peri-mortem or post-mortem, in the precise concentrations required to mimic the different metabolic rates and processes at each collection point. The "alcohol splash" hypothesis simply would not work...

As both a pilot and a coroner from a different jurisdiction, perhaps I can offer some perspective. Coroners typically are first and foremost investigators. We synthesize data from traffic accident reconstructionists, medical records, TSB reports, ambulance call reports, and pathology reports into a ...

The one disadvantage that I have noticed with the Leatherman products is that when you use the pliers, the metal edges dig into your hand. That's why my current tool of choice is the Gerber. That said, a cheap pair of gloves solves the problem. Personal preference, I reckon.

Driving Rain wrote:Fly dope for spring and summer. Don't put it near the tea bags. Ask me how I know

Yikes. That would suck. But good point, bug dope and/or jacket is a given.

I flew for both float operators there back in the day, and I suspect that with the change in ownership that Pacific Island is the superior employer right now. The owner of Turtle was a sociopath back in the day, who had no interest in paying to maintain safe airplanes. He may have mellowed since the...

Remember the Rule of 3's. Lack of oxygen kills you in 3 minutes. Lack of heat, 3 hours to 3 days, depending on the season and injuries. Lack of water incapacitates you in 3 days, kills you in a week. Lack of food, 3 weeks. I keep a Coast Guard approved 2-minute SCUBA style air bottle affixed to the ...

Sorry to burst the bubble, but the vast majority of oil is formed from gigantic deposits of microscopic zooplankton and the like, not dinosaurs. As awesome as it would be to suppose that the fan is turning because of liquid dinosaurs, we are actually being thrown around the sky because of massive qu...

I got out 5 years ago because I was fed up with every idiot who owned a float charter service. When the price of fuel goes up, so does the requirement form the boss to fly heavy, in crap weather, off-book trips, and bootlegging booze into the rez. The few honest, ethical owners are usually put out o...

Doc, you dirty old man! I do indeed still have A-Dele! She hasn't tossed me out yet. And I'm not even God's gift to aviation anymore!