Here is Murray Wood and Beaver CF-HGZ on the Stikine River just north of the junction with the Spatsizi River late 1990's. Murray passed away last December at his home on Texada Island at the age of 87. He was an active pilot starting in 1944 and called it quits in 1999. Rest in Peace old friend. AP

Classic Canadian floatplane pic...awesome.


I love the river current docking onto rickety wood in seemingly shallow rocky water....I'm guessing he made it look easy.

Thanks. Yes Murray made it look easy. Murray was a big man. What always amazed me was how fast he could get through that little Beaver cockpit door to tie up. Murray stopped logging flying time about 1975. He flew for 55 years so it is anybody's guess how much flying time he had when he quit. Murray flew some very historic aircraft: Bellanca Skyrocket, Bellanca Aircruiser, Fairchild Husky. Of course he flew all the other usual bush aircraft Otter, Norseman, Beech 18, Beaver, Cessna. I don't think Murray ever flew a C-185. If so it wouldn't have been very much. He didn't like that new fangled fuel injection business. Also, although the Beavers he flew in the 1990's had GPS he never used them. He told me he was too busy navigating to push a bunch of buttons.

AP

Murray made everything look easy. Absolutely one of a kind. RIP old friend.