Superior Airways

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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

June 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

As soon as the ice was off the lake, the aircraft were put in the water and float
operations for the summer got underway. It was during this time that pilots who
had been with Mr. Wieben for a few seasons flying both floats and skis would
move up from the Cessna 180 to the Beaver. From the Beaver some would move
up to the Beech 18. Each float season a few new pilots would appear and get
checked out on the Cessna 180's.

Attached is a photo of Beech 18 CF-WYR at the water base in Sioux Lookout.
This was taken in May 1973.

Hanging on the boat rack is either a 14 foot or 16 foot boat that will be taken to one
of the fishing camps operated by the company. SEL is painted on the side of the boat.
That was for Severn Enterprise Limited.

The boat rack on the Beech 18 worked very well. One pilot alone could put a boat on
or take a boat off the rack. Working from the left float, all that was needed was
a 1/2 inch rachet to unwind the forward and rear cables. The boat would be floated
over the two cables. The pilot would then use the rachet to wind the cables back up,
lifting the boat out of the water and up tight against the rack bars. Two lock pins were
inserted and the aircraft with the boat was ready to go. Most of the pilots used to tie a
rope from the back of the boat to one of the inboard float struts for extra safety.


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Last edited by beech 18 on Sat Apr 01, 2017 2:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bobo
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by bobo »

Kurt,
As per usual you explained the procedure exactly. I never tied a safety rope to the float fitting as my fear was
that if the boat rack system failed I wanted the boat to depart the aircraft not be swinging around and bashing into the belly or floats. I have seen some strange things flown on the boat rack of an 18 including a portable sawmill that Tony Jetton flew out of a lake to move elsowhere. In the process he blew both engines but go the plane safely onto the water near Landsdown House. I think that the throttle to the stops on take off approach to take off finally bit him.
Keep up the good work of telling the history of the company that played a big role in opening up North Western Ontario.
Cheers,
Bobo
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Antique Pilot
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by Antique Pilot »

beech 18 wrote:June 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

As soon as the ice was off the lake, the aircraft were put in the water and float
operations for the summer got underway. It was during this time that pilots who
had been with Mr. Wieben for a few seasons flying both floats and skis would
move up from the Cessna 180 to the Beaver. From the Beaver some would move
up to the Beech 18. Each float season a few new pilots would appear and get
checked out on the Cessna 180's.

Attached is a photo of Beech 18 CF-WYR at the water base in Sioux Lookout.
This was taken in May 1973.

Hanging on the boat rack is either a 14 foot or 16 foot boat that will be taken to one
of the fishing camps operated by the company. SEL is painted on the side of the boat.
That was for Severn Enterprise Limited.

The boat rack on the Beech 18 worked very well. One pilot alone could put a boat on
or take a boat off the rack. Working from the left float, all that was needed was
a 1/2 inch rachet to unwind the forward and rear cables. The boat would be floated
over the two cables. The pilot would then use the rachet to wind the cables back up,
lifting the boat out of the water and up tight against the rack bars. Two lock pins were
inserted and the aircraft with the boat was ready to go. Most of the pilots used to tie a
rope from the back of the boat to one of the inboard float struts for extra safety.


Image
Beautiful photo of WYR. This aircraft met it's demise at Ft. Frances about 10 years ago.

AP
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strikestwo
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by strikestwo »

Worked for Severn out of XL 1972-73. Started on C-180 for $250 a month and 4 cents a mile. Got a raise to $275 a month.
When Don Wieben hired me he said there are no days off but when the wx is out you can do your laundry. Good experience and we were just happy to have a flying job. Whenever anybody quit OJ would call up and ask the base manager "if he got his hands in the till"
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

July 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

In the summer of 1974 the lakes around Sioux Lookout were at levels not seen
at in quite a number of years. The water level had been high after the ice left
the lake and steady rain added to the amount of water.

Because the sea wall and the main dock that trucks backed down to unload
freight were under water for a few weeks, elevated ramps were built to get
passengers and freight out to the floating docks. As the water continued to
rise the ramps themselves started floating away. The best way to get out
to the aircraft became boat or canoe.

Attached is a photo of Beaver CF-MXR tied to the company swamp buggy.
The aircraft is tied where vehicles normally park. Water is under the a-frame
where changeover from floats to skis takes place.

Image


A photo of Cessna 180 CF-VGA tied to the floating dock. The walkway ramps
were about 12 inches above the main dock. The ramps are floating away in
the photo.

Image
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

August 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Attached is a photo of Cessna 180 CF-HDE departing Sioux Lookout in the
summer of 1973.

This Cessna 180 was built in 1953. It was leased by Mr. Wieben and operated
on floats for the company. During the first summer of operation it was flown
by the owner. It was based in Sioux Lookout the first summer and then went
to Pickle Lake the next summer. It remained on floats during the winter months
parked at the water base in Sioux Lookout.

The aircraft had the original Continental 0-470-A engine installed. It provide
225 horsepower which was 5 h.p. less than the other Cessna 180's in the fleet.
The aircraft had been well maintained in the past and other than having one of
the cylinders replaced during a 50 hour inspection, it was a trouble free aircraft.
The floats were in very good condition.

In this photo, the aircraft is empty and was lifting off between the original
Slate Falls Airways dock and the Severn Enterprise dock.


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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

September 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Thousands of engine changes and aircraft repairs have taken place over the
years in remote locations. Many of these aircraft repairs are carried out under
very harsh conditions.
The engine change described below was carried out under the very best of
conditions. This occurred during the summer of 1972.

Cessna 180 CF-LBR was based in Round Lake. The aircraft was flown by one
of Mr. Wieben's highest time pilots. In late June or early July the aircraft was
flying from Round Lake to Sioux Lookout when north of Bingo Lake the engine
suffered a major internal failure and quit. The pilot landed on the lake and tied
the aircraft to the trees on the shore of a sandy point of land.

A radio call was relayed to the base in Sioux Lookout and another Cessna 180
flew in and picked up the pilot. I can't recall if there were any passengers
on board LBR when the engine quit.

The next day the Sioux Lookout maintenance crew flew into Bingo Lake which
was approx. 50 miles north of Sioux to change the engine. The replacement engine
was flown in on Beech 18 CF-ZQR.

The Cessna 180 was pulled up under a tree on the shoreline. A small hand winch
was attached to a large branch on the tree.
The engine was stripped and then lifted off. Engine accessories were changed over
on the shoreline and the new engine was lifted into place and the installation was
completed. After an engine run up was carried out the engine cowlings were reinstalled.

Because the aircraft had been pulled up on the sand bar (no rocks in the water at all)
for the engine change, a rope was tied to the rear floats struts of LBR and to the rear
float struts of Beech 18 CF-ZQR and with just a tiny bit of power the Beech pulled the
Cessna back in the water. The failed engine, tool boxes, etc were all loaded into the
Beech 18 for the trip back to Sioux. LBR was flown out of Bingo Lake at the same
time by the pilot who had assisted with the engine change.

CF-LBR remained in Sioux Lookout for the rest of the summer while Cessna 180 CF-VSD
went to Round Lake for the remainder of the float season.


A photo of Cessna 180 CF-LBR pulled up under a tree on the shoreline to have the
engine replaced. This was the failed engine before removal.
The propeller and some accessories have already been taken off.


Image


Cessna 180 CF-VGA parked at the end of the sand point on Bingo Lake.
As can be seen in the photo it was a perfect day for an engine change.
Sunny and hot, no bugs. CF-VGA was a Sioux Lookout based aircraft.


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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

October 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Attached is a photo of Beech 18 CF-WYR and CF-ZQR tied to the dock in
Sioux Lookout in late September of 1973. WYR would never be left tied to
the dock as shown in the photo. The Beech was moved to the outside of the
dock to access the cargo door for loading. It was better to move the Beech than
to carry the load under the wing. The aircraft is still sitting high in the water so
it had not yet been loaded when the photo was taken. If you look close you
can see both the roof hatch and pilots sliding window are opened. Once loaded
the Beech will head north.

CF-WYR was based in Pickle Lake in the summer of 1973.

In the photo a different tail paint scheme on ZQR can be seen. This was the
only Beech that had the outside of the vertical stabs painted gold. All the other
Beech 18 tails had red coloured vertical stabs inside and outside.

In front of ZQR can be seen the tail of Cessna 180 CF-VGA. There is about a
month of float season left. All three aircraft in the photo will be in or return to
Sioux Lookout for freeze up.


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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

November 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

A bit of information about the Beech 18 fleet.

Each aircraft in the Beech 18 fleet was a bit different from the other. CF-PRZ for
example had round head rivets in the nose skin area where most of the other
Beech 18's had flush head rivets in the nose skin area back to where the leading
edge of the wing met the fuselage.

Depending on the Beech 18 model, some had one rudder trim tab on the left
rudder only, while the other aircraft had a trim tab on both rudders.
CF-HVF, CF-PLU, CF-PRZ, and CF-VCE had one rudder trim tab only.
CF-WYR, CF-YDV, CF-YQB, and CF-ZQR had a rudder trim tab on both rudders.

All the HF radio antenna wires ran from the top of the fuselage to the right vertical
stab and then to the right wing tip. The reason for this was the door for loading
was on the left side of the aircraft. This kept the antenna wire out of the way.
One exception to this was CF-RSW that had a right side cargo door. RSW was leased
and wasn't around very long.

There were no large single piece wrap around windshields. All the Beech's had thirteen
pieces of glass in the front including the two small eye brow windows. Three of the
windows could be opened.

All the ailerons, rudders and elevators were fabric covered. The flaps were metal but
there were times when a Beech did show up with a fabric flap installed. There may have
been fabric flaps on both sides of some of the aircraft before my time with the company.

When operating on floats all the Beech 18's had a ladder on both the left and right side of
the aircraft aft of the flaps. Most operators only had the one left side ladder up to the
main door.

All of the Beech 18 aircraft had two blade Hamilton Standard Propellers. There were no
three blade Hartzel propellers on any of the aircraft.

There was a single 100 amp generator on the left engine only. That engine as a rule
was always started first.

None of the Beech's had the short exhaust stacks. All aircraft had the collector ring and
the single large exhaust pipe for each engine. All heat for the interior came from the
exhaust heater tube on each engine.

Just a few of the differences in some of the Beech 18 aircraft operated by
Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise.
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

December 07, 2014

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Attached is a photo taken in November 1973 of Cessna 180 CF-VGA. The photo
was taken at the water base in Sioux Lookout.

The aircraft had been parked since the end of float season and is being prepared
to have the skis installed for winter operations. The sling was attached to the
four lifting points the day before and snow had fallen overnight. The tail ski has
already been installed on the stinger.

CF-VGA required an additional step when being changed over from floats to skis.
This aircraft had the internal water rudder steering cable system. All the cables
were routed inside the floats and up the inside of the float struts into the fuselage.
From there they ran back to the tail end of the aircraft and connected to the
air rudder bell cranks. Because of the routing of the cables in VGA, it was necessary
to remove and install a different set of rudder bell cranks for tail ski steering.

I don't know of any of the other Cessna 180's in the fleet that required this change
when the skis were installed.

CF-VGA operated out of Sioux Lookout and was fitted with Federal straight skis.


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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

January 07, 2015

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Attached is a photo taken in December 1969 at the water base in Sioux Lookout.
The aircraft is Cessna 180 CF-LBR. The nose of the aircraft is inside the
maintenance shop for engine work and the door tarp has been positioned to cover
the door opening while the work is been carried out.

This was the standard instrument panel in the Cessna 180 fleet.
CF-LBR and CF-VGA were two aircraft that also had a D.G. installed. LBR's D.G.
was operated by a venturi tube on the left side of the aircraft. VGA's D.G. was
operated by a vacuum pump on the engine.

All the aircraft in the fleet had one H.F. radio installed. That was it for radios.
Beech 18 CF-VCE was an exception to this because it operated out of Thunder Bay
in the summer on wheels.

Each aircraft base had an H.F. radio that the aircraft would call by using a two number
code.
Thunder Bay was 42. (Ft. William).
Pickle Lake was 53.
Sioux Lookout was 54.
Big Trout Lake was 86.

Bases that I can't recall the call numbers for were Armstrong, Nakina, Pays Platt, Round
Lake and Wiebenville. There were some other H.F. radios as well at other locations.

In this photo the hand pump for the wheel / skis can be seen. The pump was mounted
on the floor forward of the right seat and under the passengers knees.


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bobo
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by bobo »

Nakina was 82 when I was based there.
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

Feb 07, 2015

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Spar mods were required to be installed on the Beech 18 fleet before float season
started in 1974. Sioux Lookout was responsible for three of the Beech 18 aircraft.
They were CF-WYR which was operating on skis for the winter in Pickle Lake and
Wiebenville. CF-YQB and CF-ZQR were parked for the winter on floats behind the
office in Sioux.

In mid March Mr. Wieben called Sioux Lookout and said he wanted the two Beech 18's
that were parked for the winter to be prepared for flight. Because Sioux had no
hangar the spar mods were going to be installed on those aircraft in the hangar at
Armstrong. Both CF-YQB and CF-ZQR were pulled out of the snow bank the day we
got the call.

YQB was placed on the ice to have an engine installed and a maintenance inspection
carried out. Over the winter a number of items had been robbed for the Beech 18's
operating on skis. All these items were reinstalled.

ZQR was placed near the change over A frame. This Beech required two engines and
a vertical stab to be installed that were again robbed for other aircraft. It to had a
maintenance inspection carried out.

WYR would finish ski season and then head right to Armstrong to have its spar mod
installed.

It was a good plan and in the end all the aircraft were ready for float season on time.

Attached is a photo of YQB parked on the ice after having the left engine installed and
maintenance work completed. Because YQB required the least work, it was going to
go to Armstrong first. ZQR would follow about a week later. The photo was taken
at the end of March, 1974

The other aircraft in the photo are Beaver CF-ODD that was based in Sioux Lookout for
the winter. Otter CF-GBX that was based in Pickle Lake for the winter and was in
Sioux for maintenance. Way in the distance off the propeller blade of GBX is a Beech 18
on the ice at Hooker Air. That Beech is CF-TBA and is on wheel / skis.
(the only Beech in our area on wheel / skis).


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Last edited by beech 18 on Sat Apr 01, 2017 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

March 07, 2015

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Attached is a photo that was taken on April 1, 1974 in Sioux Lookout.

It was near the end of March when Beech 18 CF-YQB was ready to depart Sioux Lookout
for Armstrong. The aircraft had required a number of maintenance items and inspections
to be completed before heading east to have its spar mode installed.

In the photo the Beech is just coming off the ice and heading west out of the bay.
The flight to Armstrong would take roughly one hour. The aircraft landed on the snow packed
(rolled) runway at the Armstrong Airport.

Once the aircraft was on the ground in Armstrong it was pulled into the hangar right away.
The floats were removed and the spar mode installation got underway.

Approx. a week after YQB landed in Armstrong, Beech 18 CF-ZQR departed Sioux Lookout
for Armstrong to have its spar mode installed. Both Beech 18's were back in Sioux by the
middle of May to begin the summer of float flying.

The third Sioux Lookout Beech CF-WYR had gone from Pickle Lake right to Armstrong at the
end of ski season. It returned to Sioux Lookout in May after receiving its spar mode.
It then departed for Pickle Lake for the summer float season.

I can't recall if the spar mode for Beech 18 CF-YDV was installed in Armstrong or Thunder Bay.
YDV was not based in Sioux lookout.


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Antique Pilot
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by Antique Pilot »

Great shot! Do you remember who was flying it?

AP
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

March 08, 2015

Antique Pilot

The pilot was John Parson.
He flew both YQB and ZQR to Armstrong.
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

April 07, 2015

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Each winter the runway in the bay at Sioux Lookout was maintained by
Severn Enterprise. The runway started out in front of the Severn Enterprise base and
extended out to the north east side of Frying Pan Island. Pine trees were cut and
placed every hundred feet or so in the snow along each side of the runway.

Severn Enterprise had a rubber track swamp buggy that could pull three runway
rollers at a time. Usually only one roller was used because it was much easier on the
swamp buggy steering. The company also used a large snow scrapper to cut down
bumps and high spots leaving a very nice surface to operate from.

The rolled runway on the ice was mainly used by aircraft on skis. The surface was hard
enough that some wheel aircraft did use it regularly in the winter months.

A few wheel aircraft that come to mind were Beech 18 CF-ZQH that was owned by a
group of Severn Enterprise pilots and later by Mr. Wieben.
Hooker Air Service Beech 18 CF-PJD flew off the ice in the winter.
The original Slate Falls Airways operated Beech 18 CF-HWK off the ice the first year they
owned it.

In 1971 Austin Airways operated an Avro Anson CF-HQZ off the ice during the winter
doing mineral survey for INCO. The Anson operated from the Severn Enterprise base
and was 100% supported by the base.

Attached is a photo that was taken from the runway near Frying Pan Island looking east
into the bay. This was taken in March 1971.


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Re: Superior Airways

Post by Antique Pilot »

beech 18 wrote:April 07, 2015

Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.

Each winter the runway in the bay at Sioux Lookout was maintained by
Severn Enterprise. The runway started out in front of the Severn Enterprise base and
extended out to the north east side of Frying Pan Island. Pine trees were cut and
placed every hundred feet or so in the snow along each side of the runway.

Severn Enterprise had a rubber track swamp buggy that could pull three runway
rollers at a time. Usually only one roller was used because it was much easier on the
swamp buggy steering. The company also used a large snow scrapper to cut down
bumps and high spots leaving a very nice surface to operate from.

The rolled runway on the ice was mainly used by aircraft on skis. The surface was hard
enough that some wheel aircraft did use it regularly in the winter months.

A few wheel aircraft that come to mind were Beech 18 CF-ZQH that was owned by a
group of Severn Enterprise pilots and later by Mr. Wieben.
Hooker Air Service Beech 18 CF-PJD flew off the ice in the winter.
The original Slate Falls Airways operated Beech 18 CF-HWK off the ice the first year they
owned it.

In 1971 Austin Airways operated an Avro Anson CF-HQZ off the ice during the winter
doing mineral survey for INCO. The Anson operated from the Severn Enterprise base
and was 100% supported by the base.

Attached is a photo that was taken from the runway near Frying Pan Island looking east
into the bay. This was taken in March 1971.


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Re: Superior Airways

Post by Antique Pilot »

Sorry. finger trouble here with the new IPAD.

Beech 18,

Do you recall an Austin Airways/Inco Anson on it's nose on the ice strip in the bay late in the winter of 1971? It may have been in April. Pilot was a colorful chap with the initials JC. I thought it may have been IVK but certainly may have been HQZ. I was out of camera film that day.

AP
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beech 18
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Re: Superior Airways

Post by beech 18 »

April 14, 2015

Antique Pilot

The accident happened in early April.
The Anson was HQZ. It was returning from its early morning flight
landing into the bay.
The aircraft ended up on the right side of the runway straight out from
Hooker Air Service. (or close to straight out).

The aircraft did go on to its nose causing structure damage. The left gear
collapsed and the right main tire was flat.
(it is possible the right tire was flat before landing).
Both props were bent.

The aircraft was repaired at the Severn Enterprise base just enough to
fly off the ice and land back at the Sioux Lookout air strip.
Time was important because spring breakup was right around the corner.
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