Hooker Air Dock at Pickle Lake, Fall 1970

[Antique Pilot]

Here is the main dock showing:

CF-KKU Cessna 180 on lease to Hooker Air
CF-NKL Beech 18 with Ed Showalter from Nestor Falls
CF-SFI Beech 18 with Hooker Air
CF-TBX Beech 18 with Bud Mallory from Ft. Frances
CF-ITW Beaver with Ron Wensley from Nestor Falls
CF-IKP Beaver with Hooker Air

These aircraft were waiting for better weather before flying to goose hunting camps near Hudson Bay.

AP

[bigsky]

What a great picture - you will probably never see that again.
I bet there was lots of rainbow colored water with all those radials sitting there.

[phillyfan]

Good to see nothing has changed. Bunch of pilots sitting around doing F-all.

[NWONT]

I worked off this dock 40 years ago, she don't look so good now

[Antique Pilot]

I worked off this dock 40 years ago, she don't look so good now

Quite sad.

So many good memories working off that dock and the office/warehouse/bunkhouse directly behind.
I worked with many people who became life long friends that I happily keep in touch with. Some of the best days of my flying career.

AP

[NWONT]

Here's the same dock picture taken from the lake in the early 70's. That's four DC-3's around it. Most I had as an Engineer was five. Isn't it strange how a dock can bring people together?

[Antique Pilot]

Here's the same dock picture taken from the lake in the early 70's. That's four DC-3's around it. Most I had as an Engineer was five. Isn't it strange how a dock can bring people together?

Thanks for that pic NWONT.

Where is my 180?

AP

[NWONT]

Damn, not sure, but the way things are going in aviation it'll probably be melted to make beer cans.....same as mine!!

[NWFI]

Great pics !
I heard many stories of flying the beech's, beavers and Mallard up to the goose camps on the bay, glad i missed those trips
NKL is still going strong although staying much closer to home these days

Thanks for posting

[Antique Pilot]

Great pics !
I heard many stories of flying the beech's, beavers and Mallard up to the goose camps on the bay, glad i missed those trips
NKL is still going strong although staying much closer to home these days

Thanks for posting

Thanks for mentioning the Mallard. I forgot about that. I took this photo on the same day. It is a US registered Mallard possibly out of International Falls which was flown by Tom Sigurdson. It was full of goose hunters as well. There was no dock space so the only place left was along the road to the Hooker Air mtce hangar. Good thing the wind didn't come up. Looking behind the Mallard between the engines is Superior Airways Otter GBX I believe. Looking north from the right wing tip is the Hooker Air main dock with Bud Mallory's Beech 18 TBX out front. I think they were there for 2 or 3 days waiting for weather along the Hudson Bay coast. Limited hotel space so there were guys sprawled all over the warehouse in their sleeping bags. We did several beer runs.

AP

[currysonic]

So heres a question from a young guy...

Why isn't there anymore beech 18's anymore vs the numerous amount of beavers/otters that still flying around?

[7ECA]

From what I've heard it had something to do with a spar AD that came out.

[digits_]

There was actually a company called hooker air ??? What did they euhm ... deliver ?

[Antique Pilot]

So heres a question from a young guy...

Why isn't there anymore beech 18's anymore vs the numerous amount of beavers/otters that still flying around?

Yes there is the spar strap mod. Quite expensive. Also the spar had to be x-rayed at regular intervals. The Beech on floats has no spreader bars so a few had the floats ripped off in rough water.

AP

[Antique Pilot]

Here is Beech CF-SFH 1995.

Left hand float broke away during takeoff run.

[North Shore]

There was actually a company called hooker air ??? What did they euhm ... deliver ?

Yes, indeed there was! Mr. and Mrs. Hooker even had a few children - I met one of the girls later on, and she must have been a fine young Hooker - a looker Hooker, one might say!

[twotter]

Just looking at the original picture, worked with Ron Wensley out here on the West Coast in the mid 80's.. Great guy..

[DASBOOT]

I was flying out of Pickle lake for 2 years 69-70 somewhere I have pictures of Peet the Fin the hooker engineer a a bunch of 18 and DC3 on the ice in the winter intresting to see that old dock. I met my wife in Pickle she was a school teacher good to see all these old pictures keep it up there are not maney of us left.