Ice Pilots of NWT Series on History Channel this Fall!

[supercub7]

Does anybody know who quits next week?

[allblueskies]

Juan-Kelly's husband. In the description on icepilots.com it says after he quits she makes the difficult decision whether to stay or go.

[Driving Rain]

Exactly, these checks are memory checks you don't want to be heads down when doing three minute pickups.

THREE MINUTE PICKUPS!!!!!!!!!!! Cat you lazy bugger.

[canwhitewolf]

So, with 2 episodes left of this season, what do you guys figure-will you be tuning in for season 2 (with no Turkey trip) or do you figure this 15 minutes is up?

**********************************************************************

I enjoy the show very much and will be tuning in for sure, spent time in the north

and a few years on the dc3 so its nostalgic for me

[Jorge36]

Sure enjoy seeing those old 'sweethearts' in operation. 55 years ago I was an apprentice Air Engineer and did all those things that the 'rampies' do plus maintenance on the airplanes but we had no hangar in Yellowknife so every thing was like that engine change in Norman Wells. Nothing's changed very much. At the time, I was working on a CPL and wanted to fly those airplanes in the worst way. Didn't turn out for me at that airline so didn't fly the C-46. Did get to another outfit and flew the DC-3 and other types for the next nearly 40 years.
During my time with C-46's I never heard anyone complain about the airplane. I did know the pilots weren't impressed with single engine performance with a load on. We never had an accident with them on that DEW line operation although there were lots of outfits that did.
Cat! Did you ever fly them? From what you've posted, maybe not. Did you ever see these -46's? (site below) They had a DC-4 windshield! I think PWA had a couple of them but there must be other old guys on here who remember.


http://www.airliners.net/photo/Pacific- ... a3b17c08a0

[Moose47]

For all you Dakaholics such as my self, you will be pleased to know that this year's theme at Oshkosh is the celebration of 75th anniversary of the DC-3. Right now there are around 35 aircraft confirmed to attend and they hope to have over 50.

As for the C-46 in P.W.A. service, the used the following aircraft.
CF-CZI *Sold to Intermountain
CF-CZJ *Sold to Birds & Sons
CF-CZM *Sold to Nordair
CF-CZN *Sold to Nordair
CF-HYU *Sold to Flying Tigers
CF-PWD *Formerly CF-HYH. It was written off on the 29th of January 1960 at Port Hardy
CF-PWE *Registered as CF-HYI from 1955 to 1959

[Cat Driver]

Cat! Did you ever fly them? From what you've posted, maybe not. Did you ever see these -46's?

No unfortunately I did not, I did try and get on with Zantop in Detroit but never got my FAA ATLP in time. A pilot who worked at the same company as I did did get on and a few months later was killed in a mid air between the C46 and a Aztec climbing through cloud without a flight plan or a clearance.

The only airplanes with big radials I flew were the DC3, the PBY and the C117...close to 10,000 hours worth.

Anything that cruises over 2050 RPM scares the hell out of me.

[North Shore]

Exactly, these checks are memory checks you don't want to be heads down when doing three minute pickups.

THREE MINUTE PICKUPS!!!!!!!!!!! Cat you lazy bugger.

Maybe he was on a fire in Ontario!

[Siddley Hawker]

The C-46 with the stepped windshield was the E model. They only built either 13 or 17 of 'em, I forget which. The best C-46 driver I ever saw was Fritz Bleuthner. It's 2200 feet from the numbers on R13 to the intersection of R23 in ZV. Bleuth would regularly land on 13 and taxi off onto 23 with minimal use of brakes. Actually, with the old type brakes you only ever got one, maybe two good applications before they faded to near uselessness, so any application was made with caution. They also squealed so badly, in the fog you'd hear the airplane before you saw it.

[Jorge36]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Moose47! That was really interesting for me to hear where some of those 'CZ' airplanes went.

Cat! What a remarkable career you've had flying with those P&W's. I have to say you have very valuable advice to pass on to these 'youngun's'. The smart ones will listen to you.

SiddleyHawker! Thanks for the info on the 'E' model -46. Somehow, I had thought they were 'operator mod's'. Those brakes were quite something too. Every one of those airplanes screeched like a 'banshee'.
J

[Arian17]

Hi,
I enjoy watching the show and I like the idea that old classic airplanes are not just flown at Air Shows occasionally but still doing regular work.
From the show it looks like these old radial engines have a lot of hiccups and problems these days though and require quite a lot of maintenance...

But I have another question:
Being from Europe I don't know much about life in the NWT and in Canada.
But isn't it insanely expensive to supply all these small villages and settlements by air mainly? I imagine that all food, gas & stuff that is flown in probably is very expensive for the locals to buy and I suppose that the delivery cost is added on the regular price of the products by the local show owners.
Do the people living on the outskirts in these small villages and settlements earn that much income that they can afford to have every can of milk, and liter of gas been flown in by air?
Or who is paying for all this?

[Cat Driver]

Cat! What a remarkable career you've had flying with those P&W's. I have to say you have very valuable advice to pass on to these 'youngun's'. The smart ones will listen to you.

Thanks Jorge36 I keep posting here to help the smart ones because they will think about what I say.

As for the ones that think they already know but all and demonstrate their true ignorance through lack of respect for their elders hopefully the system will weed them out before they kill someone.

There are a few here who can't resist demeaning those of us who are nearing the end of our life spans, obviously they are to stupid to want to live a long time.

And even more stupid is thinking they know it all and can not learn from those who have been there and done it.

[Prairie Chicken]

Or who is paying for all this?

For the most part--the Government! And that means the Cdn. taxpayers.

Yes, it is insanely expensive (by Canadian standards) to buy products and services in the North. Yes, often salaries are very high--but as you've seen with Buffalo--not always. Several years ago I read that it would be far, far less expensive to give every man, woman, & child in the NWT $1,000,000 Cdn. to do with as they pleased rather than to continue to subsidize life the North. Still, there are benefits. We just hope that they'll start to pay off at some point soon .....

[North Shore]

So, with 2 episodes left of this season, what do you guys figure-will you be tuning in for season 2 (with no Turkey trip) or do you figure this 15 minutes is up?

Only two more episodes? Oh, well, it'll be re-runs all summer..

[canwhitewolf]

they are filming season 2 at present

[Indanao]

im sure there is a reason why large mining/drilling outfits no longer let there employees fly on the ol piston pounders...track record speaks for itself..

The track record of those old piston pounders is actually quite good, I have close to ten thousand hours on big airplanes that are old piston pounders and I never did a flight in one that I did not safely complete.

im sure Borek didnt know what they were doin when they strapped the turbine on the DC-3?? DUHH..

Borek never strapped a turbine on a DC3, but they have bought them.
[/quote]



Well, just to correct False information, Ken Borek of course does operate DC3T.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TppEtAQ4 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqn41RMwEjg&NR=1

[Sam300]

they are filming season 2 at present

And the name of the show will be changed to" As the Prop Turns"

[Cat Driver]

Indanao why do you keep harping about my posts, have you not read the rules of the forum?

It is against the rules to pick on those who are ignorant.

[Indanao]

Indanao why do you keep harping about my posts, have you not read the rules of the forum?

It is against the rules to pick on those who are ignorant.

No intention of singling you out, just trying to keep things accurate.

[Unit 969]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basler_BT-67

[Cat Driver]

Indanao I also like to be correct in what I post, so lets look at what you said:

Well, just to correct False information, Ken Borek of course does operate DC3T, and crashed one in the AntArctic.

You also said:

..im sure Borek didnt know what they were doin when they strapped the turbine on the DC-3??

All I did was correct you, by pointing out that Ken Borek never converted a DC3 to Turbines...the conversion was done by Basler......unless Borek is now into converting airplanes????

[Indanao]

Indanao I also like to be correct in what I post, so lets look at what you said:

Well, just to correct False information, Ken Borek of course does operate DC3T, and crashed one in the AntArctic.

You also said:

..im sure Borek didnt know what they were doin when they strapped the turbine on the DC-3??

All I did was correct you, by pointing out that Ken Borek never converted a DC3 to Turbines...the conversion was done by Basler......unless Borek is now into converting airplanes????

Fistly, I never said what you said I said: e.g.:" im sure Borek didn't know..." someone else did. It can be taken to mean that they bought the turbines, most especially as that was the topic.

And, as it gets to be a game of semantics, I'll only let my correction stand.

Enjoy.

[Janszoon]

im sure Borek didnt know what they were doin when they strapped the turbine on the DC-3?? DUHH....

Borek never strapped a turbine on a DC3, but they have bought them.

Well, just to correct False information, Ken Borek of course does operate DC3T, and crashed one in the AntArctic.

Indanao why do you keep harping about my posts, have you not read the rules of the forum?
It is against the rules to pick on those who are ignorant.

No intention of singling you out, just trying to keep things accurate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basler_BT-67 (Wikipedia article about the Basler BT-67 conversion)

All I did was correct you, by pointing out that Ken Borek never converted a DC3 to Turbines...the conversion was done by Basler......unless Borek is now into converting airplanes????

Just to clear things up so we can leave this discussion behind:

Kenn Borek Air operates DC3T's (known as Basler BT-67's), which are DC3's converted to turbine by Basler Turbo Conversions of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Kenn Borek does not do conversions.

[Cat Driver]

Now that we all agree on that lets keep this really off topic.

Douglas Aircraft made a new version of the DC3 just before the Jets took over from piston pounders.

They stretched the fuselage and made a new wing, H/S and fin/rudder.

It was named the R4D-8.

Anyone here ever fly one?

[PT6-114A]

Is that not what the DC3 for KBA in CYEV a few years ago was?