Norseman drivers

swede · Post by **swede** » Sat May 28, 2005 11:23 am

I had about 50hrs on a Mk V about 20 yrs ago. I wonder what the max load is guys can get off with one of those things on floats. We were trying to operate it at SL with light Otter loads, around 1800 lbs - 3 hrs fuel. That was bloody scary. One particular takeoff from a river at SL on the west coast, I think my takeoff run was about 2 miles. The thing seemed to get on step reasonably, but would not get airborne. Once airborne, I almost ended up back in the drink, I could not correct the descent and I was not in subsidence. The aircraft would not climb above about 500' until I had burned several hundred lbs of fuel. Scary crap I can tell you, not sure how I survived it, but that machine would no way carry an otter load and just wodered what eveyone elses experience has been. Last note, there was nothing mechanically wrong with this machine..

canoe · Post by **canoe** » Sun May 29, 2005 6:32 am

1600 lbs, with around 2.5 - 3 hours fuel. Never an otter load.

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Sun May 29, 2005 1:49 pm

Six American fisherman, beer, booze, tackle, my 100 pound dog in the copilot seat, and 2.5 hours gear. Cruise to the lodge at 500 feet, empty on the way back, I'd go right to the service ceiling- 500 feet.

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Sun May 29, 2005 6:32 pm

2.5 - 3 hrs fuel + 75 to 90 Imp gals a Mk4 on small floats (6480's I believe) or a Mk 6 on the same floats would carry 1800 lbs IF you loaded it correctly. You depend on the curvature of the earth to gain altitude. Mk 5 on 7170's would carry 2000 lbs on floats, 2200 on skiis. again, THE CURVATURE OF THE EARTH HELPED. It was a black science to rig one properly. I flew a Mk 6 that was a friggen dog till the engine blew up and a new one was put in, then it was just a plain old dog. Along comes the dumbest looking and sounding air mechanic who adjusted the wing struts, the float struts, peed on many parts and all of a sudden, it was an airplane. Load went up from barely 1600 lbs to 2100 lbs. aaaaaaone thing you did forget is a baseball cap with a big beak. When things are just too ugly and you know you are going to crask, you pull the beak down and don't look out. What you don't see can't hurt. Then you are a nordyne driver.

J31 · Post by **J31** » Mon May 30, 2005 9:49 am

Anyone know what became of Norseman Donny Graham of Sioux Lookout and his Silver Wings Air

I worked with him a few years back when he had Norseman CF-FOX

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Mon May 30, 2005 10:05 am

The silver Fox?
Haven't seen him in 20 years!

Just me · Post by **Just me** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:01 pm

[quote="J31"]Anyone know what became of Norseman Donny Graham of Sioux Lookout and his Silver Wings Air :?: I worked with him a few years back when he had Norseman CF-FOX[/quote] FOX is on the beach at Pickle lake and the Duck is in Red Lake last I heard on the Island.

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 2:03 pm

Why not check the civil aircraft register. It has history and can at least tell where that registration is.(Destroyed, removed, exported, used on another airplane etc.)
The old Norseman was a good airplane if you knew how to fly it and more importantly, if the mechanics knew how to rig the angle of dangle between the wings, tail section and floats. Adjusting the rear float struts to get the airplane planning at the best airplane/floats combo was critical. I carried 2200 lbs consistantly with a Mk.5 on 7170's. but I used a lot of water to get off and depended on the curvature of the earth to gain altitude. This was out of Flin Flon with Parsons Airways in the '70s. CF-ECE and ECD. Mk4 or MK6 on small floats, 1800 lbs. CF-FEW, CF-EPZ,CF-DRE. 50 Imp gallons in left, bottom of the glass in right. nothing in the belly tank.

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:58 pm

Oldtimer,
I agree with you totally but would like to add one more thing to make it work better, and that was an engineer who knew how to set the valves correctly.. That was so important with that engine .. If you did not you would not only suffer in performance but it would set you up for blowing jugs...

Walter · Post by **Walter** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:19 pm

Only six days to the Norseman festival better get out the wax!

Kernal Klink · Post by **Kernal Klink** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:00 am

Anyone know who's doing the rides this year other than CHIMO?

zero · Post by **zero** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:13 pm

Been there, got the t-shirt.

Looked like only CHIMO was doing the rides. Kinda lame with only a couple of Norsemans showing up and a RV-6 demo that lasted about three minutes. Oh, I forgot the CL-415 dropped 4 loads at the far end of Howey Bay...whoop de doo. Nice to get out of camp for the day though.