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Neil's current Blog
June - July 2010
WEB SITE BLOG (sometimes more than Beavers!) Currently visitor/visitors on the website.
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01 September 2010 Progress on C-GJZE (1276) at Campbell River, almost ready to go back into service with Air Cab at Coal Harbour, BC. Credit to the unsung, modest engineers and skilled rebuilders of the Beaver community!
Photo: Dirk Septer © 26 August 2010 A note to those generous souls who have kindly taken the time and gone to the expense of sending me CD's and suppling e-images for potential inclusion on the website. Please be patient, most of you are, and I appreciate that. I am plowing my way through the backlog (hundreds!) and gradually adding them. I have been "scolded" recently about my web content etc., - this website is for fun, it is not a duty. If, and when I am not "around", this website will be history. Let's all enjoy it daily while we can (as about 350 of you do!). Rant over - now back to my painting. 31 August 2010 Just when I thought I was so cool, I flipped over my calendar page to September 1st...oops, I had some extra errant numbers. So my apologies to those of you who printed out the date section and like me, did not check. It is now correct (phew) and is here. Now, let's move on to September. 30 August 2010 Almost the last day of August. I decided to get a jump on September by adding the September 2010 DHC-2.COM Calendar Page for you. This month we have a great shot of C-FMRN (480) taken by David Brown from his cottage dock near Temagami, Ontario. Many thanks Dave.
Photo: Dave Brown © 13 August 2010 My painting "Jetsam" has been on hold for a few days as we have had some visitors coming and going. 22 August 2010 Another Beaver down. Current status on N9313Z (441) is missing after leaving Swikshak Lagoon at 13:45 local Saturday 21st, for a flight to King Salmon. © Image here by Andrew Serak 23 June 2007 taken at King Salmon, Alaska. May there be survivors. 19 August 2010 The scale of things - this interesting image from "The Sealand Blog" - shows a DHC-2 MK.III Turbine Beaver aircraft beside a Douglas DC-3 Dakota. Wow, does it ever look small! Two favourites of mine, and yours too no doubt.
Photo: Sealand Aviation © 09 August 2010 18 August 2010 As reported on the CBC today, I note that SaltSpring Air is fitting their Beaver fleet with the new emergency pop-out windows to permit easy egress in event of an emergency. Congratulations on this initiative St. Clair! I hope that all Beavers will soon be so equipped. Here is the CBC link. Viking Air are doing this type of installation as a full on "Mod" / Service Bulletin to the Type Design. 12 August 2010 For those of you who follow my brush, below is the area I have been working on today. Pretty slow really, hard to see any changes on "The Jetsam Journal". Like those "Can you spot the difference" games we used to do as kids. Updated the small animation too, I had forgotton how to do it, but Graphic Designer son Anthony, came to the rescue (yet again). You can see some of his work here, Your Workplace magazine is his "canvas". Thanks again Ant!
Photos: Neil Aird © 12 August 2010 Happy to report that my wife Danielle is writing again, albeit on Wednesday and Thursday only at the moment. 10 August 2010 At 09:20 EDT this morning I got an e-mail from my friend Ken Marshall informing me that an Otter was down in Alaska. By 10:20 I had been in touch with CNN and suggesed they contact John Olafson, our regular correspondent from Vernon, British Columbia. John had two fine images of N455A (206) the de Havilland DHC-3 Turbine Otter that crashed. After e-mailing John a heads up, I spoke to him on the phone and he was already fielding requests. He does not like to be in this situation, but did furnish permissions to CNN, the New York Times, Associated Press and Reuters.
Web images: CNN.COM © 10 August 2010 - Photos of DHC-3T John W. Olafson © 28/29 April 2005 Sad loss of life again, but hopefully the survivors can shed some light on the accident. Condolences to familes and friends of the victims. I wish safe operations for the search and recovery teams. as they deal with a harsh environment and conditions. 04 August 2010 Today I picked up my paintbrush again, and have started in on "Jetsam" once again after a long two year (yikes!) hiatus. I will endeavour to complete this painting before my travels in October/November. I had forgotten how much fun painting can be. Throw in a swim in the mighty Lake Ontario each nice day, man, it really seems like summer. I don't think I will do daily snaps of the painting as that seems just a bit too much like work. Oh, okay, here's one . . . after two hours of new work.
Photo: Neil Aird © 06 August 2010 I still hope to add a "Beaver-a-Day" if I can, although I can't promise!! I found this little video the other day about a certain type of plane we all know and love;-)
02 August 2010 As of yesterday, the DHC-2.COM Calendar pages for August 2010 available, with my compliments. Give the PDF lots of time to load and print on Canon Photo Matte paper for best results. My thanks to John Caswell for the image of C-GACK (711).
Photo: John Caswell © 2010 30 July 2010 Usually on the first of August I see my first autumn red leaf. . . guess what I saw shining in the sun this morning?
Photo: Neil Aird © 08:12 EDT 30 July 2010 26 July 2010 Some DHC-2.COM trivia for you. just checked on the Countries section and I noticed a few more visitors from areas of the world I have somehow missed. Suriname, Gambia, Myanmar and Montenegro. 180 Countries now in the "Passport" . . . ;-) The most popular item I have added to the website "ever" is the "Monthan Memories" page. During July alone, 9,635 views have been made of that page. 8,737 visitors going there directly!! I guess the word got out on that section, and there is not a single Beaver there!! 25 July 2010 Yet another accident to report. On Saturday 24 July 2010 C-FGYK (123) a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver crashed shortly after take off from La Grande-Riviére airport near Radisson, in northern Québec. Two were killed, including the pilot and three were injured. 24 July 2010
Photo: Neil Aird © 10:24 EDT 24 July 2010
I noticed a track on my screen, warned Danie "Husky 05" 15005 an Airbus CC-150 would be whistling by her window. . . snapped a shot as it did a lazy circuit and headed off back to CFB Trenton at 3,075. I don't miss much . . . my guess is a Saturday morning air experience flight with Air Cadets. More sad news I'm afraid, a Beaver crashed at Ketchikan on Friday 23 July 2010 early in the morning. The 38 year old pilot lost his life. Sympathies to his young family, parents and friends. A FAA report will follow at some point. The Aircraft was N9290Z (1387). 21 July 2010 A couple of storm cells moved through my zone this afternoon and evening, but we were rewarded by grand light and a rainbow.
Photo: Neil Aird © 18:20 21 July 2010 20 July 2010
Photo: Ron Livingstone © c1958 - FM1014 SAL Single Pioneer RMAF
Photo: Ron Livingstone © c1958 - XK699 DH Comet C.2 RAF Some more nostalgia. Recently I got an e-mail from a retired Airline Captain, Ron Livingstone. We have corresponded some more and he has sent me some early images taken as a lad. I have added them to my Prestwick Portraits section. Thanks Ron. I'm sure you will enjoy his anecdote, especially those young lads who, like me, jumped the wall at Scottish Aviation to take snaps with their "Box Brownies" (Cameras, not Cookies!). Ron wrote: Hi Neil, finally getting round to reply.
I used to spend a lot of time at Prestwick because of the greater variety of aircraft based and transiting there. I used to either cycle down from Edinburgh or sometimes hitch-hike, with a friend from school John Carter. We used to camp on a farm on the north side of the airport just out past Scottish Aviation and all the cocooned Sabres. As most of the transatlantics went through in the middle of the night we used to hang around and were very well treated by the ramp handlers who let us use their crew room and made us tea.When the first ever 707 to come across the Atlantic on a PanAm route proving flight was coming in to Prestwick, we went down to see it arrive about 4 or 5 in the morning. Incredibly, Prestwick went out in fog, happens about once every 5 years, and the 707 shot an approach to limits, did a go-around and diverted to Amsterdam !We heard it but never saw it. The press and TV were all there and suddenly had lost their story, so they latched on to John and myself and gave us a slap up breakfast in the airport hotel and together with 2 local girls also there made us the focus of their stories. The following day at school I was called to the headmaster and asked to explain my absence, after a long explanation of how sick I had been he said "Don't lie to me, I saw you on television on the news last night !" He gave me full marks for initiative but a warning not to repeat it.I have attached some photos, not terribly good as I only had a box Brownie.
Thank you for stirring up the old memory box,Ron
19 July 2010
Photo: Long B. Nguyen © 14 July 2010 Last weekend the first Beaver Owners and Pilots Association "tour" took place to Eagle Nook Lodge, British Columbia. Here is the "BOPA" logo, with a bit of tweaking by me. Not sure if it is their final one just yet.
Design: Graham Howard © 2010 Long Bach Nguyen, pilot and photographer kindly has let me use a couple of his images. I will add more of the event when I can. Many thanks Long. Check out his work here.
Video frame: via Jean-Michel Garnier © I had an e-mail from Jean-Michel Garnier in France, he was telling me he just watched the Video "The Immortal Beaver" on TV and that he thoroughly enjoyed it. He owns a "French Beaver" which is F-BNDD (240) Max Holste 1521-M Broussard. You might enjoy some of the video clips he has on his web site. He also mentioned that the Broussard is for sale. 16 July 2010
Photo: Tim Martin © Congratulations to Viking Air for making the cover of Air-Britain NEWS for June 2010, and especially for getting Twin Otter DHC-6-400 C-FMJO (HB-LUX) safely across the miles to Farnborough, UK. I hope we yet more new sales being added during that famous event. 14 July 2010 Yesterday four de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and one DHC-2 Mk.III Turbine Beaver aircraft dropped in to Sproat Lake near Port Alberni, British Columbia to visit the two resident Martin Mars flying boats belonging to Coulson. Here are a few images sent along by Pete Killin. Thanks again Pete.
Photos: Pete Killin © 13 July 2010 13 July 2010
Photo: Kenneth I. Swattz © 16 June 2010 Go here http://ottawa.ctv.ca/ and look for video "Taking to the Skies in a Beaver airplane". Featuring Jason Karas and C-FETE (1204) of RideauAir.
Video still: CTV Ottawa © July 2010
Photo: Rod Digney © 01 July 2010 11 July 2010 Don't know if soccer teams playing today have any fans in the EMS sector, but this fine Sikorsky S-76 just left our hospital pad dressed in appropriate colours for Dutch fans . . . I could never fathom why they spelled Ornge that way ;-)
Photo: Neil Aird © 14:00 ETD 11 July 2010 10 July 2010 Finally I have managed to add the rebuilding images of N19FH (1296), my thanks to Rob Richey of Kenmore Air for sharing these with the website. Another first class job by the Kenmore team!
Photo: Kenmore Air © 25 February 2010 08 July 2010 Guess who came back today, or maybe a sister ship? Better flight path, closer to the river when eastbound . . . almost took my roof off westbound. It's so hot here, the rotor wash was actually welcome.
Photo: Neil Aird © 15:03 08 July 2010 07 July 2010 When Canadian military choppers come through the area, they do so over the water, along the shoreline. This U.S. Army hot-dogger came choppering right over the city, low level, over Hospital etc . . . even the Ambulance choppers go along the shore and over water, make wide arc to miss the core of the city. What a racket! A little thought next time neighbour!
Photo: Neil Aird © 16:07 07 July 2010 04 July 2010 Happy Independence Day Holiday to my US neighbours.
My thanks to Terry Fletcher for a collection of recent Alaska images showing some changes in owners and markings on various DHC-2 Beaver aircraft. Cheers Terry! 01 July 2010 Canada Day - our Nation's 143rd birthday
I can always tell when "The Immortal Beaver" plays on TV - there is a huge spike in the viewing of the website. I usually get some interesting e-mails as well. It's hard to believe it is over three years since I took this snap. I noticed that a certain Cessna 525B was visiting Dryden, Ontario for a few days recently. I wonder if the gent below was visiting?
Photo: Neil Aird © 11 June 2007 30 June 2010 Last day of June, so time for the July 2010 DHC-2.COM Calendar page to appear. This month's image is courtesy of Kyle G. Cameron of Whitehorse, Yukon. Many thanks Kyle.
Here is yet another accident to report. It happened on Sunday 27th June 2010, at 17:30 local time, Kukaklek Lake, Katmai National Preserve, Alaska. Some injured but N9RW (1095) looks rather sad.
Photo: Unknown photographer © via correspondent. 28 June 2010 G8/G20 • A few timely images of some participant aircraft (parked on "CDF" the de-ice field) from a flight deck at Pearson Airport, Toronto, Ontario.
Photos: "Anon" © 25 June 2010 27 June 2010 "Spectre Zero One" came a calling and circled my studio for ages, gear down, which was rather unusual. 140105 again, one of our Lockheed CP-140 Aurora, just back from G8/G20 work.
Photos: Neil Aird © 18:00 27 June 2010 We never know what the future holds. When my pal Eddy shot Grumman OV-1D Mohawk 69-17014 at Greenham Common on 07 July 1973, he did not know that it would crash just six days later in Germany, with the loss of both crew.
Photo: Robart A. Edwards © 07 July 1973 Since I have met my monthly quota of Beavers, I have been adding some more of Eddy's images today. A Dassault Super Etendard, a couple of English Electric Lightning, a Handley Page Hastings and Gloster Meteor T.7 make up the compliment. 26 June 2010 Last few days have been fun watching the G20/G8 aircraft on my radar screen heading to CYYZ. Quite a selection. Another item just now is the "Google Jet" N2767 which is just 11 nautical miles south above the rainclouds, westbound. Is probably on the scope of the circling AWACS E-3B 77-0353 "SNTRY01H", and it might get a "wave" from our CF-188 Hornets as it reaches Toronto. 24 June 2010
C-FJAB (934) was featured in the latest Mauricie Magazine. Alain Priem operates this machine winter and summer. So if you want to go for a real "ski" trip, you know who to call. C-FJAB is currently on amphibs. Merci Alain for the latest images.
20 June 2010 Some interesting clouds at early o'clock today.
Top: View North - Lower: View EastXXXPhotos: Neil Aird © 20 June 2010 18 June 2010 As you all know I get quite a bit of correspondence as a result of the website. Here's one from Nolene Watt in Tasmania I'd like to share. Thanks Nolene. It is amazing how the Travel Industry benefits from DHC-2 enthusiasts. Hi Neil,
Just a note to say that I'm absolutley "blown away" by your efforts on your Beaver web page. They have remained my favourite aircraft ever since as a young recreational pilot in the 70's (many years ago), I spent some time in the cockpit with the ag pilots of Benders Spreading Services. (My husband was Chief Engneer at Benders). It's sad to see the demise of some of the ex Tassie aircraft and even sadder to bring back the memories of some of my pilot friends who did not survive this hazardous occupation, but I look back on some great times and great mates. Last year we ventured to Canada to visit a friend in Edmonton and visited Alaska as well. To use another Australian phrase "I was like a pig in shit" to see all those beavers buzzing around and of course gave the helo flights a miss and insisted on doing our scenic flights in Beavers. I look forward with interest at your obtaining your goal of a database entry for every Beaver. Cheers Noelene
P.S. Aviation can be such a small world, thanks to the web. One of the engineers of the fire fighting helo from Canada that works for us during our summer months (I work for the Tasmania Fire Service) is an ex Beaver engineer from Vancounver. 14 June 2010 Today I've been giving some attention to my neglected website - the other one! A few more "new" old images. Do have a look around. Here's a sample of a Brooch I made back in 1989. There are some more here.
Photo: Neil Aird © 2010 13 June 2010 Some more scanning done today, and a new page of Australian Navy Douglas A-4G Skyhawk from R.A. Edwards Collection.
Photo: N13-154907/886 © Robert A. Edwards Also some French Air Force Dassault Super Mystère B2 at the 1977 RIAT display, RAF Greenham Common.
Photo: 156/12-YK Robert A. Edwards © 25 June 1977 09 June 2010 A long time ago (29 July 2007!) I was sent a group of images of CF-JRO (1108) in a rather sorry state at Rispin Lake, Yukon. Kyle Cameron, who salvaged the machine, and the owner Ron Newsome, suggested that I should add the images to "complete the picture". Well today I did. Thanks Kyle. His e-mail appears on that page.
Photo: Ron Newsome © August 2001 06 June 2010 Working away on a new date format for the Data section of each Beaver with a page on the website. To avoid confusion with the US method of dates (month first), a date on this website will read thus 13-Apr-1988. My collegue Ian Macintosh is working through our Master Index and is changing each page, including some military details when appropriate. I change the date format as I add a Beaver photo. At some point "it will be done". My thanks as always to Ian, who is also adding other info that we have gleaned, with some additional Historical Data help from Dirk Septer, the "Third Musketeer" (or Eager Beaver)! I am also photocopying all Beaver details from my huge collection of Canadian Civil Registers, and this in turn will be passed to Ian for inclusion. 01 June 2010 Starting a new page for my blog. No entries yet. Just doing "general housekeeping" on the web-site. |
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