The almost daily blog started 01 April 2006.
31 August 2007
Well another month has vanished. I'm just doing some general house keeping on the website today. Been plagued with a bad back this week, so the 2008 Calendar has not progressed much. Maybe next week? Still, managed a goodly amount of Beavers however, thanks to the constant supply of info and images that roll in. My thanks again to those who take the trouble to get in touch. My house keeping is updating a few aircraft. Take C-GUDZ (716). Brad Hegland answered the question, "Where is she now?" that I had on the page. He mentioned that she crashed on 01 August 1981 in Northern Ontario. I added the details, then went to my TSB files - I had the complete report already, but not inserted it. I have much information "salted" away, I just need to add it!! Thanks Brad, for the prompt.
One more snap for August, this gem just went by the studio window. A 39 year old de Havilland Canada CC-115 Buffalo, great to see it again. It is en route to Ottawa/Rockcliffe as "CFC1059". I presume it was 115462 (019).
Photo: Neil Aird © 31 August 2007
30 August 2007
Got buzzed yet again by CAF CC-130E Hercules 130305 (4020) our Search and Rescue machine from CFB Trenton.
Photo: Neil Aird © 11:27 30 August 2007
29 August 2007
A podcast featuring Russ Bannock and George Neal has been put on the Wilderness Air website in a newsletter to honour the 60th birthday of the Beaver. Click on the August 28th 2007 edition which opens a PDF which in turn has a link to the podcast. Well done Wayne Blackmon for making the calls!
27 August 2007
For those of you who kindly send images and don't see them appear right away, this may be just because they are still "waiting in the wings". I often get many shots of the same aircraft and therefore have to be selective. I do enjoy getting older images, they may be poor in quality, but I don't mind. We are recording history after all, whether the pictures were taken today or yesterday, even the day or half century before!! Please, keep them coming.
I'd like to thank Bart (NL) and Anthony (my son!) for helping out with a donation to keep this site up and running. A small band of folk do this every year or so. Here is my thankyou page dedicated to the supporters of this website. If you can join the band, your contribution would be welcomed. My annual fund raiser, the Calendar is now being put together.
26 August 2007
Well, sleuthed the de Havilland Tiger Moth and he even came over the house again just a few minutes ago. Got a slightly better snap, and confirmed the identity. Aussie Military markings! Based a few miles (as the Tiger would fly) from me on Wolfe Island . . . will have to check this puppy out someday. C-FIZA (T.6830). As far as I can figure, this is not the real A17-376. T.6830 is c/n 85099 wheras A17-376 was DHA417. Another little challenge for me in my idle moments.
Photo: Neil Aird © 26 August 2007
25 August 2007
It is interesting the selection of aircraft I see over the course of one day in Kingston. This morning a de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth "376" went by bucking strong headwinds. Later an Airbus A330, since I have no Beavers to watch, what's a guy supposed to do?
Photos: Neil Aird © 25 August 2007
22 August 2007
Well, unique visitor number 500,000 was Normand Denis at 23:42 utc. Norm also happened to be visitor 400,000 back in January! Well done Norm.
Screen capture by Norm Denis
17 August 2007
A tragic loss yesterday near Ketchikan. I wish a safe recovery to the survivors, and my sincere sympathy to the families of those who were lost. Nature deals some terrible blows - too many these days.
16 August 2007 "Sixty Years On"
We all know what happened all those years ago. You can read a bit about the event in this article I wrote ten years ago. Congratulations to the Beaver! I've also added a short video clip of Russ and Mike Bannock on a historic flight at Downsview.
Congratulations to the de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver !
Russ Bannock emerges after the test flight of CF-FHB-X - an anxious group awaits
de Havilland Canada © 16 August 1947
Photos: de Havilland Canada © 16 August 1947
Russ after flying a circuit in Mike Bannock's C-FETN - almost sixty years later in a Beaver at Downsview!
What a historic day !
Photo: Neil Aird © 26 May 2007
13 August 2007
Took the day off from Beavers, watched a number of bigger airframes as the skies were crystal clear and some were trailing nicely. This one came directly over my studio, a daily one. Had my eight year old grand daughter Chloe checking them out through the bincs. She spotted KAL082 HL7490 B744 (no trail) heading to Korea and on a southbound track BA229 B763 G-BNWC. Later an Air France B744 F-GEXA operating AFR 388. I think she was impressed when I pulled up big pictures of the actual aircraft on the screen while she was actually looking at them. Gotta train them early!
Photo: Neil Aird © 13 August 2007
07 August 2007
For those of you waiting patiently for my "Olivia's Odyssey" - please hang in there, it will be done sometime soon. I just need the energy to do it. Here are the two video clips for those of you who wonder what I'm talking about!!
Clip One - Kingston (CYGK), Ontario to the Rockies.
Clip Two - Rockies to Victoria (CYYJ), British Columbia.
Here's an en route image of Saskatchewan through the windscreen as the new Viking Air de Havilland DHC-2 Mk. III C-GODH (979) motors across Canada.
Photos: Neil Aird © 29 May 2007
A portrait of "Gina" (our chatty Garmin) earlier in the trip, showing the way to Brandon, Manitoba.
06 August 2007
Been away for two days at a secluded lake enjoying the beautiful weather and tranquility. A Cessna 180 floatplane was parked at the other end, so not totally without aviation sights.
02 August 2007
I don't know if you all are aware of the "FIND" area on this website, a great tool if you are looking for a specific aircraft. A Googletm search will also usually find it on my site if you know the registration number.
My "FIND" box is located just further down this page, below this blog. Type in your query/request and then click on the link(s).
860 folk used this item during the month of July!
01 August 2007
Thirty-nine years ago, yesterday I arrived as a new immigrant to Canada. As it happens I drove past our Paliament Buildings on that anniversary on my way to check out the National Aviation Museum Research Library. I was greeted there by Fiona Smith Hale, Manager of Information Resources. She gave me a tour of the impressive facilities. I spent a pleasant half hour catching up on some journal reading before leaving for CYOW and my chauffeur duties for Anthony, my son, returning from British Columbia.