Cat & Doc

[frozen solid]

I was thinking about the "anonymity" issue. Some people take pride in NOT being anonymous, and as a general principle I respect that a great deal. As for myself, I'm genuinely worried that if my boss, who I respect, knew I actually participated in this goat-show forum, he would have less respect for the way I choose to spend my time. Online forums are genuinely the lowest form of communication. We would all probably benefit from going outside and enjoying the lovely weather.

I think this particular forum would in fact benefit from GREATER anonymity. I think user-names should periodically be reset in order to level the playing field. It would be great if, every month in order to log on, you were made to change your user name. Think about how great that would be: Your opinion, whatever it is at the time, would be perceived as just having come out of the online aviation Gestalt, and you wouldn't be held unduly accountable for your perceived personality issues... unless you had such a strong personality that you became immediately recognizable no matter what you name is. I think that would be terrific!

[Shiny Side Up]

Now, the Supermarine Attacker... has anyone actually seen one?

I doubt it, unless they've seen the one remaining one in the Fleet Air Arm museum. One of those neat things you find on Wiki though come from that page:

On 23 May 1950, Vickers test pilot Les Colquhoun was flying the first production Attacker F.1 WA469; he was testing the effectiveness of the air brakes. On the third of two dives, the outer portion of the starboard wing folded up and the ailerons became locked. Colquhoun decided not to eject and managed to do a high-speed landing at Chilbolton, in the course of which he used all but the last 100 yards (90m) of the runway and burst a tyre. He had saved the aircraft so the cause of the incident could be discovered and was awarded the George Medal for his efforts.

Now that deserves respect.

[Meatservo]

I think that would be terrific!

Amen, brother!!

[frozen solid]

Now, the Supermarine Attacker... has anyone actually seen one?

I doubt it, unless they've seen the one remaining one in the Fleet Air Arm museum. One of those neat things you find on Wiki though come from that page:

On 23 May 1950, Vickers test pilot Les Colquhoun was flying the first production Attacker F.1 WA469; he was testing the effectiveness of the air brakes. On the third of two dives, the outer portion of the starboard wing folded up and the ailerons became locked. Colquhoun decided not to eject and managed to do a high-speed landing at Chilbolton, in the course of which he used all but the last 100 yards (90m) of the runway and burst a tyre. He had saved the aircraft so the cause of the incident could be discovered and was awarded the George Medal for his efforts.

Now that deserves respect.

It sure does. I wonder how many "Spitfire" parts that ting has. The landing gear in particular looks awfully familiar.

[NWONT]

Well, Cat, maybe Ilya isn't impressed but I am. Not many people work like that anymore in this day and age. We had piss poor engines from Oklahoma the failed or blew up constantly and I changed many in the bush, more than I can count. Many times I asked myself why I would work this hard under those conditions for small pay. Many times I said "When I get back to the hanger and civilization I'm packing my shit and heading down the road". When I got thawed out and settled down I decided to stick with it. Guess part of it was I wouldn't let it beat me. I saw many that walked away and went to better jobs in the mines or paper mills. Maybe I wanted to earn the respect I had for the others who went before me. Like I said, I have much respect for those that battled the elements to move the freight to the settlements. The challenges were huge and accidents happened often. We had a good thread going on here a few years back about the DC-3 days but that got shit canned in a hurry. Too bad. That part of northern history will be gone as we hit the ground one at a time.

[Illya Kuryakin]

I know Cat. I used to have to walk up hill, in bare feet, in the middle of winter, five miles, to and from work as well. Nobody is impressed anymore.
Illya

I was lucky -- I drove the tractor -- but then again there is nothing like meadow muffins oozing between your toes -- ah the days of my youth spent on the farm -- boys were boys and the cows were nervous -- and the airplane parked in the pasture field ---

Always found the cows too tall. Now, the sheep.......
Illya

[Cat Driver]

Cat Driver's spelling and grammar are excellent, and he says he only finished grade ten.

Actually I only finished grade eight, however we were taught to read and write and understood the basics of mathematics which gave us the ability to self learn.

. We had piss poor engines from Oklahoma the failed or blew up constantly and I changed many in the bush, more than I can count. Many times I asked myself why I would work this hard under those conditions for small pay.

We had the same ones when I was with The Flying Fireman, they were classic varsol overhauls.

Ahhh...the good old days.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Oklahoma engines. Brings back memories. They were total CRAP! Had more than one or two (or six or seven) calve on me.
Illya

[NWONT]

One engine didn't even survive the test flight. Catastophic failure. Chunks of metal everywhere. We were allowed to run 800 hours on an 1830 on the Canso but we could run it 1000 hours on the DC-3, so at about 700 hours we'd pull it of the Canso and put it on a 3 then run it for 300 more hours. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

[TG]

We were allowed to run 800 hours on an 1830 on the Canso

What is a Canso?

Time to bring an answer to this hard question NWONT



Just teasing...

[NWONT]

This is a Canso....with some old fart sticking his head out of it.....................just teasing also

[NWONT]

Here's another Canso. Been sitting in Saudi Arabia since 1960......think it'll stay there.

[andy_mtl]

Isn't the Canso the heaviest flapsless airplane out there still ?

[iflyforpie]

That old fart looks a little too tall in that picture.....

[bmc]

In less than 2 years I will celebrate my 40 th year as a pilot. I have every aeroplane license and rating you can get and 6 type ratings on transport category and/or high performance aircraft.

But

1) Just because I am an older guy I don't think I should automatically get respect for anything I say. I am happy to be judged by what I write and hopefully will influence others by the force and logic of my arguments not just because of the number of years I have been flying or the the numbers of hours I have.

2) Just because I am older guy doesn't mean I still can't learn from others, regardless of age or experience

3) I don't post for the guys that answer, I post for the 90 % of those who look but don't post. Throughout my time flying I was, and continue to be helped, by many others who took the time to explain/teach/challenge me. I hope my posts help pay that debt forward.

Impressive post.

[pdw]

It turned into a great thread; and I just want to add my sincere appreciation (in hindsight) also for Doc's realistic spice offered up quite often ... and certainly also Cat's ability to maintain support for a discussion long after others have given up (as long as there still is even the smallest glimmer of hope for some relevance of the particular aviation point being made at the time).

[Cat Driver]

Cat Driver wrote:
What is a Canso?

There are many people reading Avcanada that have no idea what a Canso is because that name for the PBY was a Canadian Airforce name for the PBY.

The PBY was built in several locations in Canada during WW2.

Generally I refer to the Canso as a PBY or the American name Catalina which most aviation people around the world recognize.

As to the lack of flaps the PBY has no problem losing altitude without the need for flaps, if you wish to increase the rate of descent all you need do is side slip it.

As to flying one the first impression you will get is it takes a lot of power to move the flight controls when flying it, especially the rudder.

On take off in the water the control force on the elevators is about one hundred pounds of pull to get full up elevator at take off power to get the nose high enough to get it on the step, however once on the step the elevator control force gets progressively lighter as you accelerate to flying speed providing it is trimmed correctly. The use of trim is very important in a PBY unless you have the strength of several gorillas.

It will also porpoise very quickly unless you maintain the proper attitude, generally three fully developed porpoise cycles will be the most you will survive, after that the machine will self destroy.

We used them in Austin Airways for daily sched flights from Timmins Ont as far north as Cape Dorset on Baffin island.

We flew them IFR both day and night using only NDB's for our approach aids at destinations where we landed on either northern land strips or most common on the water, the PBY will carry an enormous amount of ice by the way should you be unfortunate enough to run into icing.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Here's another Canso. Been sitting in Saudi Arabia since 1960......think it'll stay there.

That should buff right out!
Illya

[Liquid Charlie]

Good on BPF -- it seems that post has made a few stop and think -- for me I am usually here to have a little fun -- but also hoping to share some of my experience and life as a pilot after close to 50 years herding tin and rag in the first few years --

I was in complete awe of the stories I heard of the bush pilots when I first started flying and although my first job in Red Lake was floats and ski I never really considered myself a bush pilot -- that title was for the pioneers of Canadian Aviation --

Well I now find myself in a unique situation -- full circle and am right back to my aviation roots in NWO -- a chance to mentor a little and as said -- maybe learn a little as well -- I find my young partners are thrown into a very unusual situation -- they have learned to fly on modern aircraft and usually none of them have stick time -- it's all wheel time -- the joy of one motion control as opposed to 2 motion -- many will never know that feeling and if they do it will be on an airbus or such with it mounted in the wrong position -- but now I'm wandering -- grey moment -- haha -- the point - except for the few now that do go and fly floats most new pilots do not understand control input required to fly 80 year old aircraft -- this my generation can pass on --

Even though we can be a cynical bunch at the end of the day we are all pilots and brothers/sisters in this industry -- I will always help someone who needs it -- I will laugh at your fukd up landings (as well as my own) - I'm here to enjoy the time I have left - anyone is welcome to join me -- I will give you input but will never tell you how you will do it and I always expect you to have my back as I have yours -- it's a team and if you learn that from me it will be my reward --

Can we not start a "members only"water cooler again -- lmfaoooooooo --

[Colonel Sanders]

LC: you probably share my observation that our
father's generation (and God help us, our grandfather's
generation) did not "suffer fools gladly".

When I did something stupid - which I frequently
did, as a young person - I would be told that I was
doing something stupid, by my father's and
grandfather's generation. They did not spend
a whole lot of time, worrying about my feelings.

Despite that, I learned. And did not spend too
much time crying.

So, we are a product of the Canada that existed
50 years ago. That Canada no longer exists. It
has been replaced with a very strange place,
inhabited by people with very odd ideas.

As a result, because we do not suffer fools gladly,
we are viewed as having no redeeming characteristics
by the current inhabitants of Canada. Our knowledge
and skills, earned painfully over decades, are worth
nothing, apparently.

This fellow has some marvellous insight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lfxYhtf8o4

[Illya Kuryakin]

Liquid Charlie's FUKD up landings. LOL!! I saw him do ONE that was less than perfect. Only ONE! I think he did it on purpose?? I'll never know for sure! LOL! The absolute best hands and feet guy I have ever had the privilege to share a cockpit with. Seriously, this guy is worth paying attention to.
Illya

[bizjets101]

I kinda like this advice from a passenger on US Air 1549 that went into the Hudson ...
3 things he learned that day ...

YouTube Video.

[jump154]

I'm a late-starter in the aviation world - been flying 6 years and started at 38. Currently knocking on 200 hours (one of this year's personal goals) - and still have much to learn. I log in every day to see what the experienced (not necessarily 'old') guys on here have to say, and I must say I have learned a ton - and quite probably would have given up if it was not for a couple of posters on here (one of which is apparently 'grumpy'). CS I learn from constantly, Cat I miss his postings but somehow he presented in a way I could understand. Doc, BPF, photoply, fleet16, iflyforpie, pilotdar are all people I watch out for - apologies to anyone I miss out. Seems I'm able to filter through to the gems of knowledge buried in there. Hey, I even find some of the crustiness amusing and helps the flow! Some of them have helped me stay alive. I hate to see people disappear, hate to see posters jumping on a IMO small, irrelevant part of the post and missing the important part. Keep the information coming, helps me make it though a workday and maximise the value I get out of my flying $. Currently working my way through a list CS sent me on 'what to do after PPL', and learning the joys and challenges of tailwheel flying. Up to 7 a/c types in the logbook, planning on making it 8 by year's end.

[Colonel Sanders]

Don't forget float flying!!

Remember: all of us, are always learning.

I could tell a funny story from the weekend
about that ....

[jump154]

floats.... maybe a while off. Sooner will be getting some 'upset training' (at least, that is what I'll have to tell the wife it is, she does not like the 'a' word).