Another Ferry Flight!

[el3so]

Cool pics.
But I just have to ask: are you down with OPP?

[Darcy]

Two eyed me up heavily at the sole restaurant in town yesterday. I figure they try to intimidate to illicit a reaction. I worked with them closely a great deal when I flew air ambulance in Ontario for a decade. Most are pretty cool.

Long term forecast, I'm probably not getting out of here before the weekend....

[Darcy]

My hotel window, thinking pellet gun...



Nice weather here today but crap in Churchill, my next stop. Thinking I may fly over to Thompson, Manitoba. Closer and bigger centre. First leg is right at the aircraft's fuel limit, over nothing but trees...so I'd prefer nice weather.

[Darcy]

Made Gillam, Manitoba yesterday... what a haul! Right to the max of endurance, landed with min fuel. The Gillam ramp was a dustier landing than I've had in the desert.

Still some trees though...



So it seems there's been a major COVID breakout at my final destination and they've completely closed off to any one in or out for at least two weeks, probably longer. The company wants me to get the bird to Churchill, put the winter covers on, and come home via commercial airline... Shit.

[Darcy]

Well... that was a short lived little adventure. My final destination at the top end of Baffin Island has gone into full lockdown due to a COVID outbreak, no one in or out, so at the company's request, I've parked the aircraft in Churchill, Polar Bear Capital of the World, covered it up, and they are flying me back home commercial. Ah well....

[ROB]

Excellent shots.

[ReptilianKittenEater]

That sucks. You could have used that blade in hand to hand combat with a polar bear. Hopefully the Covid stuff will be retreating in a month.

[Darcy]

I’ve got a 12 gauge with slugs onboard to deal with polar bears, the knife is to skin it afterwards.

[Darcy]

Back in the warm country (Winnipeg right now) but had a chance for a walkabout this morning. Had bacon in my pockets but didn't entice any polar bears. Next time I'll try raw fish..



You can see Hudson bay with some ice floating around in the background;

[Darcy]

Back in business! Someone else picked up the bird I left in Churchill yesterday and is headed North with it, but I have to go get another one in Terrace, BC. Should be fun, and a tad warmer....



I was sent this photo of my fuel cache in Naujaat, and told where to find a shovel....

[el3so]

I was sent this photo of my fuel cache in Naujaat, and told where to find a shovel....

At times I can't but help wonder if this is all part of some viral marketing campaign for a reboot of 1982s The Thing.
Either way, great posts.

[RYP]

That's so Canada it smells like Maple Syrup

[Chimborazo]

I love this thread. Thanks for sharing!

[Darcy]

Update: That second ferry flight from Western Canada was canned, with all the COVID restrictions the customer (some environment study) cancelled. So the income I planned on, all the maps I had ordered, lines I had drawn on those maps with multiple routings and fuel stops planned, my bags packed and ready to go, for three weeks - all for naught. So I started looking for work again, as sitting home don't pay. I tried to get on a maintenance test pilot gig in Addis Ababa (I was just there in December) when the same Canadian company asked if I wanted to go up to Baffin and replace a pilot already up there. Night shift. Here I am. Here's Northern Baffin Island at midnight...

Couldn't figure out how to embed the video but here's the link. Pretty bright for midnight!
https://photos.smugmug.com/Arctic/i-rfmRQfM/0/782a39df/640/IMG_0297-640.mp4




They chased a polar bear out of camp with a helicopter the night before I arrived.

Not flying up myself, I had to fly commercial to a private airport near Montreal for a charter flight up. I check my bags and just prior to boarding I get paged. Security tells me they've x-rayed my bag and saw a knife and no knives are allowed. I claim to be a helicopter pilot and need a survival knife for my job, as I'm flying in very remote regions, and it's my CHECKED luggage. NO KNIVES ALLOWED SIR, please open your bag. So I sigh and open my bag and buddy fishes around and finds my small Dpx folder (that I have carried in some 35 different countries), looks at it, says its not that big so I can take it..... He fails to notice the 7 1/2" blade of my Randall Model 14 just a sweater below. Fucking Canada.... who the hell wouldn't bring a knife up here???

[Chimborazo]

Alright, I gotta ask - is that a Red Canoe Boeing bag?