Im Getting Dummer By The Day

[Charles W.]

Will I ever learn?

Doesen't seem like it because I just agreed to ferry another damn PBY.

This one has been sitting outside just north of London England for eight years and the engines have only been run once, so first thing my partners calll me and tell me it is a go, they have money up front............Hmmmm Money! up front!!

Next thing he is asking me to start the flight planning from London to Tel Aviv......being to dense to stop to think clearly or for that matter to think period I say sure. And add who is going to get the flight permits for the countries on route and he says well we are busy doing maintenance you had better do it, I once again replied sure.

And then later in our conversation he said oh, as soon as you get the insurance quote e-mail it to us as soon as possible, and I said sure.

Now that I have started this new project my wife said, you were supposed to retire, what happened? She went on about I knew it, I knew it, you will never quit, dont you know that at your age you should be enjoying life and taking it easy? So being stupid I said hell a short ferry flight like that IS easy. So she rolled her eyes heaven ward and walked away.

Well says I to her back as she went to talk to the dog, someone with intelligence, the guys need me and besides I've never been to Israel.

Here is my first problem trying to justify this latest act of stupidity, I just did some fairly accurate flight planning and find it is only three days of flying. Now I start to realize, sh.t I will spend one day getting to London and three days un jet lagging before I will fly the airplane. Next weather permitting three days flying. ( The damn airplane will not have a Cof A and the flight permit will be day only )

Then several days wandering around Isreal looking at everything and another two days getting back home. all for three days pay plus whatever test flying that will be needed.

So can anyone here help me understand what in hell is wrong with me? Are there any Doctors that read this forum who are familiar with someone with my mental illness?

Maybe being in the holy land will wear off on me and I can turn over a new leaf? If I do you will be able to hear the clunk back here in Canada.

Rev. Chas W

 

[AirCon]

I know ya got the know-how Chas, but isn't that like having a car sittin in your driveway or garage for 8 years, starting it up once, and then taking it for a 3 day trip down the road???

How bout a flight report when ya get back?

Cheers and Good Luck

A

 

[graunch1]

This might be a good time to do a 3 hour test flight over the UK prior to departing to the land of funny hats and lots of guns, it doubt if it would be considered a friendly act if you had to put down at El Arish or somewhere else in the Gaza or Jordan or Syria due to wx in Israel and a shitty running engine.

 

[Charles W.]

Graunch :

We will be doing at least five hours flying before departing North Weald. We ground run then pull the screens, then fly about 20 minute test flight pull the screens and finally about four or five hours and another screen pull and away we go.

And as for the dangers involved in flying in these areas that is all part of the game. You see I am a mercenary at heart and this kind of flying is entertaining and gives me my drug.......since I quit drinking I need something to zing up what ever time I have left here.

Actually some parts of Africa were more dangerous and so far I have made it through.

Anyhow we charge for the danger involved. Actually the route we will fly is pretty straight forard as our hand off will be from Euro control to Isreali control. As well the airplane was bought by the Isreali airforce for their museum and we will have two Blackhawk helicopters escort us from Cyprus so hell that should be fun, because I'm going to insist on flying their damn Blackhawk or they are not getting their Cat.

But thanks for your thoughts, by the way I just got off the phone with one of the owners of a Cat that is in Holland and they should be ready for type ratings in about six weeks if they don't have any real problems finishing the rebuild of their Cat. It was my first water bomber C-FHHR flew it for a two seasons in the NWT and then took it to Chile for a season.

Oh... another fear that I have is how can I work on refurbishing a Cat with all the problems with engines, props, hydraulics and on and on considering TC would not approve me as a PRM for two Cessna 150's?

Now you have to agree that is truly perplexing.......

Rev. Chas W.

 

[Elvis]

L.O.L.

:elvis: :elvis:

 

[Blackmac]

Good luck with your trip Rev. I'd love to join you. I've always been meaning to ask you if you ever knew Moose Murdoch, I flew with him a couple of times in Quebec City. Quite the gentelman.

Again, good luck.

Cheers Don

 

[Kyle]

A heck of a story already Chas and you have not even left yet! Can't wait to hear part deux Send the photos and I will add them to your site.

 

[Charles W.]

Blackmac :

You bet I knew Moose, he gave me my DC3 and PBY endorsements at Austin Airways in 1968..........

Then he hired me as his first pilot with Avalon Aviation in 1972, HHR was his first water bomber.

In 1974 he talked me into leaving Air West to be chief pilot for Avalon and I had had enough of Air West so I went back to work for Moose for a couple of seasons.

Moose was the best PBY and DC3 driver I ever met and I learned a hell of a lot from him.

Kyle:

Sure I'll give you the story about flying to Tel Aviv as well as pictures.........Hey I got to thinking about all the fun we used to have before AIDS frightened the crap out of us and we stopped looking for sport sex, but I just got to thinking that at my age there is nothing to be afraid of anymore because old age will get me before AIDS would be a problem....want pictures of houses of pleasure if we find any?

By the way we have more PBY flying to do this coming year than we can take on....

This site needs some culture and excitement put into it anyhow so if you all want that I will give you both.

Rev. Chas W.

 

[sharkbait]

Hi:
Did you know Mel Nash at Avalon?
Loved the photos of your last trip. Looking FWD to the story of this one.
Cheers
Sharkbait

 

[Charles W.]

No I did not meet Mel Nash, I left Avalon in 1975 and went to fly for the Flying Fireman for 12 years and then just got fed up with flying air tankers and quit.

Shure if and when we get some more ferry trips done I'll post about it here....

Chas

 

[CTD]

Chas, have a safe trip my friend. Be careful with the old girl - you know what it's like when something's only been run once in 8 years....

 

[Charles W.]

Thanks CTD:

If there is one thing I have learned in aviation it is the importance of being a coward and admitting that I am afraid of some the unknown such as the condition of old engines.

Fortunately I work with two of the most knowlegable and cautious engineer pilots I have ever known, our inspections are carried out with the same attention to detail as the origional manufacturer and we hopefully always err on the side of safety.

If for some reason we have a failure of a component in flight we always fly hundreds of miles ahead of our airplane and we deal with emergencies based on what will get us home...

One thing we have difficulty with is customers who want us to fill it up and fly as far as it will go. Unless it is a over ocean with no other route availiable we never, never take off with more weight than the airplane will fly on one engine with so our flights are generally of eight hours duration or less. It costs the customer more in the short term, but we have not lost an airplane yet because it wouldnt fly due to being over weight.

If the customer insists on heavy fuel loads to save a overnight stop that is simple, find another crew.

I truly believe that I am a better mechanic and trouble shooter than I am a pilot, so hopefully that will keep me alive for another kick at the Cat so to speak.

Safety is the bottom line, personal pride that leads to needless risk exposure is the most serious problem to a pilots chances to live to be my age.

Rev. Chas E.

 

[Biggles]

Oh Rev, if you're getting dumber by the day, then we are all mentally challenged too. Have yourself a safe trip, bring back stories and pictures, most importantly bring your blessed butt safely home.

Biggs,
o

 

[twinstar_ca]

i gotta' tell you, chuck.. the amateur writer in me would love to pen a book on your fixed and fling wing flying career... i just don't think i could take that long a leave of absence from my real job to do it justice!!!

have a very safe flight!!!

 

[Charles W.]

Hey Gang :

Normally I would not get into specifics about the flying we do, but there has been so much vitriol on this forum lately that I said to myself....self... fu.k it, lets see if we can get everyone back to flying and maintaining again.

So I decided to use our little warbird restoration, ferry business as a jump start back to some sembalance of aviation related posts.

You see I have reached a place in time where I no longer really give a sweet fu.k about who has a bigger dick in this industry...........

Right now I am in the process of finishing the paper work for the dutch CAA to approve me to train on a Dutch registered airplane with my Canadian qualifications and wonder of wonders they are trying to fit me into JAA and JAR rules............nothing ever changes with any bureacuracy does it?

But like South Africa, Australia, the USA etc. they will eventually find someone that will stamp it and that will be that.

Anyhow we have quite an interesting summer ahead and I will share my boring life with you all if some of you promice to quit acting like petulant children.

Rev Chas W.