CANADA & USA - September 2006
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 Hawkair DHC8 C-GJVB Vancouver International : 03-09-2006 |
| Vancouver was quiet compared to visits in the 90's - the lack of DHC-2 Beavers was really noticeable. Interesting types noted included two more KF Convairs (C-FKFZ and C-GKFG) and DHC-3 Otters C-FHAX and C-FHAA. The ex Air Canada Viscount and the rare two-engined JetStar were nowhere to be seen. | |
 Pacific Coastal Shorts 360 C-GPCN on the south terminal ramp at Vancouver International 03-09-2006 |
 DC-3 CF-PWH preserved at the Canadian Museum of Flight & Transportation at a small GA airfield at Langley 03-09-2006 between Vancouver and Abbotsford |
 CV580 firebomber 54 C-FKFM at Abbotsford 03-09-2006 |
 CV580 firebomber 55 C-FHKF at Abbotsford 03-09-2006 |
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Although it was the height of the fire-bomber
season, Abbotsford was a shade of its former self with just the two
Convairs above and 3 x DC-6s present (C-GHLY,C-GIBS AND C-GKUG), 3 x
S2 Trackers (C-GABP/67, C-GWUC/68 and C-FOPU) and a sole CL-215 C-GFSM.
Another S2 landed as I was driving away. |
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 B52 92584 at Seattle-Everett 03-09-2006 is preserved and destined for the Boeing museum |
 Boeing BBJ N37NY at Everett 03-09-2006 |
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I have never seen Everett so quiet perhaps reflecting Boeing's current share of the wide-bodied aircraft market!! The hangar doors were open revealing a Singapore B777 and an ANA B747-400F. Across the road were 2 x TAG Angola B777-200s, a couple of Emirates B777s, an unmarked grey B767, a bare metal B777 with a dark blue rudder and a China Cargo B747-400F. Only other aircraft of note were the BBJ above and CV580 N580AS. An unmarked JetStar fuselage has appeared in the museum compound. Boeing Field was busier with plenty of B737NGs in evidence (Gol, Hainan, Southwest amongst others) but surprisingly no Ryanair ones! Only propliner of note amongst the biz-jets was CV580 N582P |
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 Downtown Seattle..............Frasier country !! |
 Long nose DC-3 N272R at Ephrata 04-09-2006 |
 Methow Beech 18 N9001 nestling under the wing of the Catalina at Ephrata 04-09-2006 |
 Unmarked Catalina at Ephrata 04-09-2006 - reported as N9505C |
 Heading east to Moses Lake this Catalina N31235 looks fully operational and well cared for. |
 Three ex Horizon Air Fokker F28s in storage at Moses Lake 04-09-2006 |
 Two more Catalina's at Moses Lake 04-09-2006 - the one on the right looks as though it needs some air in its tyre!! |
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 Moses Lake is a huge airfield and over by the Firebomber base (where P2 Neptune N807NA was on station) was the fuselage of KC-97 N31338 looking rather sorry for itself parked next to a stored ex Horizon Air Fokker F28 |
 North of Spokane at a small GA airfield called Deer Park (directions on request) was Catalina N85U which looked in immaculate condition. Noted on 04-09-2006 |
 Another view of Catalina N85U at Deer Park |
 Missoula is home to Neptunes Inc and their fleet of P2's which were all away from base as it was high season. The fire jumpers school was also devoid of propliners. Stored out on a remote part of the airfield are L.188 Electras N308D and N429NA awaiting conversion to fire bombers. At one end of the airfield is a small storage compound containing a number of props including this P2 Neptune N362RR/148362 |
 P2 Neptune 147949 in storage at Missoula 05-09-2006 |
 Fairchild/Fokker? F27 N222DG in storage at Missoula 05-09-2006 |
 P2 Neptune N63819 in storage at Missoula 05-09-2006 |
 P2 Neptune 148339 in storage at Missoula 05-09-2006 |
 The main reason for my journey routing was to finally see C121 Constellation N4257L/23417 which is located in a technical school in Helena. Sadly its a bit trapped in for photos but on 05-09-2006 I had no problems getting close. |
 T-39 Sabreliner 10677 also in the technical school in Helena. |
 Another shot of the Sabreliner and Constellation |
 On Helena's FBO ramp was Raytheon Premier 1 N581SF unusually displaying a logo of its owners "Disciplined Growth Investors" |
 Heading west to Billings Montana and Martin 404 N974M is still present on the fire training area and looking in quite good condition considering. Also present at Billings were 2 x P2 Neptunes of Neptunes Inc N443NA/43 and N445NA/45. One was at the fire attack base here, the other on the main ramp probably due to the massive effort that was going on locally to fight a 25,000 acre fire. |
 South from Billings Montana to Sheridan Wyoming to finally catch up with 2 x Martin 404' N461M and N9234C (bare metal). These are located on a remote part of the airfield and not visible from the terminal. You have to go down a private road and through a farmers field to get to them!! |
 Martin 404 N9234C at Sheridan Wyoming 06-09-2006 |
 Martin 404 N461M at Sheridan Wyoming 06-09-2006 |
 Beech 1900D N182YV of Montana's Big Sky Airlines (well it is the Big Sky State!!) at Sheridan Wyoming 06-09-2006 |
 Sheridan was my furthest point from Vancouver and as you head back west, via Greybull of course, you pass the area where the Battle of the Little BigHorn was fought - some amazing scenery in this part of the world |
 Greybull Wyoming is a propliner mecca - but for how much longer? Now Hawkins & Powers is no more and the auction has taken place many of the propliners will scatter countrywide and some will no doubt be broken up. All the PB4Y's however were not in the sale and here N6884C/127 languishes in the sun on the main ramp |
 PB4Y-2 N2872G/124 sits adjacent to its sister machine. The local museum staff give an excellent ramp tour in return for a small donation to the museum. Some nice t-shirts too!! |
 C119 N15501 was used in the recent remake of the film "The Flight of the Phoenix". It was leased to the film company, painted in a dubious colour scheme and flown to Africa for filming then flown back to Greybull once the filming was complete. It still retains its "film" colour scheme. |
 The ramp at Greybull - unique |
 C119 N15501 still retains its fictitious film registration under the wings. |
 C119 N8093 in Royal Canadian AF colours |
 The only flying C82 left in the world - N9701F |
 Another view of C119 N8093 |
 The C130 Hercules was the natural replacement for the older propliners in the fire fighting world but a number of crashes caused a whole review of the fire fighting fleet. |
 A fantastic sight for propliner enthusiasts |
 The last flying KC-97 N1365N on fire fighting duties. Still looking immaculate |
 I make no excuses for showing more than one picture of this magnificent aircraft |
 The A26 Invader was a mainstay of fire fighting duties before the C130s etc and N126HP/434520 is beautifully preserved |
 Nose art is superb - LuLu looks good too!! |
 More of KC97 N1365N |
 The A26 is painted in a different colour scheme on its opposing side - this reflects the old H&P colour scheme |
 More KC97 |
 Named "Aluminium Overcast" |
 An unusual type to see in fire bombing land is a Fokker F27 N127HP |
 PB4Y N2871G/121 in a nice bright colour scheme |
 Howard 500 N880V looking very smart |
 In the hangar at Greybull was an unmarked Catalina - reported to be N314CF (also N206M ntu) |
 Last shot from the main ramp at Greybull is another of PB4Y Privateer N2871G/121 |
 The storage area at Greybull is propliner heaven - from left to right these three shots show the huge variety of types |
 More Greybull . . . |
 More Greybull . . . |
 At the main entrance to the airfield at Greybull are: P2 Neptune N173AM which I was told had been sold and will be leaving and . . . |
I doubt Greybull will ever be the
same again - if I ever have the good fortune of being in this part of
the world again. |
 From Greybull I headed north through Grand Forks (nothing of interest aviation-wise) and back into Canada to Lethbridge. Then it was north again into the Rocky Mountains and on entering the national park I was welcomed by a small herd of mountain goats!! |
 The magnificent scenery that is the Canadian Rockies. |
 More wonderful scenery |
 Even seen a glacier? . . you have now !! |
 Lakes and mountains, snow and wildlife - a great combination for a holiday. |
 More goats......!!!! |
 Heading eastwards out of the Rocky Mountains my next stop was Red Deer. It was a Saturday so no-one around to get me airside but I'd been before a few years ago so no great worry. The Air Spray A26 fleet is parked up here along with a couple of L.188 Electra's awaiting conversion to fire bombers. |
 Another shot of the Air Spray A25 Invader fleet. |
 Outside the Buffalo Airways hangar was DC-3 C-FFAY (and behind it CF-YQG) . . . |
 . . . and very smart DC-4 C-GBAJ |
 Another DC-3 fuselage outside the hangar - CF-VQV with faded Arctic Outpost Camps titles. |
 A distant view of the two Electra's (one C-FVFI ex Mandala, one o/a white). |
 Shame about the close fence - DC-4 C-GBAJ |
 On the transient ramp was Citation C560 C-GDSH |
 My trusty steed - a Chrysler Sebring - did 2,600 miles in 8 days !! |
 My final destination was Calgary and in store here are a number of Canadair CRJ's of Air Littoral - some in this nice bright colour scheme, others all white. |
 Surprise was CL-215 C-FYXG/215 |
 A Canadian "Slicer" - Citation X C-GSEC |
 Note the tail boom on this Islander C-GSGX |
 Dornier Do.328 C-FDYN |
 Another shot of the Canadair CL-215 |
 In storage was Canadian North Fokker F28 C-FTAY |
 An overview of part of the GA ramp at Calgary |
 Gulfstream 4 C-FCNR |
 Corporate Express Jetstream 31 C-GKGM in storage |
 Another Air Littoral CRJ - all white this time |
 Challenger 604 C-GCNR |
 Ex RCAF Cosmopolitan N4AX - parked in an impossible position for a decent photo |
 This operator seems to specialise in acquiring J41s and DHC-8s!! |
 Smart King Air 100 C-GJSU - part of the Kenn Borek Air fleet |
 Another view of the Calgary GA ramp |
 DHC-6 Twin Otter C-GKBR - an appropriate registration for its owner Kenn Borek Air |
 The museum at Calgary - and a rare Canadian Lancaster |
 F101 Voodoo 101021 in the museum |
 Finally the view from my hotel room in downtown Calgary - my home for the next week as I was now working as we had a stand at the 2006 Air Cargo Forum held in the roundup centre in Calgary |
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