Phew!
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kelowna Wine Country
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Phew!
I am a low time pilot of mature years so usually my flying is confined to bright blue days with no wind but this year Collette has rented her hangar to a Griffon squadron during the Olympics so we had to fly our planes 30 miles down the sound and another 10 up the coast to Sechelt where she has rented temporary accommodation. Christine and I went to Las Vegas for the first week of January and the last couple of days have been filthy so today was it. Collette phoned around eleven. “It’s not bad here, low cloud to the North but the sound is pretty clear.” I drove down to Squamish Airport where Jemima the Searey was already sitting outside.
Collette agreed to come over in a Cessna 172 and give me a ride back, it’s a dreadful trip, taxis, ferries and two busses otherwise. I haven’t flown for far too long so I was a little nervous about a Winter time over water trip. I prepared really thoroughly, preflight, gas, oil, coolant, warm jacket, life vest, oh sorry! “Floatation device,” no matter how many times I tell my family these blow up things aren’t “life jackets” they still don’t get it. My nerves weren’t helped when I got to the runway threshold and the engine started running rough. I taxied back in, stopped it and let the manifolds warm through a little. The Carbs sit out in the airstream and the rain and with temperature at 4C and 99% humidity they might have had some icing. Rotaxes aren’t supposed to suffer from it but then most engines are in cowls which allows things to warm up a bit. Second time round she was running fine, magneto tests, slow running check, no reason not to go. I took a deep breath and pushed the throttle steadily all the way forward. “ Searey Charlie Golf Juliet Hotel Golf taking off on one four for Sechelt.” I always get a small frisson of surprise as the rumbling stops and the ground falls away.
The ride was bumpy in places and Jemima is very light, she gets tossed around a bit and I was too busy keeping her straight, upright and level to worry about being over freezing water in the middle of Winter, and my procedures are so rusty I made a great hash of the Sechelt circuit. Luckily the landing was good. In five minutes I had Jemima tucked away in Randy’s nice dry hangar and I was getting into the 172. As I did up my seatbelt I hoped Collette was not offended by my wearing a floatation device. It was too cramped to take it off anyway. She didn’t say anything. The ride back was bumpy in places too and the clouds were drifting close around the airport but our second approach they parted enough so we had a great view of the whole runway. Collette dropped me off on the apron, keeping the engine running as she was going straight off to Chilliwack to get the aircraft serviced.
I felt weary, well tired out. Maybe relief that the job was done and all was well. As I climbed into the truck my phone rang. It was Christine.
“We’re coming down to Squamish, Remi wants to buy a PS3.”
Remi has three jobs, is taking Grade twelve exams and is about to start Outdoor Ed, how can he possibly have any time left to play with a PS3”
“It’s a long story. I just phoned in case you saw us going the other way and wondered what was happening.”
I drove home, put the dinner on, checked my emails and tidied up the last of the Christmas decorations. By the time they got home dinner was nearly ready.
“How did it go?” Christine asked.
” I was nervous but it went OK. I didn’t see you on the road.”
“Oh, we saw you” she said. I said I was surprised she recognised the truck in all the Sunday evening resort traffic.
“Oh, that wasn’t difficult” said Remi, “You were the only guy going through the Chekamus Canyon wearing a bright red life jacket.”
“Floatation device,” I said.
Collette agreed to come over in a Cessna 172 and give me a ride back, it’s a dreadful trip, taxis, ferries and two busses otherwise. I haven’t flown for far too long so I was a little nervous about a Winter time over water trip. I prepared really thoroughly, preflight, gas, oil, coolant, warm jacket, life vest, oh sorry! “Floatation device,” no matter how many times I tell my family these blow up things aren’t “life jackets” they still don’t get it. My nerves weren’t helped when I got to the runway threshold and the engine started running rough. I taxied back in, stopped it and let the manifolds warm through a little. The Carbs sit out in the airstream and the rain and with temperature at 4C and 99% humidity they might have had some icing. Rotaxes aren’t supposed to suffer from it but then most engines are in cowls which allows things to warm up a bit. Second time round she was running fine, magneto tests, slow running check, no reason not to go. I took a deep breath and pushed the throttle steadily all the way forward. “ Searey Charlie Golf Juliet Hotel Golf taking off on one four for Sechelt.” I always get a small frisson of surprise as the rumbling stops and the ground falls away.
The ride was bumpy in places and Jemima is very light, she gets tossed around a bit and I was too busy keeping her straight, upright and level to worry about being over freezing water in the middle of Winter, and my procedures are so rusty I made a great hash of the Sechelt circuit. Luckily the landing was good. In five minutes I had Jemima tucked away in Randy’s nice dry hangar and I was getting into the 172. As I did up my seatbelt I hoped Collette was not offended by my wearing a floatation device. It was too cramped to take it off anyway. She didn’t say anything. The ride back was bumpy in places too and the clouds were drifting close around the airport but our second approach they parted enough so we had a great view of the whole runway. Collette dropped me off on the apron, keeping the engine running as she was going straight off to Chilliwack to get the aircraft serviced.
I felt weary, well tired out. Maybe relief that the job was done and all was well. As I climbed into the truck my phone rang. It was Christine.
“We’re coming down to Squamish, Remi wants to buy a PS3.”
Remi has three jobs, is taking Grade twelve exams and is about to start Outdoor Ed, how can he possibly have any time left to play with a PS3”
“It’s a long story. I just phoned in case you saw us going the other way and wondered what was happening.”
I drove home, put the dinner on, checked my emails and tidied up the last of the Christmas decorations. By the time they got home dinner was nearly ready.
“How did it go?” Christine asked.
” I was nervous but it went OK. I didn’t see you on the road.”
“Oh, we saw you” she said. I said I was surprised she recognised the truck in all the Sunday evening resort traffic.
“Oh, that wasn’t difficult” said Remi, “You were the only guy going through the Chekamus Canyon wearing a bright red life jacket.”
“Floatation device,” I said.
I'd love to do some flying in that area, the scenery must be stunning.
