Gambella, Ethiopia, 29.6.2004
Belated report of the February ops at Red Lake - Part 2
... and as you may know by now, I also managed to fly out of Burtwood lake and on to Pikangikum.
Joe was kind enough to lend me his 'old Beaver' (or what's left of it)... Anyway, it was still flyable, we only had to get that engine running again. In exchange I offered to do some shopping for him, bring back some goodies...
Here's the other transcript:
"Gents,
Earlier this evening I got a call from mr. Brick, out of Pikangikum.
It seems that after all he made to the Pik before dark...
What I can make of it is that after landing 'somewhere', he managed to find -like calls it- 'another set of wings' and flew on to Pikangikum. By now he must be on his way to Red Lake, as passenger, on another charter and he asked me to gather the toolboxes and a reserve Gipsy engine for the Auster (we'll probably need to get that engine somewhere else cause we don't have one down here). I guess he's planning on going back to his landing spot to repair and fly out the old gal...
Oh, he asked me to pass a few words to sir Skybuster and sir Snidley; he's hoping one or both them could help out and do him a favor.
Later,
Coop
"Gentlemen, as may have heard already, earlier today I had to force land a plane with a busted engine...
When flying over Thickwood lake, enroute from Sabourin lake to Pikangikum, the Auster's engine crapped out and I needed to find a suitable place to land. It was by shear luck that I did so... I was flying close to another lake -I believe it's called Burntwood- whe I though I saw some smoke on one of the shores and while approaching that smoke I saw a small patch of grass.
-don't worry, I'll draw it on the map-
Upon landing there, I was welcomed by an elderly man (don't let hime hear you say so!); you may call him Uncle Joe. As it turns out he had a cabin and few sheds there and helped my rolling the Auster out of the way. After a friendly chat and few whiskies, he offered me to lend his 'vehicle' to get over to the Pik, if I can get it to work again (which wasn't too difficult).
I told him I would get his wings back ASAP, with any groceries he'd like to have; just to return the favor...
... and I was counting on you guys to do so -well, I need to go and fetch me a new engine to get that Auster delivered to my customer.
Anyway, if you please, the plane is parked at CYPM (in fact, the airfield manager ask me to keep that 'thing' out of sight and remove it from his field at the very first convinience), on the far side of the parking and covered with a tarpaulin.
I would be very obliged if you could just fly Joe's plane back to his place and carry his groceries. The load is already onboard: 1 fuel drum, 1 propane tank, 2 boxes with groceries (fresh veggies, canned food, etc.) 2 boxes of fine whisky and some clothing items -that's about 548 lbs-
You'll have to tank fuel for the trip yourself, but please keep it within reason (cheap/low and yet safe), it's about 31 nm to where you're going, I think...
On the right hand seat you'll find a thermos flask with coffee, an old newspaper, 1/2 a bottle of whisky, a pack of chewing gum and a brown paper bag with 1 lb of freshly smoked salmon; please feel free to use it at your own convenience.
I'm afraid you'll have to fly this plane by the seat of your pants... Well, I had only a certain time and few spares to make it fly again.
Oh yes, if you decide to fly in or near darkness you'll find in the cabin a torch with (reasonably) fresh batteries and a thing that looks like kind of a brace made of an old iron wire coat hanger. You're supposed to turn on the torch and place it on top of your right shoulder... The electrical system is a bit funky and I only could get one landing light to work."
(click to enlarge the snapshots)
[] see flight log flightno. 943
> continue to Part 3
< back to RLBA index