Red Lake, 21.6.2003
RLBA M003 - flights no. 1 to 4
Charters to fly from Chimo base, Red Lake, to several different locations and back (CYRL-CYRL).
Cargo and or PAX, as per dESPair logbook.
Gentlemen, this is a short, combined PIREP for my first 4 flights from Red Lake.
June 17th and 19th I flew this charters for Chimo Air Services, my assigned operator for our RLBA operations.
Flightno. 1 - to Shultz lake & Keeper river, 17/06/03
Just before filing my flight, I did ask Peter: who's going to check me out, I'd like to fly the Beech?
-Check you out? No, I don't think so; you're suposed to know these planes, son.
OK, so how about a safety pilot? anyone coming along with me?
-Nope, we're all due to fly our own charters; we're a bit busy right now... Anyway, here's a chart; that should help you in getting where you're going too... You're a pilot, you have a chart for VFR purposes and you're in charge of your own safety (and that of your passengers and cargo). Enjoy your fligt, sir Brick.
Hmmm... I don't think that was the proper procedure and I don't know the meaning of it. Maybe someone's been talking about me or maybe it's just kind of a test; 'let him go and try and see how far he can get before he stumbles and falls...'
OK, so I picked the old Severns Lodge Beech 18 for this charter. I'm taking 8 pax and baggage (2252 lbs including pilot) to and from Shultz lake and Keeper river cabins: Shultz, 5 pax in and 3 out, Keeper 3 pax in and 5 out (that's 8 pax to the cabins and again 8 pax back to Red lake).
Take off time Red lake 14.52 local; broken cloud cover at 4800 ft, visibility 12.6 nm; winds of 12 to 48 kts at 230º; temperature 27º C.
Left the beacing ramp of Chimo's, taxied futher in to the lake and turned to a 230º heading for TO.
After take off I turned due North towards Little Vermillion, then I set out for a 300º course (±) following the landmarks, checking them on the chart...
Found me a nice string of lakes running all the way over to Shultz, which I already had marked on the chart ;-)
Nice and easy flight. Cruising at 3.000 to 4.000 ft, following the scenery and chart (VFR). Once at the designated location, spot the cabin/lodge and do the 'standard approach and land' thingy (1*). After unloading and loading again, do the 'standard taxi and take off' (2*) thing and fly on the next location or back home...
Anyway, all went smooth and we were back at Chimo's around 16.14 local. Yes, the Beech has very confortable cruise speed, 132 nm in 1 hour and 22 minutes, including stopovers.
(1*) Spot the location (cabin/lodge) / check wind direction / fly desired approach once (inspection) / turn 180, backtrack for required landing distance, turn 180 again -or fly a circuit- / approach and land, taxi to dock/location.
(2*) Check wind direction and choose location for take off / taxi to take off position (inspect take off run on your way) / turn 360 for take off / off we go again...
(click the snapshots to enlarge)
Flightno. 2 - to Trout lake, 19/06/03
This time I'm taking the Stork Lake Beaver for a carter to 'Sandy Beach Lodge and Cabins'... that's suposed to be somewhere on the shores of Trout lake.
Take off from Chimo in the early morning -well, not so early; 08.05 local- with 5 passengers and their luggage (1641 lbs including pilot). On the return flight I should be carrying about 1000 lbs of disposed materials (empty containers, garbage and such).
The weather is lppking fine again: broken cloud cover at ±3500 ft, visibility 13 nm; winds of 10 to 40 kts at 010º and a temperature of 19º C this morning.
In view of this I did my cruising at 2.000 to 3.000 ft. and again flying the scenery and chart.
I had already informed the passengers that this would be kind of a sightseeing flight too and I got the impression that they didn't mind that a bit. Of course, I didn't tell them what the reason for that sightseeing was: I needed to spot our Chimo location, without knowing where it was, and Trout lake is one BIG lake :-)
We flew from from red lake to Ranger lake and on to Trout lake, the SW shore, more or less opposite Cat island. from there I decided to follow thw shore in a SE direction until we would reach the Sandy Beach lodge; flying with the folded chart on my lap and the list of locations (the diferent operator's cabins and lodges).
Soon after turning South, to follow the lake's shore, I heard someone asking:
- Hey, is that our lodge?
Er... nope (while doing a low flypast: ah, blue roof, let me see) that's Booi's island, sir.
Turning East, in between Cat island and another 'piece of land'...
-Hey, more cabins on the left...
Er... no (fly low, check the papers) I think that a Green Airways location, gentlemen.
And finally, somewhere on the East coast, a lodge with cabins laying there in a huge bay...
Do another low fly-by: Gentlemen, we're almost there; that's Sandy Beach on your left.
On the way back to Red lake I continued my flight along the shores, now viewing the northern part of the lake. I spotted another 'resort' there in a narrow inlet on the N-NW.
Check the map? (same as above)
-XP note: While closing in to Ranger lake, on my way back to Chimo's, I had an encounter with the 'wing clipping monster'... The stall horn went yelling saw the speed increasing fast and hit the pause button inmediately. Noted al relevant data (time, fuel and distance) and repositioned my Beaver for a second try. -It's a simulation, isn't it?-
Flying a bit slower, about 110 mph (must have been doing 120 to 130 mph before I 'hit the wall'), I reached Red lake safe and sound.
Arrival at Chimo's: 09.14 local (93 nm flown)
(click the snapshots to enlarge)
Flightno. 3 - to Wagin lake, 19/06/03
13.09 local, at Chimo's. Lets try something a bit diferent know...
Charter flight to Wagin lake, delivering 8 passengers and supplies to the Wagin lake outpost; flying a less strict landmark spotting procedure:
Out of Chimo's and about 360º to the most Northern tip of Little vermillion, then a 300º course, straight for Wagin lake, the closest lake/landmark being Odin lake, about halfway to Wagin and a bit to the South of my route... That is instead of spotting lakes and flying overhead...
Check the map? (same as above)
Nice and easy flight; the caravan is very Confortable and fast. Back at Chimo's at 13.58 local after a 84 mn flight. Cruising at ±5.000 ft, thanks to the weather:
Scattered cloud cover at 23.000 ft, visibility 13 nm; winds of 10 to 40 kts at 210º; temperature of 25º and QNH1018
(click the snapshots to enlarge)
Flightno. 4 - to Roderick lake, 19/06/03
13.09 local, at Chimo's.
Next flight with the Caravan is heading for Roderick lake. The cabin over there is in need of some maintenance and I'm to 'deliver' 2 passengers -carpenter and his mate- with assorted goods: some replacement furniture, a new fridge, propane and fuel stock, building materials (timber, paint and such), etc.
The return flight is taking the current guests back to Chimo, that's 5 pax and their luggage plus disposed materials (empty containers, garbage and the old fridge).
Nice and easy flight again... No, it's not boring, on the contrary; it's great!
Enjoying the scenery trying to find my way to the locations and back to Red lake...
This flight was something between the first two 'follow the lakes' flights and the third 'pick a waypoint and fly a course' flight. this time a picked a few lakes as waypoint and changed course (sometimes) from that point to the next: in via Red lake, Olive and Munroe; out via (South of) Borel, 'haven't-got-a-name-for-that-one' and Hammel...
Check the map? (same as above)
Back at Chimo's by 15.39 local. 95 nm flown, weather as earlier today (flightno. 3)
(click the snapshots to enlarge)
Sorry for the long report, gents.
I'll try to do the admin more often, and in smaller chunks, with the coming flights.
Cheers,
Brick
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