Red Lake, 3.12.2003
Red Lake CYRL to Sandy Beach lodge (Trout Lake) v.v.
At last, flying again!
Today I just picked up a scheduled flight from Chimo Air Services office; 4 pax and baggage needing transport to 'Sandy Beach Lodge & Cabins', on the Eastern shore of Trout lake.
As the passengers were to arrive at Red Lake CYRL by commuter I decide to pick them up at the airfield instead of waiting for them at the Chimo office.
Well, in fact, I had something else in mind; this would be a good occasion to go check one of the ACLF planes that are waiting for the Trade Show...
Coop and me had revised recently this Helio Courier and it still required a 'check out', under normal conditions: standard ops and loaded.
The weather was not that good, but it wasn't too bad either: Overcast, low cloud layers at 2500 to 1500 feet and 8.8 nm visibility, dry but cold; 1º C and 1018 QNH... and a healthy wind at 210º doing 7 to 28 kts.
That same weather must have been the reason why the arrival of the commuter flight was delayed.
Like I thought we should make up for that loss of time somehow -there were also 4 passengers at Sandy Beach waiting for a return flight to Red Lake- and didn't feel like taxiing all the way to the opposite runway; I simply took off from 08 with tail wind...
No problem, this Helio may look like a nice little plane but it is a serious STOL tool :-)
The main wing looks like a barn door and the flaps take about 70% of the span; it has spoilers for low speed maneuvering and automatic slats. The engine runs at 3400 rpm and full (100%) throttle for max. power, while in cruise it's back to 2700 rpm and 65% throttle... that'll give you an idea of what it can do.
OK, it may not be able to take the same load as, say, a Beaver; but it sure can take you in and out of some pretty small lakes.
(click on the snapshots to enlarge)
OK, so the clouds were hanging low, but the visibility was good and I know the way: take off from Red Lake fly about 240º 260º until intercepting Ranger lake (at it's narrowest point), follow the lake's shore to the NE and keep that course until you hit Cat island. Hop over Trout Lake from that island to the cape on the opposite side and follow the Southern and Eastern coast of the large bay where Sandy Beach lays.
Cruising at about 130 kts, it took us only 43 minutes to get from Red lake to Sandy Beach and back (ramp to ramp)...
That includes the usual approach and landing / take off procedures for water ops: visual check of the 'landing area' prior to setting down on the water and again a visual inspection of the 'take off run', backtracking to the starting point for take off...
... and a quick change of passengers and baggage at the dock.
(click on the snapshops to enlarge)
inspecting the 'runway' <- -> feet wet! (touch down)
taxiing to Sandy Beach <- -> parked at Sandy Beach lodges
backtracking for take off
The way back from Sandy Beach to Red Lake was done in the same fashion; via Cat Island and Ranger Lake.
On the final approach to CYRL 26 I had to fight the wind and landed very slow while only using 50% flaps. If the (head) wind had been a bit stronger and I used full flaps I could have had the Helio close to hovering :-)
(click on the snapshots to enlarge)
The plane is checked and approved for the upcoming Trade Show.
[] see flight log flightno. 915
Cheers,
Brick