Month: December 2014

Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Inukjuak FSS

The long awaited aircraft in Inukjuak

Post author By Stanley
Post date 28 December 2014

(Precedent story: the manager who lost his appetite)

Two Austin Airways Twin Otters being unloaded in Inukjuak in 1982.

During the years the Transport Canada flight service station in Inukjuak (CYPH) was in operation, there was something an Austin Airways pilot could count on: on the arrival of the aircraft, there would often be somebody from the village waiting to give a hand in unloading the cargo or provide some kind of services to shorten the stopover time. The villagers were indeed regularly calling the flight service specialists (FSS) to know if there was any aircraft inbound, and if it was the case, what was the estimated time of arrival. We were used to questions like “What time plane?”, “Is that food plane?”, “Is that mail plane?”.

Upon landing, we could see, arriving from the village, a fuel truck and other pick-ups and Honda three wheelers. The postmaster came to fetch the mail, the villagers to meet passengers and family members, and the businessmen to unload their cargo or fuel the aircraft.

There was a similar interest regarding the arrival of the first vessels of the season, in late summer. Besides the occasional icebreaker presence, we witnessed the arrival of the Shell tanker, responsible to supply the villages along the Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay coasts. Barges loaded with heavy machinery and crated material were finally reaching Northern Quebec villages after more than a week of navigation, taking advantage of the low tide to deliver their cargo. Some of those vessels were damaged by ice and sometimes had to be repaired on the spot before they could resume their journey.

Piano and mattresses left without much protection in the absence of their new owners. Inukjuak 1982 — A rare sight: a piano and some mattresses were left without much protection in the absence of their new owners. Inukjuak 1982

One day, an anti-submarine patrol aircraft CP140 Aurora having completed his work over Hudson Bay contacted us for air traffic services. Since its operations seemed momentarily completed and it was now moving to another area, he was asked to do a “low pass” above the station. The pilot agreed and soon enough, the airplane was zooming above our facilities disappearing moments later in the clouds. I still remember the flood of phone calls that the aircraft fly-by created. Unable to see the Aurora, now above the clouds, the villagers were asking: “Is that food plane? “,”Is that mail plane ? ” .

A low pass is sometimes requested to get a close-up of an aircraft and to allow the staff to hear the roaring engines as the aircraft zooms by the building. This also creates an opportunity to take a picture. Every pilot that I have known throughout the years would gladly accept this opportunity to add some action in his routine…

An Air Inuit Twin Otter C-GMDC is refueling in Inukjuak in 1982

(Next story: the Inuit who wanted to shoot Whites with a .303 caliber rifle)

For more real life stories of a FSS in Inukjuak, click on the following link: Flight service specialist (FSS) in Inukjuak

Updates

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015

Post author By Stanley
Post date 24 December 2014

Decoration in a Quebec Christmas tree in 2014

An evening in the Petit-Champlain, Old Quebec 2014

Those two pictures have been added recently in the “photo galleries” section above. I take this opportunity to wish everyone Happy Holidays and hope that 2015 will be the year when some political leaders will finally “see the light” and start working seriously at reducing the carbon foot print of their country.

Tags Christmas, Old Quebec, Petit-Champlain, photo, winter photography

Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Inukjuak FSS

The manager who lost his appetite in Inukjuak

Post author By Stanley
Post date 21 December 2014

(Precedent story: illegal fishing on the Innuksuak river)

An Austin Airways Twin Otter is getting airborne during a snow shower in Inukjuak, 1982. In the background, the Environment Canada upper air station.

A Transport Canada manager had to occasionally leave the comfort of his office in Montreal to visit one of the flight service stations located in Northern Quebec, in the Nunavik. So in 1982 he made the journey to Inukjuak (CYPH), using Nordair for the leg between Montreal and Kuujjuarapik (CYGW).

From there, an Austin Airways Twin Otter brought him to Inukjuak. But few minutes after the aircraft was airborne from Kuujjuarapik, the cloud base dropped dramatically and the pilot later told the flight services specialists (FSS) in Inukjuak that he had made the trip with no more than 200 feet of clearance between the Hudson Bay water and the clouds.

The airplane arrived in Inukjuak during the afternoon. At dinner, the chef offered a hot meal, but the manager refused to eat anything, stating that he had absolutely no appetite. He later told us that to see the surface of the water so close to the plane and feel the mechanical turbulence throughout the trip had cut his appetite. The flight services specialists realized that their manager was not very comfortable with “non standard” flights.

An Austin Airways Twin Otter on takeoff from Inukjuak in 1982.

On the return flight, he was the sole passenger on board, the remaining space being occupied by cargo. The FSS knew the pilots very well and asked them a small favor, which was a takeoff with a tight turn to the right. This was done skillfully and certainly created a surprise with the traveler.

On the flight back to Montreal, while on a stopover in La Grande (CYGL) he sent us a message via the La Grande flight service station teletype that spoke volumes about his appreciation of the turn. I must say, in all honesty, that the pilot had given more than the client requested, and that the traveler had the chance to experience a 70 degree right turn. It was enough to keep him from traveling up north for a while.

(Next story: the long awaited aircraft)

For more real life stories of a FSS in Inukjuak, click on the following link: Flight service specialist (FSS) in Inukjuak

Updates

360 muffins to give

Post author By Stanley
Post date 18 December 2014

Photo of strawberry jam muffins

Photo of raspberry and yogurt muffins

Photo of pumpkin and cinnamon muffins

Photo of prunes and dates muffins

Photo of oat muffins

Photo of nuts and banana muffins

Hi, here are two recent additions to this website:

first, in the “Improve your pictures” section, under “a month of muffins”, I added 30 pictures of muffins (5 blocks of 6 pictures). Those photos represent, in fact, thirty dozens of muffins that were baked by my daughter and given to the “Maison Gilles Kègle” (The Gilles Kègle House). Gilles Kègle is a street nurse who has been working seven days a week, for decades, in order to help people in need. When you will visit this section of the website, you will see the thirty kinds of muffins, as well as all the informations regarding the photo sessions to capture the work of my daughter. I have included a video on the work of Gilles Kègle and a link to his Foundation.

The other recent addition can be found in the “Photo galleries” section, under “Guatemala in pictures“. You will find 19 photos taken by my daughter during her trip in this beautiful country, around Easter 2014. Have a good visit!

Easter period in Antigua, Guatemala 2014

Flower carpet being designed by professionals during Easter period in Antigua, Guatemala 2014

Tags Antigua, Central America, Easter, flower carpet, Gilles Kègle, Guatemala, Maison Gilles Kègle, pictures of muffins, volcano

Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Inukjuak FSS

Illegal fishing on the Innuksuak river near Inukjuak

Post author By Stanley
Post date 14 December 2014

(Precedent story: a visit at the Inukjuak flight service station)

Inhabitants of the Inukjuak village, 1982

In the early “80s, while I was working at the Transport Canada flight service station in Inukjuak (CYPH), a floatplane entered our control zone in Inukjuak without communicating with the flight service specialists (FSS). He was flying at low altitude over the area with the obvious intent to do a stopover on the Innuksuak River, a few kilometers inland. We tried to contact the pilot but he never replied. We started to suspect that illegal fishing was the reason for his trip in northern Quebec. The aircraft owner had possibly not paid the mandatory fishing fees to get access to Quebec controlled territories.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Inuits, we managed to get the registration of the aircraft. A quick search allowed us to determine that it was owned by a company operating from a base in northern Ontario.

We expected that the aircraft would be airborne in few hours, loaded with fish. And it was obvious that the pilot would not take the risk of refueling at our airport. He would therefore be forced to land in Kuujjuarapik (CYGW) for fuel.

We contacted Kuujjuarapik FSS and asked them to note what would be the final destination of the aircraft. It was an airport in the north of the Abitibi region, under Rouyn-Noranda FSS responsability. The FSS at many flight service stations worked together to follow the aircraft to its destination. Police officers drove to the airport and waited for the aircraft to land. I imagine that the seizures and fines were important.

In this story, the initiative and collaboration of Inukjuak inhabitants were essential. Without them, it would have been impossible to get the registration of the aircraft.

(Next story: the manager who had lost appetite)

For more real life stories of a FSS in Inukjuak, click on the following link: Flight service specialist (FSS) in Inukjuak

Screen captures

A first virtual flight in Papua New Guinea

Post author By Stanley
Post date 11 December 2014

Twin Otter departing the Jacksons International airport in Papua New Guinea

Twin Otter turning on final for the Kokoda runway, Papua New Guinea

Twin Otters parked on the Kokoda airport

Finally,few months after the creation of the AYPY scenery, I can now do a first flight in Papua New Guinea. The complete flight, which consists of thirteen pictures, can be found in the “flight simulation” section above, under “standard virtual flights“. Why “standard”? When we know the degree of difficulty of some Papua New Guinea runways, which are short and hardly accessible, a flight like this one is considered relatively simple and allows the pilots to familiarize themselves in that part of the world. The scenery is called AYPY Port Moresby Jacksons International and it has been created by Ken Hall and Tim Harris, from the Orbx company. Details regarding the flight can also be found in the virtual flight section above. Two words only to describe the experience: totally immersive. Have a good flight!

Tags AYPY, flight simulation, FSX, Jacksons International virtual airport, ORBX, standard virtual flights, virtual flight, virtual scenery

Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Inukjuak FSS

A visit at the Inukjuak flight service station (1982)

Post author By Stanley
Post date 8 December 2014

(Precedent story: when in doubt, action is worth more than inaction)

Children visiting the Inukjuak flight service station in 1982. — Children visiting the **Inukjuak flight service station in 1982**.

In 1982, at the Transport Canada flight service station in Inukjuak (CYPH), I work with other flight service specialists (FSS) to provide air traffic services, which include advisory service to arriving and departing aircrafts. We also act as a radio communication station for ships as well as for airplanes, through VHF and HF frequencies. I only remember regular call-signs like Air France 004, who always used to call in the middle of the night, and KLM692. We also have radio contacts with military aircrafts.

Knowledge of Morse code is mandatory, although reserved for occasional use only. Weather briefings to pilots are scarce. The technology available at the time is very basic. All the data received, every minute of the day, is printed automatically. Miles of paper must be managed by the staff on a monthly basis.

Working seven days a week in a Nunavik isolated post, sometimes during twelve or sixteen hour shifts quickly becomes repetitive. In order to see something else than the flight service station, one should not miss the opportunity to participate in activities with the local Inuit population whenever possible. So one day I decide to prepare an elementary weather course in order to present it to Inukjuak children.

I then contact the Inukjuak police officer who is also responsible for the Scouts. I explain my idea and propose that a moment be found where we could all meet. I would offer a weather presentation followed by a question and answer period. Posters are prepared with topics specifically chosen to encourage participation by the kids. On the given day, about ten Scouts show up with the chief. Sitting along a wall on the gym floor, we spend a good two hours discussing about weather and aviation.

I also had the opportunity to receive a few visitors in the flight service station, accompanied by their teacher. Other times, while taking a walk, it was possible to witness a shinny hockey game. For the picture below, two bystanders accepted to pose with the hockey players.

Hockey players in the Inukjuak village in 1982

(Next story: illegal fishing on the Innuksuak river)

For more real life stories of a FSS in Inukjuak, click on the following link: Flight service specialist (FSS) in Inukjuak

Updates

Remembering Europe

Post author By Stanley
Post date 3 December 2014

View from our hotel room in Schwanden, Switzerland 2013

Here are some of the pictures recently added to the Europe photo gallery. Schwanden, in Switzerland, was a superb discovery as the hotel was in the countryside but at a very reasonable distance from a big city like Bernes. This is an HDR picture, as the contrasts were just too important between the shadows under the balcony and the natural light of the sky. The Schwanden picture represents in fact five shots each taken with a different exposure. Photomatix is the software used to mix together all the pictures. Have a good visit in the photo galleries!

Tags Domodossola, France, Gruyères, Italy, photo, photography, Photomatix, Schwanden, Switzerland