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International airmail

First instrument landing on a scheduled airline in United States

Airmail cover. First instrument landing in USA with scheduled airline. Washington Pittsburgh 1938. Front side.
Airmail cover. First instrument landing in USA with scheduled airline. Washington Pittsburgh 1938. Front side.

Tests of the ILS system started in 1929 in United States. The first landing of a scheduled U.S. passenger airliner using an ILS was on January 26, 1938. A Pennsylvania Central Airlines Boeing 247D flew from Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and landed in a snowstorm using only the Instrument Landing System.

Back of an airmail cover used on the first scheduled flight using an ILS for a landing in USA, 1938
Back of an airmail cover used on the first scheduled flight using an ILS for a landing in USA, 1938
Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Picture of a Cedar Waxwing taken with a Canon 5DSR

A Cedar Waxwing in a Russian mountain ash.
A Cedar Waxwing in a Russian mountain ash.

This Cedar Waxwing was photographed in June 2018 as it stopped in our Russian mountain ash. The bird had spotted a few dried out fruits left from the Autumn 2017 season.

The picture was taken with a Canon 5DSR camera in order to use the cropping facility of its full frame sensor. A Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM was mounted on the camera. The aperture was set at 3.5 to ensure a blurred background.

The ISO was set at 320 since considerable cropping would be required to enlarge the bird, even with a 200mm focal length. The  grain remained reasonably small through the cropping process, ensuring an acceptable image.

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/eos-dslr-and-mirrorless-cameras/dslr/eos-5ds-r

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International airmail

First airmail flight from Estevan to Winnipeg, Canada.

Airmail Estevan Winnipeg CLP5 semi official stamp front cover
Airmail Estevan Winnipeg CLP5 semi official stamp front cover

The CLP5 semi-official stamp was issued on October 1st,1924 and put on airmail covers for the first airmail flight planned from Estevan, Saskatchewan to Winnipeg, Manitoba. What initially seemed to be a publicity stunt toward the use of airmail was instead a marketing operation planned by two promoters of a local industry, coal mining.

The Estevan to Winnipeg flight promoter and his associate had personal interests in the Eureka Coal and Brick mining company. On the back cover, we even have a commercial invitation: « Buy Estevan Brick ».

Airmail Estevan Winnipeg CLP5 semi official stamp. Back of cover.
Airmail Estevan Winnipeg CLP5 semi official stamp. Back of cover.

The pilot, E.A.Alton took-off from Estevan under nice weather on the morning of October 1st,1924 and headed east toward Winnipeg. He was supposed to do a stopover in Brandon, to refuel, but engine problems forced him to land in a field in Bienfait. During the landing, the wheels hit hidden rocks and the aircraft was wrecked.

The pilot quickly transferred the mail to the Bienfait Post Office where it was put on the Souris train to Winnipeg. The mail arrived late but on the same day at destination.

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Flight Simulation

The treacherous Launumu short sloped runway in Papua New Guinea.

An Air Saguenay DHC-3 Otter has made it from Québec to Kokoda, in Papua New Guinea. It is expected to work around the remote mountain airfields for a while.

The Air Saguenay Otter is taxiing for the Kokoda runway towards Launumu in Papua New Guinea.
The Air Saguenay Otter is taxiing for the Kokoda runway towards Launumu in Papua New Guinea.

Today, the Otter heads for Launumu, a mountain airfield that is at an elevation of 5082 ft asl and 1200 feet long.

The Air Saguenay Otter departing Kokoda.
The Air Saguenay Otter departing Kokoda.

The pilot has to watch for the birds in order to avoid any collision in flight…

Otter aircraft and birds.
Otter aircraft and birds.

Following the Kokoda trail is a good way to reach Launumu.

The Otter in the Papua New Guinea mountains, following the Kokoda Trail.
The Otter in the Papua New Guinea mountains, following the Kokoda Trail.

If the mixture is not adjusted, the Otter will lose a lot of steam trying to climb up to 7,500 feet to cross the first line of mountains.

Inside the Otter cockpit, with the mixture adjusted.
Inside the Otter cockpit, with the mixture adjusted.

Anybody landing and departing from Launumu deals with high density altitude. This is not only due to the elevation of the airfield but also to the very warm and moist air present in the region. Consequently, some additional airspeed is required on the approach and on the departure.

The Launumu runway is in sight.
The Launumu runway is in sight.

When a pilot lands southwestward in Launumu coming from Kokoda, he must dive in a valley to lose altitude, which will increase the aircraft’s airspeed. The Launumu runway is in sight.

If the airspeed is not promptly corrected, the approach to the Launumu runway will be too fast. Any airspeed above 60 knots forces the pilot to overshoot (unless you are ready to virtually die a few times while trying).

Losing altitude while respecting the flaps speed limit.
Losing altitude while respecting the flaps speed limit.

So, once the higher mountains are crossed, a good way of losing altitude without gaining airspeed is to use flaps (at the corresponding airspeed) and do a tight 360 degree coordinated turn while descending. That way, the pilot will end up in line with the runway and at the speed you want, which is around 50 knots.

Turning and descending in the valley during an approach for Launumu.
Turning and descending in the valley during an approach for Launumu.

The Otter floats endlessly because of its huge wings.

The Air Saguenay Otter is on approach for the Launumu short runway in Papua New Guinea.
The Air Saguenay Otter is on approach for the Launumu short runway in Papua New Guinea.

On final for Launumu, the pilot might end up having to deal with the bushes that are close to the runway. It is not unusual for the Otter or the Beaver to complete a difficult approach with bushes wrapped around the landing gear.

A Air Saguenay Otter is on final for the Launumu mountain runway.
A Air Saguenay Otter is on final for the Launumu mountain runway.

A Otter aircraft is arriving on the Launumu high altitude runway.
A Otter aircraft is arriving on the Launumu high altitude runway.

Launumu has a surprise for the newcomers. If the pilot lands southwestward, like it was just done here, and the aircraft is not stopped within approximately 600 feet, it starts accelerating since there is a pronounced slope downward in the second half of the runway. This slope leads to a cliff. In case of a missed approach, the pilot can use the slope downwards and dive in the valley at the end of the runway to build up airspeed and start a new approach.

Now that the hard work is done, it is time to wait for the passengers and cargo, and plan the next leg…

A Otter aircraft is backtracking the Launumu runway after landing.
A Otter aircraft is backtracking the Launumu runway after landing.

A Otter aircraft is parked on the Launumu runway in Papua New Guinea.
A Otter aircraft is parked on the Launumu runway in Papua New Guinea.

The virtual scenery and clouds required softwares like REX, REX Texture Direct, Cumulus X, FTX Global, FTX Global Vector and Pilot’s FS Global 2010.

Categories
International airmail

Airline Pilots Special 747 Flight Committee

Airmail OACI In flight with the United Nations 1971
Airmail OACI In flight with the United Nations 1971

I got this first day cover thirty years ago. It had no real monetary value but certainly a historical value for whoever is interested in aviation and airmail history.

After multiple hijacked flights in several countries, hijacks that could easily have been avoided, the pilots got tired of the situation and decided to take matter into their own hands. With both pilots and politicians involved, the situation progressively changed.

International laws were modified and security was also increased, both at airports and in the aircrafts.

Airmail Airline Pilots Special 747 Flight Committee 1971 New-York to Montreal
Airmail Airline Pilots Special 747 Flight Committee 1971 New-York to Montreal

Postal history on aviation security

Below is a quote from the ICAO document:

“The series of skyjacking incidents, several of them desperate and dramatic, was a great and particular concern for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA, Member of IFALPA, the largest airline pilot union in the world representing pilots from U.S. and Canadian airlines); ALPA sought an innovative step and an extraordinarily direct method to intensively lobby influential politicians from all over the world, as the fundamental problem in advancing a solution to the skyjacking problem laid in the realm of politics. A Boeing 747 sponsored by ALPA was rented from Pan Am and nearly 300 United Nations personnel flew on Saturday 6 November 1971 on a short international flight from New York to Montréal, being the home of ICAO; the aircraft was piloted by Captain Stanley L. Doepke of Pan Am. More than 30 crewmembers who had been skyjacked placed these world political leaders in a controlled and dramatic situation where they could hear their stories. All the international politicians from the UN General Assembly who accepted ALPA’s hospitality on the Montréal excursion went home vowing immediate action by their countries. A special first day cover was issued to commemorate this unique event and a medal was given to the UN Delegates. More information on this issue can be obtained by clicking on the following link: Hijacked Pilots Urge UN Action.

However, even with these two new Conventions signed in 1971, the issue on sanctions was not sufficiently addressed and a few terrorist actions early in 1972 gave rise to grave concern and threat to the safety of civil aviation; it was felt that perpetrators of such acts were not or not appropriately brought to justice. Because governments had failed to deal adequately with such hijacking, the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) called for a world-wide 24-hour shutdown of services by pilots on 19 June 1972. The United States pressed in the ICAO Council for rapid action to complete the work on a convention which would provide for sanctions against states that did not punish hijackers. The ICAO Council adopted on 19 June 1972 a Resolution which directed the Legal Committee to convene immediately a special Subcommittee to work on the preparation of an international convention to look at this issue of sanctions.”