Tag: CYUY

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Flight Simulation

Around the world in flight simulation (7).

A surprise awaits us as we depart from the Sandane airport (ENSD) for Sweden, Stockholm-Bromma airport (ESSB).

Drone on the ground at Sandane airport (ENSD) in Norway.
Drone on the ground at Sandane airport (ENSD) in Norway.

A Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk drone is at the airport. This long-range surveillance aircraft has an autonomy of around 35 hours and a range of 22779 kilometers. It flies at altitudes of up to 60,000 feet (18288 meters). Its maximum speed is 635 km/h, and each hour of operation costs $24,000.

Beech 350I airborne from the Sandane Airport (ENSD) heading to Stockholm-Broma airport (ESSB)
Beech 350I airborne from the Sandane Airport (ENSD) heading to Stockholm-Broma airport (ESSB)

Today, we’re repositioning a twin-engine Beechcraft King Air 350I that hasn’t flown in ages. The usual checks have been carried out to ensure that no birds have nested under the engine cowling. We also checked that there was no condensation water at the bottom of the fuel tanks. Finally, we ran the engines for a long time on the ground. The aircraft takes off from Sandane for a planned altitude of 18,000 feet.

Over Norway snowcapped mountains heading to Sweden in flight simulation.
Over Norway snowcapped mountains heading to Sweden in flight simulation.

We fly over the mountains of Norway towards Sweden. Everything goes according to plan.

Navigraph chart showing a flight from Sandane (ENSD) to Stockholm-Bromma (ESSB)
Navigraph chart showing a flight from Sandane (ENSD) to Stockholm-Bromma (ESSB)

The Navigraph map shows the planned route between the two countries.

Engine failure on a twin engine aircraft with Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Engine failure on a twin engine aircraft with Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Suddenly, the left engine experiences problems. It stops and the propeller feathers to minimize drag. Since we’re approaching the runway at Stockholm-Bromma airport, we choose to continue on our way, as we benefit from a large airstrip and emergency response services. Now unsure about the reliability of the second engine, we keep a slightly higher altitude than a normal approach would generally dictate.

Double engine failure on a twin engine with Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Double engine failure on a twin engine with Microsoft Flight Simulator.

A few minutes later, the second engine stops. The plane becomes a large glider. The clouds prevent a good view of the surrounding area, but we feel our altitude is sufficient to attempt an approach to the airport when the runway is in sight.

On final for Stockholm-Bromma airport with a double engine failure
On final for Stockholm-Bromma airport with a double engine failure

The flaps and landing gear will only be extended once we’re established on final and the aircraft is stabilized and certain of reaching the runway. Microsoft’s flight simulator doesn’t allow us to do just anything with an aircraft. If we exceed the aircraft’s structural capabilities when attempting to reach the airport, the flight will stop immediately.

On the ground at Stockholm-Bromma with a double engine failure on a Beechcraft 350I in flight simulation.
On the ground at Stockholm-Bromma with a double engine failure on a Beechcraft 350I in flight simulation.

The final approach and taxiing caused no problems. The aircraft gradually slows down until it comes to a complete stop on the runway. The poor air traffic controllers now have to apply Plan B to reorganize air traffic around the airport, with the main runway temporarily blocked.

Beechcraft maintenance hangar at the Stockholm-Bromma virtual airport
Beechcraft maintenance hangar at the Stockholm-Bromma virtual airport

Fortunately, Beechcraft offers maintenance services at Stockholm-Bromma airport. So, we’ll leave the aircraft for major repairs and find something faster for the next flight to Ukraine. Why not an F-14 Tomcat? It is not in military service anymore and thus its presence in the air should not worry too much.

P.S. This story is based on a real even that happened in Quebec several years ago. An acquaintance of mine (Paul B.) was scheduled to fly from the Val-d’Or airport (CYVO) to Rouyn-Noranda (CYUY) in a light twin-engine aircraft that hadn’t flown in a long time. Halfway between CYVO and CYUY, the first engine failed. The pilot decided to continue. With the runway in sight in the distance, the second engine stopped. The pilot hovered the aircraft and managed to land on route 117, just behind a large truck which accelerated to give way to the aircraft he could see descending in his rear-view mirror. The aircraft landed safely and without damages!

Click on the link for more flight simulator flights around the world on my blog.

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

FSS and pilots with different styles

Pilots regularly refer to flight service specialists (FSS) when preparing for a flight. They can either phone or visit a flight service station. The FSS progressively know an increasing number of pilots who differ a lot in experience.

As with any profession, competence and a professional attitude vary for the same license. Pilots are no exception and I could divide them in three categories: 85% meet the requirements on a continual basis, 10% constantly exceed the expectations and the last 5% deals with more or less important shortcomings.

Here are two small stories involving pilots of very different style and some flight service specialists. Those events happened in the ‘80s and ‘90s:

The pilot with a gigantic ego

One day, a pilot called the Transport Canada flight service station in Quebec City (CYQB) on the local radio frequency and said: “I’ll be landing in twenty minutes at Lac St-Augustin. Call my wife and tell her to pick me up”.

That was not a polite way to request a favor. He obviously had decided that those types of private phone calls were part of our responsibilities. As the flight service specialist was working higher priorities, he told the pilot that this was something he would have to do himself.

Losing his temper, the pilot started to reel off his CV and all the contacts with whom he would communicate to set this employee’s case. His long monologue forced us to lower the air radio frequency’s volume. His ramblings blocked an important frequency and were a nuisance to the other pilots. Eventually, he ran out of ideas and the radio frequency was finally available for essential communications.

A few hours later, the same pilot made a spectacular entry in the flight service station, shouting and blasting the employees. He then left the place by slamming what could be slammed of the swinging doors we had at the time.

Luckily, special cases like that are rare. They so differ from what we are used to that it’s impossible to forget them, even decades later.

An exceptionally cold blooded pilot

I remember of a very experienced pilot who used to visit us regularly at the Transport Canada flight service station in Rouyn-Noranda (CYUY). One day, he entered the station, leaned on the briefing counter, and started to talk about different subjects before finally asking us if we had any documents in our library that were dealing with an airplane crash…

We replied by the affirmative. Considering his calm and the tone in his voice, we figured that he was just curious. He then told us that he had just crashed less than an hour ago and that the machine he was flying was totally wrecked. He was the only person on board and managed to get out with scratches only.

I must admit that I had never met somebody that could be so detached from an event of such importance!

For more real life stories about being a FSS in Quebec City, click on the following link: Flight service specialist (FSS) in Quebec City

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

Aviation photography: Rouyn-Noranda aircraft photos during 1986-1988 (Part 3 of 3)

Here is the third group of aircraft photos taken at the Rouyn-Noranda airport (CYUY) during 1986-1988, while I was working as a flight service specialist (FSS). Those are not fancy pictures but they nonetheless provide a representative sample of what was flying over the Abitibi region during those years. As such, they are part of the Quebec Province aviation history. You have possibly discovered some company names and colours already in the last two aviation photography documents published on June 29th and July 11 th 2015.

I took those photos with an old Pentax KX, using Kodachrome film. Many types and categories of aircrafts and helicopters are included: private, commercial, corporate, government, etc. I am convinced that some pictures will bring back memories to older pilots.

In this third and final group of photos, you will find: Québecair Convair, Noranda Mines Lear 25 C-GZIM, Propair Hugues 500D C-GDFF, Mitsubishi MU-2 C-GAUR, Transport Canada DHC-8-102 C-GCFJ, Government of Canada CP-140 Aurora, Cessna C-425 Conquest 1 C-GLAD, Hugues 300 C-GBUM, Cessna C-210 C-GVYD, Inter-Canadien Fokker F-28-1000 C-GQBR, Viking Bell 212 C-GFQN, Air Creebec C-402, Hélico Mont-Laurier Enstrom C-GNUZ, Kelner Airways C028B Caravan 1 C-FKAL, Cessna C-172 C-GUCU, Nordic Bell 206l C-FARV, Cessna C-172 C-FBOI, Cessna C-175 C-FKVE, Scout Chief C-FXGS, Noranda Mines Beech 300 C-GPKP, Québec Aviation Commander 840 C-GPVE, Piper PA-32-300 C-GBRZ, Piper Cherokee 140E C-FTVV.

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

Aviation photography: Rouyn-Noranda aircraft photos during 1986-1988 (Part two of three)

Here is the second group of aircraft photos taken at the Rouyn-Noranda airport (CYUY) during 1986-1988, while I was working as a flight service specialist (FSS). Those are not fancy pictures but they nonetheless provide a representative sample of what was flying over the Abitibi region during those years. As such, they are part of the Quebec Province aviation history. You have possibly discovered some company names and colours already in part 1 of 3, published on June 29th 2015.

I took those photos with an old Pentax KX, using Kodachrome film. Many types and categories of aircrafts and helicopters are included: private, commercial, corporate, government, etc. I am convinced that some pictures will bring back memories to older pilots.

In this second part, you will find the following: Ailes de Charlevoix Commander 500S C-GAYR, Propair C-310 C-GAFO, Voyageur Airways BE-10 C-GISH, Skycharter FA-20 C-GSKQ, SEBJ Convair 580, Québecair SA226-TC-MetroII C-GKFS, Nordair-Metro CV-580, Noranda Mines Gulfstream 1 C-FNOR, Government of Canada Challenger 601 for VIP, Cessna C-150 C-FRGC, Canadian Pacific B737-200 C-GNDM, Government of Québec FA-27 C-FPQI, Government of Canada GRC C-208 Caravan 1 C-FMPB, Normick-Perron helicopter Bell 206B C-GAKN, Beech Sierra BE-24 C-FZYD, Astar 350 Écureuil and Dighem, Air Dorval Westwind, Air Charters PA-31 C-GBMX, Air Canada DC-9.

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

Aviation photography : Rouyn-Noranda aircraft photos between1986-1988 (Part 1 of 3)

Here are few aircraft photos taken at the Rouyn-Noranda airport (CYUY) during the 1986-1988 period, while I was working as a flight service specialist (FSS). Those are not fancy pictures but they nonetheless provide a representative sample of what was flying over the Abitibi region during those years. As such, they are part of the Quebec Province aviation history. It is possible that you might see some of the company names or colours for the first time.

I took these photos with an old Pentax KX, using Kodachrome film. I intend to publish the three series over the next few weeks. Many types and categories of aircrafts will be included: private, commercial, corporate, governmental, military, etc. I am convinced that some pictures will bring back memories to older pilots.

In this first part, you will find the following: Tim Hortons AC6T, Sunwest Lear 35 C-GVVA, Québec Aviation SW4 C-GQAP, Propair DHC-3 C-FOOH, Government of Québec HS-125 C-FSEN, Trans North Air helicopter Bell 47G3B2 C-FQJY, Government of Québec DC-3, Conquest Flight Group C-411 N88727, Cité Express DHC-7 C-GHRV, Government of Canada CL-601 C-GCFI, Manitoulin Air Service C185F C-GTLO, Central Airways BE-20 C-FANG, Canadian Pacific B737-200 C-FCIP, Bellanca Scout C-GPKB, Aérospatiale Écureuil AS-350, Austin Airways BAE-748 C-GGOO, Viking AS-350 C-GBPS, Air Dorval SW2, Air Canada B-727, Aero-Commander C-GOTL.

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

A wedding anniversary in a hot air balloon (C-GFCM)

Summer 1988. I only had few months left as a Transport Canada flight service specialist (FSS) in Rouyn-Noranda (CYUY) before being transferred to Iqaluit, an isolated Arctic post in the Nunavut, Canada. That summer, during my annual holidays, I took few days to drive to St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, just in time for my parent’s wedding anniversary.

We thought of offering them a ride in a hot air balloon. The balloon would lift from a field facing the St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Cégep.

Hot air being blown in the balloon C-GFCM in preparation for the flight from the Cégep de St-Jean-sur-Richelieu terrain, 1988
Hot air being blown in the balloon C-GFCM in preparation for the flight from the Cégep de St-Jean-sur-Richelieu terrain, 1988

The winds were favoring a flight path that would allow the crossing of the Richelieu River. The pilot would profit from that opportunity since the crossing of that river is very popular with the city’s inhabitants. We just hoped that the wind direction would not change while the balloon was over the water.

The amount of propane gas being limited, the flight would have to be at a quick enough pace to allow the pilot to get away from Iberville’s buildings once on the other side of the river. I don’t think my parents were worried about those details. I imagined that their anxiety was instead building up at the same time as the balloon envelope was gaining volume.

Hot air balloon C-GFCM in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu 1988
Hot air balloon C-GFCM in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu 1988

As soon as the balloon lifted off, it drifted towards the river. This would allow the pilot to touch the river with the basket, something he did twenty minutes later with great ability.

The hot air balloon C-GFCM is now airborne in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, (1988)
The hot air balloon C-GFCM is now airborne in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, (1988)
Hot air balloon C-GFCM over the Richelieu river in Québec, about to touch the water. (1988)
Hot air balloon C-GFCM over the Richelieu river in Québec, about to touch the water. (1988)

The balloon then regained altitude, just high enough to skim over a corn field on the other side of the river. We were following the balloon’s path by car. We used all the shortcuts available, and were creative when it came to following traffic rules and road signs.

Hot air balloon C-GFCM and an old Quebec farm (1988)
Hot air balloon C-GFCM and an old Quebec farm (1988)

About one hour later, the pilot started the descent. The balloon landed without problem in a field. When essential manoeuvers were completed, he surprised us by pulling few items out of the basket: a small folding table, a red-checked tablecloth and glasses for everyone.

The evening was a complete success. Somewhere in the countryside, just before night time, we celebrated with a bottle of champagne…

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

A squall line goes through the Rouyn-Noranda airport

1986. It was a beautiful summer afternoon at the Rouyn-Noranda airport (CYUY). The Transport Canada flight service station employees knew that a cold front was approaching and would soon sweep the airport. Until then, it was still a perfect day. Blue sky, light winds. At the time, the flight service specialists (FSS) did not have access to radar images or satellite pictures.

To get an idea of what was coming from the west, we were normally using an Environment Canada aviation weather forecast and the actual weather observations of two flight service stations in Ontario, Earlton FSS and Timmins FSS. Their last weather observation mentioned a wind shift and an isolated thunderstorm. But Timmins was far away and could only provide us with a rough estimate of the situation.

As I was working the evening shift on that day, I checked the wind speed indicator, as a reflex developed throughout the years. What I saw was kind of unreal. The speed indicator’s needle suddenly went from showing few knots to 20 knots, and then 40 knots, hesitated a little then went up to 60 knots and, in a final correction, reached 72 knots, which was about 134 km/h.

Everything was so peaceful around the flight service station. I looked through the window to detect any moving object. At that very moment, the wooden shed normally used by the fuel man passed in front of the station. That wooden structure must certainly have weighted few hundred kilos. The fact that it was moving at a good speed was a clear indication that the instruments were working properly. A squall line was associated with the cold front progression.

Everything that was not properly fixed to the ground started moving. In the next hour, strong thunderstorms going eastward moved in over Rouyn-Noranda. The Val-d’Or airport (CYVO) being located sixty miles east, it was clear that it would be hit directly in about two hours. I called the Val-d’Or control tower so that everyone got prepared for the squall line. That gave them enough time to tie everything correctly and damages were limited.

One hour later, everything was back to normal in Rouyn-Noranda and we profited from an ideal summer night.

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

Propair, Caribous (DHC-4) and the Irangate

Propair DHC-4 Caribou C-GVGX in Inukjuak in 1982
Propair DHC-4 Caribou C-GVGX in Inukjuak in 1982

In 1986, the Propair Company’s hangar was located very close from our flight service station in Rouyn-Noranda. There were frequent exchanges between their staff and our FSS’s. One day, one of their employees told us that two American pilots had just come to the airport to take delivery of a Caribou DHC-4 cargo aircraft that had been sold by Propair.

The aircraft would be exported. The DHC-4 is known to be a very practical aircraft as it can carry heavy loads and manage to takeoff or land on an extremely short distance.The pilots took-off with their used Caribou and we did not hear any more from them until the world Medias started to talk about the Irangate affair. I can talk about it today as it is a public affair: details can be found on the internet.

The Rouyn-Noranda Propair Company had in fact sold not one but two used DHC-4 Caribous to a consultant working for a panamean company. One of the DHC-4 was later registered in El Salvador. One of the two Caribous experienced an engine failure over the mountains, enroute towards El Salvador. In order to stay in the air, and considering the extreme outside moisture and air temperature, the crew had no other choice than to get rid of some weight. Spare parts in the cargo bay, including a brand new engine still in its crate, were pushed outside the plane, falling in the jungle below. But the plane had eventually no other choice than to land before arriving to its initially planned destination, Ilopango.

All this was linked to the Contras who were engaged in warfare operations against the Nicaraguan leftist government of Daniel Ortega. In order to finance the covert operations, a secret budget was necessary: some Americans were selling arms to Iran, even if there was an official ban, and the money received was financing warfare operations. A journalist who had followed this story closely and made important discoveries was found dead. He had apparently committed suicide by shooting himself twice in the head…

One of the pilots who departed Rouyn-Noranda with a DHC-4 was named Sawyer. This man would later fly, covert operations organized by the CIA, a C123 cargo type aircraft that was shot down in southern Nicaragua. The pilot and co-pilot were killed but a passenger, Eugene Hasenfus, parachuted out knowing the aircraft would soon crash. He was interrogated and revealed the details that allowed the discovery of the secret deal with Iran.

The Oliver North’s testimony in front of the Congress kept that story alive for a long time. Eventually, like everything, this story was progressively forgotten. Thirty years later, I still remember the numerous phone calls that the flight service station received from the Medias about this affair.

A book published in 2013 and titled “Raymond Boulanger, le pilote mercenaire” adds several details to this story, since Mr Boulanger was himself a pilot hired by the CIA.

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

Pilots: from best to worst

October 1984. It was time for the annual holidays. Florida was the destination. What made the trip more interesting was that the Challenger space shuttle would be launched while we would be there, and that the Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau would be on board. He was the first Canadian astronaut to have the opportunity to go in space.

The Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau (upper row, extreme right) and the other american astronauts chosen for the Nasa Challenger Space Shuttle Mission 41-G (from left to right and lower to upper row: Jon A.McBride, Sally K. Ride, Kathryn D. Sullivan, David C. Leestma, Paul D.Scully-Power, Robert L. Crippen, Marc Garneau) on aviation postcard.
The Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau (upper row, extreme right) and the other american astronauts chosen for the Nasa Challenger Space Shuttle Mission 41-G (from left to right and lower to upper row: Jon A.McBride, Sally K. Ride, Kathryn D. Sullivan, David C. Leestma, Paul D.Scully-Power, Robert L. Crippen, Marc Garneau) on aviation postcard.

The plane’s tickets were bought and one morning of the whole trip was reserved for the shuttle’s takeoff. I was planning to take a picture of the launch from Cocoa Beach. The shuttle would be airborne before daylight, while it was still quite dark.

I had a very basic Pentax camera at the time and all the settings had to be done manually. The aperture and speed were adjusted to ensure a well-balanced picture. But I never expected that the gas combustion would illuminate the sky in such a radical way. I believed, like many people, that the thundering noise from the engines would be the first sign that the launch had just happened.

But the speed of light being way faster that the speed of sound, we suddenly experienced a radical change in the ambient light. I had barely enough time to modify the settings before the shuttle entered the clouds. But I still managed to bring back a little souvenir from that day…

Challenger space shuttle taking-off in 1984 with the Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau on board
Challenger space shuttle taking-off in 1984 with the Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau on board

I had just seen something spectacular. I knew that on board were pilots with exceptional talent.

But two months before, while I was working as a flight service specialist (FSS) at the Transport Canada flight service station in Rouyn-Noranda (CYUY), I witnessed a different kind of performance. One day that I was listening on a frequency that is not normally used for communications between pilots and air traffic service units, I heard two pilots exchange the questions and answers found on airline pilot license written exams. The pilot’s comments gave me the feeling that they would be very lucky to succeed at such a written exam.

I took the microphone and, without announcing myself, intervened as a third party in the discussion. I asked them to repeat the questions and answers that they just gave each other since I did not have time to copy everything.

The pilots were stunned to realize that other people were listening while they were exchanging the data on the air. One of them said: “Did you hear that?” They immediately ended the radio communication. The simple fact of using radio frequencies for such activities told a lot about the quality of their judgment. And judgment is an essential quality of every performing pilot…

For more real life stories on the Rouyn-Noranda flight service station and flight service specialists, click here:

Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda

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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Rouyn-Noranda FSS

A twin-engine plane avoids a standing fisherman in his boat

Cessna 310 C-GAFO parked on the ramp at Rouyn-Noranda (around 1986-88)
Cessna 310 C-GAFO parked on the ramp at Rouyn-Noranda (around 1986-88)

During the summer season, air surveillance is needed to watch for new forest fires in the center and north of the Quebec Province. There are periods, sometimes many days in a row, where the pilots do not observe anything significant. They accumulate hours of flying, quietly waiting to see a new fire or expecting to be directed by a dispatcher to a new problematic area. Those pilots also act as spotters for the Canadair CL215’s and CL415’s.

During the eighties, in the Abitibi region, a Cessna 310 had been in flight for few hours and the pilot had not spotted anything worth a call. Wishing to add a bit of action to his flight, he decided to descend and follow the meanders of a river at an extremely low altitude. As he exited a bend, the pilot faced a standing fisherman in its boat, angling in open water. Imitating the gestures of the fisherman, the pilot later told the Transport Canada flight service specialist (FSS) in Rouyn-Noranda (CYUY) that he was not the only one surprised…

It might be hard to believe that an aircraft could fly that low, especially when exiting a bend in a river. But after many decades in the aviation world, I can say that almost everything is possible. I imagine the fisherman’s reaction, quietly angling during a beautiful summer morning. While the fisherman lowers his head, the pilot pulls on the controls…

The expression in the pilot’s face showed clearly that he had had enough action for the day…I would like to swear that it was his last daring move, but it would be to ignore that this need for extreme flying is always present in some pilots.

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Real life stories as a FSS in Rouyn-Noranda