Amphibious Planes

Jules wrote:


Frank Olson wrote:
Otherwise it's "keep your eye out for deadheads" (and
deadbeat boat drivers) - at least in Canada.

Yes. One cottage owner was steering his boat into floatplanes to thwart
them from landing. He also called and complained that the plane operator
was at fault and cutting off his boat. Witness' proved otherwise.

He was a summer owner from the US.

Tourists.



I love summertime and have some great memories of flying float as a
"single guy" out to impress the ladies. I was seventeen when I got my
license and the first endorsement I got was my float. Earned that on a
Piper Supercub with 150 ponies up front. Cultus Lake was my favourite
place to practice glassy water landings. Now-a-days, you'd be hard
pressed to land amidst all the idiots in boats. Sadly, the guy that
taught me everything I know about float planes (and bears) is no longer
with us. He was killed in a midair over the Bellingham VOR. Two good
friends "bought it" with him too. They were practicing instrument
procedures in a Seneca and collided with a C-172 working the same radial
and going in pretty much the opposite direction. The guy in the 172
walked away after force landing in a field. The Seneca "augered" in.
The ironic thing about this tragic event was that Bob (the CFI) was
"paranoid" about clearing turns and "keepin' your eyes peeled for the
other guy". He'd had a close call with a student pilot years before
when the C-150 he was piloting almost became an aerial landing strip for
a Piper Arrow "letting down" on approach to the Delta Air Park. I can
only surmise he was distracted momentarily and missed seeing the 172
coming right at him. He was just a few hours away from the 14000 mark too

He was killed in a midair over the Bellingham VOR.

What year did that happen?

(I live in Rosedale)
Bill