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Airplanes
As most of you know, I am a photo nut and and airplane nut.
I wasn't able to get to an Airshow this year, but still managed to hang around the airports.
A part of my job (as was the case in Camrose) is to oversee the management of the Wetaskiwin Airport. Here are some of my photos from this year..... |
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The view from our dock - Our neighbour Ron's pier...! |
| Earlier in the Year, Ron took me for my first Float Plane ride, and let me fly most of the the trip, up and down the valley. It was very interesting landing on the water, into the wind, but in this case perpendicular to our long and skinny lake. It first looked like we were approaching the runway from the side trying to land across it, and not down it. Of course once we got close it was obvious there was lots of room as the lake is more than 1/2 km wide. We approached through the valley just south of the house. |
Camrose 56th Fly-In Breakfast, May 29, 2011 |
Liam's C-180. |
I can't remember what this is... but it is a private jet. |
Friends Liam and Kathy came to visit us at the Camrose Fly-In Breakfast in May. Liam uses any excuse to either come and visit, or just buzz the house. If we see the red maple leaf, we know that Liam is thinking of us.
The Fly-In was a great sucess this year with 119 aircraft and breakfast served to 1300 people. Everyone seemed to have lots of fun walking around, looking at the aircraft and talking to the pilots. I think everyone wants to be a pilot at some level.... |
Another neighbour, Blain, enjoys flying past in his Harvard. While he is very sensitive to the noise he makes, always worried that people will complain. I think most of us in our area would prefer lower, faster and louder!
Go Blain!! |
Blain's Harvard Mark IV |
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P-51 Mustang at "Vintage Wings" in Wetaskiwin July 4 |
Our friend Liam is volunteering with the Vintage Wings organization, which is dedicated to the restoration of old Canadian aircraft - and to "keep em Flying". He usually flies the Stearman!
Each year they tour several of their aircraft across Canada. This year they toured their "Yellow Wings" had a Harvard, Cornell, Stearman PT-27 and the P51 Mustang in their group. Liam used his influence to convince the group to swing by Wetaskiwin after the Canada Day Weekend event in Edmonton. They arrived early, and spent the day showing the aircraft to the public, and taking people for rides. Lots of good press for our Airport, and for many of our Councillors, who were there to greet the pilots and public. |
Stearman PT-27 |
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Harvard Mark IV |
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The P-51Mustang is always a hit. This guy paid over $1000 for his ride. |
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I don't know who owns this plane, but he is a friend of our Neighbours, and the floatplane was parked next door for the first part of the summer.
We all love planes, but this guy was practicing taking off and landing, and it seemed the only time he could do it was between 7:00 and 8:00 in the morning - every day of the week - and instead of varying his take off location (the noisy part), he would always take off right in front of our houses. I love the sound, and was usually up anyway, but Louise and others in the neighbourhood who didn't have to work during the summer weren't so keen on being awakened every five or six minutes between 7:00 and 8:00 each morning.
Fortunately he sold the plane before there was a conflict in the neighbourhood! I can see why he liked the mornings - many were beautiful and calm as you can see. This is still one of my favorite photos of the year! |
I can't post the final photo..... one of the Edmonton Sun's 2011 "Photos of the Year", taken by Codie McLachlan, is a photo is of Grandpa looking at a "Vintage Wings" Stearman at the Aviation Museum in Edmonton.
I called the Sun, explained that it was a photo of my father, and asked permission to put the photo on my website - non profit - and only limited viewers. They said they would be pleased to give me permission, but it would cost me $50 if it were displayed for one month, or $100 per year..... (apparently this is half off the regular price because this is a non-profit website) ...
WTF ... I declined.....
They did allow that I could place a link to the photo because that is sending you to their site and is not re-posting the photo - how nice of them.... Unfortunately the link may only be valid for a few weeks ....
It is photo number 12. You will have to click on the pause when you get to it. Too bad they got dad's name wrong in the caption...
Here is the link.
If you want to save the photo to your computer, just right click on it and select "save image as". Of course the Edmonton Sun would be happy to sell you a copy for just $49.95 .... |
| For extra fun - have a look at our Christmas Past !!! |
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