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CESSNA 180
Bob flew over 1,000 hours on this aircraft. This image is a re-fueling stop at Gods Lake.
The Cessna aircraft is probably one of the most reliable for short flights for fishermen and the
transport of passengers. Bob related a story to me that occurred in the spring of the year. They
had just got all the aircraft back onto floats and there was enough open water for take offs and
landings. It was early one morning when he took a lady with a baby to return to Sandy Bay.
This was a normal routine for Bob, the take off was normal, however when he got over the old
smoke stacks as the new one hadn't been built, which is before 1974, he is up around 1,000 ft.,
and the engine quits. That silence is something you don't really want to hear. Your plane now
becomes a glider. Bob did not have his Gliders License at that time as he didn't receive that
until later years. He felt his only re-coarse was to turn around and try to make the Channing
waterbase. He knew this was going to be a challenge but it was the only option he had.
Amazingly he made it. Bringing an aircraft in to land with the use of the stick is a challenge.
When we came to a stop on the lake, I will never forget the look on the Mother's face. When
the boat towed us to the dock and I opened the door of the plane, she was out like a rabbit and
swore she would not fly again. After a few hours when we corrected the problem which was
water in the gas, and we fired the plane up again and she had talked to her husband by phone,
and he told her it was her only way home, so she had to get back on that plane, and with great
reservation and Bob re-assuring her that they would make it this time, and they did.
MERCY FLIGHT
Mercy flights were always trips which put you on edge - weather conditions for landing and many
elements you were faced with when it came down to getting sick and injured people and children
out of remote areas. The above picture shows Dr. Merv Shnider in 1961 along with an owner of
a construction company and Bob bringing a premature baby out of Pukatawagan, Man. We flew
many times when the weather was questionable but when you were the pilot, the decision
was in your hands whether you could go and if you would go. This was a very hard time
to say no when you knew that someones life depended on your decision.
The above picture is a Cessna 180 on floats at Gods Narrows. Bob can recall the current here
being so strong that you could tie your pants to a pole and the current would wash them, and
if you would of left them there too long, they probably would of been gone so it saved on soap
and scrub boards.
This is Parsons Airways at Lynn Lake, Man.
Parsons Airways - Channing Water Base, Man. - 1950's
Cessna 180 - Channing, Man. - Bob with a friend. Bob was off to Big Trout Lake, Ont for
a summer of flying.
Cessna 180 - Channing Water Base
Cessna 180 which was loaded with approximately 800 lbs. of fish and collapsed while landing.
Fortunately Bob was not at the controls of this aircraft. When the plane landed, it caught
a ridge and created a situation which is known as ground loop. By the aircraft looping around
it caused the fuselage to collapse.
Aircraft are built to be as light as possible but sometimes with rough terrain, they have realized
over the years that the structure is not adequate to support a load when it is on rough ground.
Serven River, Ontario near a big Trout Lake Area. Life of a Bush Pilot at times can be peaceful
and quiet as he patiently waits for a geologist to collect his samples and lay claim to the next
big ore find so sitting on a rock fishing on a nice summer day was not a bad past time.
Bob said he found many places where the fishing was good.
Big Trout Lake, Ontario.
NORSEMAN FISH HAUL
The above planes Norseman Mark 5 in front and Mark 4 behind were employed hauling fish to Lynn Lake, Man.
The fish were taken from South Indian Lake as fresh fish to Lynn Lake where they were boxed and placed
on ice, then loaded into box cars and transferred by rail to Chicago. This was a fairly unique operation back
in that day and time. When you think of fish coming from South Indian Lake and being marketed in
Chicago, Ilinois, USA., I think it says something for the quality of fish that came out of
South Indian Lake.
The above is the Mark 4 Norseman which was also used on fish hauls. Hank Parsons had
2 brothers and 1 sister who were pilots and the two brothers were also Airframe Mechanics
who had an overhaul shop in Canora, Ontario and they overhauled and
rebuilt Norseman Aircraft which was definitely an asset to their brother Hank who operated
Parsons Airways in Channing, Flin Flon and Lynn Lake, Man.
The above photo is a Norseman Mark 4 at Channing Waterbase.
The above photo is a Norseman located at Lynn Lake, Man., Waterbase.
Above is a Norseman Mark 5 located at Thompson, Man., Airbase. This Norseman was property
of Lamb Airways. Lamb Airways served Northern Manitoba for years - The Pas and Thompson
being their headquarters.
RON DODDS
The Norseman which is on the pedestal behind Ron was once the property of Lamb Airways when they
served Northern Manitoba. Lamb Airways today no longer exists. This Norseman serves as a
monument to mark the past aviation history of Lamb Airways in Northern Manitoba and it is located
in Thompson, Manitoba and Ron Dodds has flown many a mile on the Norseman aircraft owned
by Parsons Airways and Hudson Bay Air Transport, both located in Flin Flon, Man. The Norseman Aircraft
Mark 4 & 5 played a very vital roll in the development of Mining, Fishing and Tourism in Canada's North.
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