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The Lancaster Progress is Good, But It Will Be a While

Jim and I made a trip to the BC Aviation Museum and one of the things he was particularly keen to see was the Lancaster restoration project that they have underway. When we got to the area where the Lancaster restoration is underway, we were disappointed to find the area was closed off that day. We were peering through the entrance at the front fuselage when the president of the museum wandered up with a guest. He asked if we were interested in seeing it and I don’t think it will take great insight to know we said yes.

He was only going to be there for a short while but was happy for us to come in and have a look around while he showed his guest what was underway. The front fuselage was looking very good and much work has been done on it. I was allowed to climb inside and seeing the pilot’s position exposed at the top of the plane was fascinating. The engines are undergoing work and they were in different parts of the museum. The centre wing structure was at one side of the hangar and you could see the work done on it and the engine mounts waiting for the return of some engines.

We didn’t have a long time there but were grateful for the fact we got in there at all. When we went outside, you could see the outer wing panels in storage alongside the hangar. I don’t know what their condition is and whether being exposed to the elements is causing much trouble but I am sure they have considered this as part of their overall restoration effort. It will be a long time before everything is done but then the Lancaster will be displayed in the colors it wore when it was operating as a search and rescue aircraft for the RCAF. Should look fantastic.

Lake Louise is a Bit of a Zoo

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When we visited Lake Louise, we immediately took the shuttle bus that ran down to Moraine Lake. That was a wonderful place to be, and I have posted about it previously. When we had wrapped up our time down there, we took the shuttle back up to Lake Louise. We had figured on spending some time there but, as soon as we got there, the contrast with Moraine Lake couldn’t have been more stark. The place was absolutely heaving. The lake’s shoreline was jammed with people. It was really unappealing, and, after the tranquility of Moraine Lake, it seemed even worse. We had a brief look around and then bailed out.

More of the Vision in Nice Light

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I did include a shot of this Vision from a nice afternoon at Boeing Field when the light was really nice. As I was including it in that post, I was looking at a number of the shots I took of it and thought it was one of the better times I had shot the Vision so it might be worth a post of its own. Hence this post. The head on view of the Vision is pretty good at a distance as the distinctive V-tail configuration is shown off well.

Add to that the nice colors that Visions are often painted in and the soft and warm light, you get some good results. I don’t know whether the Vision is a good jet to own but they do seem to have sold well and are pretty common at Boeing Field. I will miss them even though I did seem to struggle getting the right conditions for them. At least I had a good encounter before I left.

I Didn’t Appreciate How Big This Was

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The BC Aviation Museum has a Kamov KA-32 in its hangar. Apparently, it was in use for lifting operations but, with the war in Ukraine having put spares support out of reach, it is now stored. A slightly odd exhibit in a museum full of Canadian aircraft but an interesting one. I had seen images of this helicopter before, but I had never been close to one. What I had never appreciated was just how large it is. Given that it has a large lifting capacity, I probably should have worked that out. I hadn’t though. Standing alongside it in the museum, I was really surprised just how large it is!

The APM at LAX is Almost Ready

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If you have ever flown out of LAX, you will know the delights that the road access to the airport provides. The time it can take to get around the loop of the terminals can often be awful. If you are on a shuttle bus looking to get to the other side of the airport, it can seem like forever. Combine that with the offsite rental car facilities and the journey from gate to car and in reverse can be a big deal. LAX is currently building a people mover system. It will connect the new consolidated rental car facility with the terminals and will, hopefully, address a lot of the congestion. The system is in test at the moment and, while I was at my hotel, I got a view of some of the system. Vehicles were on the tracks so hopefully the testing program will go smoothly and the APM will soon be active!

Gridiron Air and Their 777s

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Sports teams started acquiring their own jets a long time ago. An older, heavily depreciated jet could make a relatively cheap investment which meant the limited usage for specialist purposes – i.e. moving a sports team to events – was viable compared to chartering a jet from an airline. You could also customize the interior. Older jets have been replaced by 767s and 777s with some NFL teams buying their own jets. I’m not sure how the ownership transitioned but some of these 777s have ended up being operated by Gridiron Air. They used to have more specific liveries but now they seem to have transitioned to a neutral paint job. Even so, a private 777 is a nice change so I got this one when it was bringing a team in for a game in Seattle. I wish I had seen it with something a bit more interesting on it though.

Bow River Loop

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A short walk from the heart of Canmore is a loop trail that runs along the Bow River. It probably was a longer walk to get to the trail and back than the trail itself was but it was a lovely stretch of the legs for us. I have previously posted about the elk encounter that we had on that walk but the rest of the walk provided some lovely scenery to enjoy. There are some old bridges across the water that look like they would have been rail bridges at some point but now provide great foot access for everyone. A relaxing place to stroll, for sure.

Fifi Ramp Tour

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While Fifi, the B-29 Superfortress, was in Seattle, they opened her up for ramp tours. Since they didn’t get to run their normal rides, this was one of the few opportunities to get some revenue while in town. I had not done a ramp tour with her before (putting aside the time I met with the crew in DuPage for an article I was writing. It isn’t a speedy process to get through her and so a good amount of time was spent in line under the wing while we waited for our turn but that was fine.

We started out going underneath into the bomb bay where there was a guide to explain about the plane. Then we climbed up into the cockpit and spent some time looking around and hearing more of the stories of the team. Then it was back outside and time to wander around and see the aircraft up close. She is a lovingly maintained aircraft and I was glad I finally bothered to do the tour.

Winnall Moors Nature Reserve

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The move to Winchester had me initially staying in an Airbnb in the town while we made the full transition from the Pacific Northwest. The first place I stayed was very close to a nature reserve called Winnall Moors. It is not a huge area but it is a protected space amongst the larger park area and along the water that is the result of the many paths the Itchen takes through the area. I have taken a few strolls through since arriving and will, no doubt, be there a lot more in due course. Here are just a few shots of the place. Some of the wildlife encounters will have their own posts of course.

The Firefighting Collection

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Canada has a long history of aerial firefighting and the BC Aviation Museum has a row of planes that have a firefighting history. They are lined up outside the hangar and now include the museum’s most recent addition with the Martin Mars that Coulson donated heading the line. There is an S-2 although the example here is not one that was converted for firefighting. However, it does straddle the Canadian military element of the collection and the firefighting role.
Conair has extensive firefighting activities and there are two of their planes on display. An A-26 Invader is there in Conair colours. It was retired quite a while back. Next to it is a more recent acquisition. A Convair CV-580 with a large belly tank modification is an example of the more recent types used in the role. I wonder over time whether something like a Q400 or a BAe 146 will join the collection. Maybe some of the Trackers at Abbotsford could be brought across.