External Loads
- Mar 14, 2009
- Posted By: Bruce Whittingham
- Tags: none
| Posted: 3/14/2009 7:06:29 PM |
| Posted By: edzaruk |
 Norseman aircraft have been know to carry almost anything from baby bears to millionaires. If it wouldn’t fit inside the cabin, then it was carried outside sitting on the float and tied to the wing strut. This picture of Chimo Air’s Norseman KAO seen here taking off from their base in Cockenour, (Red Lake,) Ontario, is typical of loads carried for tourist outfitters. Boats and canoes, lashed to the outside of the plane, are still a common sight. Almost anything that would fit along, or between the floats was carried, although coiled plastic pipe was not one of them. Need a piano moved, the Norseman could handle it. During the construction of the Mid-Canada line, Ontario Central Airlines moved twenty foot telephone poles by removing the rear doors, sticking the butts in the cabin, two to a side, and tying the tops, slipped over the strut outboard of the brace. Perhaps the most unusual external load is described by Bob Grant in his book Great Northern Bush Planes describes a flight from To Cumberland House with a load of hung over party-goers. The Norseman’s unusual tendency to pull to the left. After landing, the reason was all to clear, an unwanted passenger clinging to the outside of the air plane. With today’s bureaucracy, such externals wouldn’t fly, but years ago, when the call came to move the unmovable by air, usually it was seen strapped to the outside of a Norseman. Send your comments to EdZaruk@livecom |
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