9/11

For more than one reason there is an event in living history that will forever be imprinted in Bazflyer minds. 

Our world is conveniently divided into ‘Time Zones’ designed so that as different parts of Earth enter and exit daylight conventional subdivisions of standard time can be observed for legal, commercial and social purposes. The conventional wisdom of this is when it is morning some where on our planet at the same moment in a diametrically opposite place evening rituals are occurring. And so it was in NewZealand on a September day in 2001.

It was the middle of the night. Bazflyers were asleep. The ringing of a telephone jolted them awake. The birth of grandchild number-one had been earlier in the day so the first reaction was any call at this hour of the night was unlikely to be good news. The telephone was answered....a known voice on the other end calling from London, economically and quietly said; “Go, turn on your television”, then hung up. 

In New Zealand the time zone was 1:00 am in the morning of 12th September. In New York the time was 9:00 am on the 11th September. Just 14 minutes since a hijacked airliner, Flight 11, had deliberately and unbelievably been flown into the North Tower of New York’s World Trade Centre. The television screen in the living room was barely alive when somewhat incredulously live broadcast images captured a second airliner, Flight 175, flying into the South Tower. 

South of New York a third hijacked airliner, Flight 77, was flown into the Pentagon building. Meanwhile, as a result of on board actions by brave passengers and crew, the forth airliner involved, Flight 93, crashed in farmland to the west of New York City before it could make the hijacker’s intended target.

In the space of a little more than an hour both World Trade Center Towers, at that time the tallest buildings in the world, had been reduced to a pile of smoking rubble. Altogether this deliberate and wilful act of terrorism took 2,977 lives, more have since died of related causes and many thousands of people were injured. 

The ensuing live scenes and images of that day mesmerised not just the Bazflyers, but millions of people round the world. However, although intuitively recognised in the midst of all that mayhem, many of our freedoms once taken for granted irrevocably evaporated along with the World Trade Centre Twin Towers. 

All that is now 18 years in the past but for many of the Bazflyer generation the once unfettered freedom of travel, or even entry into public buildings without security checks, is a nearly forgotten memory. Along with that the grandson with his birthday on September 11th, has grown into a fine adult while the caller from London has sadly passed away. 

A visit to New York’s 9/11 memorial was indeed a particularly poignant Bazflyer occasion and appropriately served to reinforce an article of faith....”Life goes on regardless of the time zone we occupy.....”

Ground zero

An image captured on the day 18 years ago

The striking roof line of the 9/11 memorial

Memorial by night

Looking across the Hudson River to the Manhattan skyline

Coast to Coast

It could be wondered by stalwart Bazflyer supporters, the ones who follow those mesmerising tracker dots, if ZK-BAZ actually did make it to Lock Haven. Well, unequivocally the Bazflyers did fly their trusty Comanche from Akron, Ohio to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania but quite legitimately you might ask why there weren’t any tracker dots for that particular flight. Well, the reason is not technical. Ensuring the tracker is turned on for each flight has religiously been the domain of Bazflyer2 but for that single flight Bazflyer1 famously proclaimed he had turned it on. Armed, yes...but set to tracker mode...no. Oops, some crew tasks are best left with the expert...!

Today’s flight from Lock Haven to Linden, an airport situated on the fringe of New York City, was not a long one just a bit over an hour. It was flown VFR (Visual Flight Rules), just the second such flight since leaving Australia. Linden airport is tucked-in under New York’s busy airspace, the complexities of which make a VFR arrival the preferred procedure. Although some folk at Lock Haven airport gasped at the prospect of flying anywhere near New York, the Bazflyers simply followed published procedures and experienced a smooth ride for a landing within sight of the ‘Big Apple’.

Arriving at Linden completed the Bazflyer’s coast to coast journey across the North American continent. As a point in history, the first transcontinental flight across the United States was famously made 108 years ago. It was an attempt to win a prize of $50,000 offered by publisher William Hearst for the first aviator to fly coast to coast in less than 30 days. The flight took 50 days and required 70 stops. However, in testimony to rapid advances in aircraft technology, the first non-stop coast to coast flight occurred just 12 years later with a flight time of less than 27 hours.

Coast to coast for the Bazflyers, from Sitka, Alaska to New York, was a flight time of 17 hours spread over a leisurely 20 day period. There was no monetary prize. Rather it was joining the circuit to land at Linden Airport on a beautiful clear day and seeing New York City there in front, so close, it was almost unbelievable. And thanks to Bazflyer2 the mesmerising tracker dots are there to prove it....

Departing Lock Haven airport for Linden near New York

Downwind Runway 27 in the Linden circuit with New York City on the skyline 

Putting BAZ to bed after landing at Linden Airport 

Arrived in the Big Apple

NY airspace with Linden marked as an orange dot

Sentimental Journey

The arrival seemed somewhat of an anticlimax but not so was the significance of the occasion. With what could have been a sense of sentimental gratitude the wheels of Comanche ZK-BAZ kissed the surface on runway 27 then smoothly rolled through to complete the landing at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. This was the place where the Bazflyer’s trusty Comanche was built, in the now disused Piper aircraft plant, and made its maiden flight almost 57 years ago.

Every year for a week in June, hundreds of aviators gather on Lock Haven airport in commemoration of the Piper aircraft built there. The annual event is known as ‘Sentimential Journey Fly-In’ and an irresistible stop-over for the Bazflyers.

Lock Haven is not a big place but sited as it is on the banks of the Susquehanna River, the town has born the brunt of several devastating floods over the years. It was such an event in 1972 that resulted in a decision by The Piper Aircraft Company after a 35 year history of building thousands of aircraft at Lock Haven, to cease local operations. This decision also marked an end for the Comanche line. 

Among the old Piper Aircraft buildings that have sat largely unused for the past 47 years is the Piper Aircraft Museum. Staffed by volunteers it houses a very informative presentation of Piper history and a number of restored Piper aircraft. But it was one particular airplane on display that caught the Bazflyer’s attention. A beautifully presented Comanche 400. Not just one of the 146 examples ever built, it was the very first Comanche 400 built. 

Then the unexpected occurred. Once dubbed “the World’s fasted single engine production aircraft” this fully flyable and pristine Comanche 400, (N8400P) was a donation to the Piper Museum by its owners of 28 years, Jim and Janet Fisher. But the unexpected did not end there. At exactly the same time as the Bazflyers were admiring this fine ionic exhibit, the wonderful generous couple were also with their former Comanche enjoying their very own ‘Sentimental Journey’.

Lock Haven airport is named after the man who started Piper Aircraft

The Piper Aviation Museum occupies the former Piper Engineering Department building

The now derelict Piper Aircraft factory in which Piper Comanche ZK-BAZ was built in 1962

Bazflyer1 admiring the first Comanche 400 built

Jim and Janet Fisher who donated their beautiful Comanche 400 to the Piper aviation Museum 

Thousands of these venerable Piper Cubs were built at Lock Haven 

The Susquehanna river flowing beside Lock Haven and responsible for decimating the Piper Aircraft plant in 1972. Stop-bank was added after this flood.

Magic Carpet

A magic carpet is a fantasy piece of floor covering notably found in oriental tales and used as a form of flying transport. Over the years many songs featuring the fantasy of riding on a magic carpet have been written and performed. Perhaps for those of the Bazflyer generation, “Magic Carpet Ride” performed by the ’60’s rock band, Steppenwolf is such a song perhaps imbedded deep in the archives of one’s mind. In an enticing way the lyrics of the song invite you to forget reality for a brief period of time and allow dreams to soar. 

 

In a comparative way, Round the World 2019 is so much like a magic carpet ride…a real magic carpet…not a fantasy. Like a kaleidoscope, on every day and every flight along the way, the Bazflyers feel like they could be riding a magic carpet. The diversity and beautifulness of our planet constantly unfolding is a humbling experience. Whether it is ever changing cloud forms, or the wonder of land-shapes rolling by, Comanche ZK-BAZ must surely be a magic carpet. 

 

Then, when it comes time to bring this notional magic carpet back to earth, the joys of meeting people begins. Wonderful people. Inspiring people. Talented people. People who fly airplanes and people who ride in them. However, no matter the nationality, culture or race that the Bazflyers come in contact with, it’s always gratifying to see the underlying values of family, compassion and honesty visibly interwoven within the patchwork quilt of humanity. 

 

As the ‘Wings of Friendship’ magic carpet makes it’s way round the world, the Bazflyers can say with some certainty; “Our world would not be a place at all if it wasn’t for the people who inhabit the folds of its land”. 

 

A ‘magic carpet’ view across Wisconsin landscape while on the way to Akron, OH

 

Stopped after landing at Akron Fulton, OH (KAKR). The flight into Akron was somewhat circuitous due to storm activity and heavy precipitation. The controller on Cleavland Approach did a sterling job vectoring the Bazflyers around the worst of the weather and to position ZK-BAZ perfectly for the RNAV 25 approach to land Akron Runway 25. The  dominate Goodyear blimp hanger is visible in the background.

 

What a wonderful welcome the Bazflyers received from this group of flyers on landing at Akron Fulton

 

Larry with his Twin Comanche, grandson and Bazflyer2. The tail of ZK-BAZ can be seen in the background hangered out of the weather for its stay at Akron.

 

Stephanie is a mum and flys Command on a Falcon 900 for a local corporate 

 

Thank you Dale and Lois for a great evening of aviation fellowship.

 

A couple of lovely ladies who shared their time with Bazflyer2. Meet Lucy and Minnie.

 

Akron is known as the ‘rubber capital of the world’ and is the World Headquarters of Goodyear, maker of the first airplane tyre.

 

 

Americana on Main Street

A not uncommon perception around the world is that North America is home to big sprawling cities. Yes, without a doubt the continent is doted with huge metropolis but in between these are thousands of small settlements without which the United States would not be “America”. 

Park Rapids in Minnesota is one of those truely Americana small towns and a place the Bazflyers have enjoyed for the past couple of days. In the vein of America’s small towns, Park Rapids visibly brims over with patriotic pride. It is home to history sites, celebrations, pristine nature areas and full of warmth, charm and the spirit of its locality.

More than a century after the American people migrated from the farms to the cities, the image of small-town America endures as the birthplace of solid character and sound values. An image that was unashamedly on display this evening on Main Street. The precinct was closed to traffic with town’s folk of every age group seated, standing, foot tapping and dancing to a popular band. The irresistible smell of German hot-dogs mingled with the music. Real hot-dogs with all the trimmings. The Bazflyers learned they were participating in a well attended weekly street event that proudly runs in the town all summer. 

“American politics may live in the cities — but it dreams in small towns”. So said a man named Arthur Morgan, who 75 years ago wrote a book called ‘The Small Community: Foundation of Democratic Life’. While many big-city residents might not worry about the fate of small towns, Morgan believed they should because the “controlling factors of civilisation are not art, business, science, government, these are its fruits”. He believed the roots of civilisation are elemental traits—good will, neighbourliness, fair play, courage, tolerance, open-minded inquiry, patience. Morgan wrote; “these traits are best transmitted from one generation to the next in small communities, from where they are then spread throughout entire societies. To erode small-town culture was to erode the culture of the nation”. As far as the Bazflyers could see these values were clearly on display down on Main Street.

A selection of images captured Down on Main Street....

Piney-Pinecreek

Piney-Pinecreek is one of those tiny prairie towns that is so small both city limits signs could go up on the same post. However, size is not always relevant and in this case Pinecreek and its Canadian neighbour, Piney, jointly share an unique piece of aviation realestate.

Moving north or south across the boarder separating Canada and the USA in a light aircraft involves mandatory bureaucratic processes for which no deviation must be contemplated. And so it was after an enjoyable couple of nights in Brandon, on the Canadian side of the boarder, it was time for the Bazflyers to head south and once again enter the US. The quandary was however, where to land for boarder processing. Several options declaring themselves as “International Airports” were cased and discarded. Hands-down the winner was...Piney-Pinecreek.   

Besides its unusual location with a runway in the middle of nowhere that literally straddles the boarder, it also possesses a little‐known aviation convenience as a customs clearing point for private planes. Depending on which country you are entering, after landing one simply taxis and parks the aircraft on the required side of the boarder while observing the mandatory processes. For example when entering the US one must remain in the aircraft with doors closed until it has been bomb-scanned and you’re cleared by the armed boarder officer to get out. 

Apparently the Bazflyers must have ticked all the correct boxes because in the friendliest fashion they were processed and in no time at all released to continue their round the world journey, this time in mainland USA...but not before learning a little of the history of this unique place from the boarder officer a self confessed aviation enthusiast who had lived and worked at the outpost for sixteen years.

The airport’s history goes back to 1953 but it wasn’t until 1972, after bilateral agreements sponsored by an aviation enthusiast politician on each side of the boarder, that the airport was lengthened to include both countries. Today, Piney-Pinecreek (48Y) might not have a cafe or even a vending machine for passing pilots, but it does offer a couple of tempting incentives. It has the cheapest Avgas anywhere and no landing fees. According to the boarder officer, the self service Avgas tank is stocked on a US Government account for which Federal Regulations prohibit any profit margin. Such incentives attract a swarm of small aircraft over the course of one particular week every year in July when Canadians make the annual migration to and from EAA Oshkosh (KOSH), for the biggest gathering of aircraft on the planet. 

In a little more than a month’s time the Bazflyers will also be flying into EAA Oshkosh but will not need to transit through Piney-Pinecreek....they did that today. 

Piney-Pinecreek (48Y) straddles the Canadian and USA boarder.

The sign says it all

ZK-BAZ parked on the US side of the boarder 

Looking across to the Canadian side

Pilots in every country need reminding 

Leaving Piney-Pinecreek (in the near distance) and heading south towards the destination of Park Rapids.

The Plan

Flying eastwards from Kelowna, while level at 13,000 feet, the craggy snow covered Canadian Rocky Mountains abruptly give way to an expansive flat landscape. Broken only by an occasional river valley this vast cultivated land stretches seamlessly, to the left, the right and straight ahead. A unobstructed vista that remained largely unchanged for over 1,300 kilometres all the way to the Bazflyer's destination of Brandon, a small city in southern Manitoba. Yes, the vastness of Canadia's prairie lands can be well appreciated from above.   

 

Although the Prairies visibly support agriculture, in fact lots of agriculture, this flat featureless topography unselfishly served a quite different purpose during the Second World War (WW2). It was the exploration of this purpose that attracted the Bazflyers to visit Brandon.    

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War. The delivery of this scheme became a Canadian contribution to the war effort. Winston Churchill later stated "The Plan was Canada’s greatest contribution to the allied victory”, while it was referred to by President Roosevelt as the ‘aerodrome of democracy’.

By the end of the war, the Plan had produced 131,553 aircrew, including pilots, wireless operators, air gunners, and navigators for the Air Forces of Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The challenge was formidable. But when the free world needed a champion, Canada answered the call. At its high point in late 1943, an organisation of over 100,000 administrative personnel operated 107 schools and 184 other supporting units at 231 locations all across Canada.

Brandon was not only one of the pilot training bases, it uniquely has the only museum in the world dedicated as a memorial to those airmen who trained and served, and especially those who died, while serving their country in the air war of 1939-1945.

Of the more than 131,000 trainees who graduated in Canada under the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, New Zealanders formed more than 5%. Many of these young men together with fellow Australian’s, passed through Brandon before going on to serve in Europe and elsewhere. Sadly many never did return home.  

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

 

Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

 

Right hand downwind for landing runway 26 at Brandon (CYBR)

 

This sign is reminiscent of the number of dance halls established during the Second World War especially where there were large numbers of military service personnel. This sign was located in Brandon and used in the movie, “For the Moment” starring Australian actor Russel Crow and Christine Hirt.

 

Old photo of a bevy of Brandon beauties entertaining off duty aircrew trainees

A selection of aircraft types used to train WW2 aircrew at Brandon

 

 

George Eaton, like so many airmen during WW2, was just 22 years when the Lancaster in which he was the bomb aimer, was was shot down over Germany in December 1944. This was the ‘38 Dodge he bought before signing up for the war and training at Brandon. An only child, George's parents kept the car that is now part of the museum’s collection and a tribute to the many who never returned home. 

 

North American Harvard, the same type of trainer in which Bazflyer1 completed pilot training 50 years ago.

 

Kelowna

A place named “Prince George” airport seemed appropriately titled for the Bazflyer’s first Canadian touch down. A telephone call to Canadian Boarder Services completed entry formalities after which the Bazflyer’s could officially claim to have entered Canada…15 flights and 67 flight hours after leaving their home base of Taupo, New Zealand.

Apparently, the reason for this settlement being given such a royal name back in the early nineteen hundred’s was quite rational. However, whatever that rationality was it no longer resonates with some local inhabitants who prefer to believe their town is named after young Prince George of Cambridge, son of royal heir Prince William and Kate Middleton…! 

Following a night in the town with a royal name the Bazfyers were once again airborne this time heading in a southerly direction and a landing at Kelowna. Not only is this place another picture book locality in British Colombia, it is home to some very friendly aviators. However, something unknown to any of these aviators was that their corner of the world had an incidental connection to a small piece of New Zealand’s aviation history.

Round the World 2019 is in part following the tiny wing vortices of fellow New Zealander, Cliff Tait’s epic flight round the world in 1969. A flight he made in his little 115 horsepower airplane. Following refusal for the necessary landing in Russia, Tait shipped his airplane from Japan across the Pacific Ocean to Vancouver, Canada, where it was reassembled for the continuation of his journey. 

In his book ‘Flight of the Kiwi’ Tait describes leaving Vancouver; “…the flight was difficult, with bad weather and a low ceiling, making the crossing of the Canadian Rockies another adventure….had to land at Armstrong and Cranbrook before reaching the Canadian Plains”. 

There was never an airfield specifically at Armstrong which is where Tait stayed. The place of landing was Vernon Airport that coincidently happened to be just a few kilometres away from where the Bazflyers were graciously hosted and shown around by fellow International Comanche Society members, Ken and Ena Mori.

Perhaps there is something about the local Kelowna brew that is a positive influence on aviators. Not only were the Bazflyers cordially greeted on landing by a contingent of folk from the Kelowna Flying Club, but like the head on an expertly pulled handle of brew, the club’s president Dave McElroy flew a Comanche 180 round the world during 2014. A feat that the Bazflyers followed at the time and that no doubt helped fuel the passion for their own RTW flight.

Then there was the pleasure of spending some rewarding sociable time with former Royal Canadian Air Force ‘Top-Gun’ and CF-104 pilot, Larry Crabb. A gentleman, former fighter pilot and flying instructor. Larry served in Europe with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), commanded two tactical fighter squadrons in West German and ran the United Nations' (U.N.) air force in the Middle East.

The time to move on further eastwards beckons. Tomorrow the Bazflyers leave Kelowna, fly over the remaining part of the ‘Rockies’ past Cranbrook and out onto the flat Prairie Lands. Destination….Brandon.

Kelowna Airport (CYLW) is out there straight ahead.

Kelowna Flying Club welcome the Bazflyers

Vernon Airport (CYVK) where Cliff Tait landed 50 years ago

Bazflyer1 with Ken and Ena, about to take coffee at Tim Hortons, a Canadian national treasure

Bazflyer2 with Royal Canadian Air Force ‘Top Gun’, Larry Crabb

Being shown around Vernon by hosts Ken and Ena

Flying on further east to Brandon