It's Friday night and I am on a huge High! No not from any products; but, from real West Coast flying in a deHavilland Beaver.
A few weeks before Christmas I sent an e-mail to Brad Koop of Air Nootka asking if he would be interested in training me on the Beaver. He called and said - no problem. All I had to do was show up in Gold River.
I showed up last week and we were flying Monday.
I now have 10 hours of flying on the most incredible machine. This is what I want to do! I want to fly the Beaver as a commercial pilot. Working for Air Nootka would be a dream job but it's challenging flying and they generally don't let low timers like me fly for them. Landing with ocean swell, low visibility and tight docks are a standard. Ther aren't too many easy places for them to fly.
I was lucky to do some flying with Mike who is one of the younger guys at Air Nootka and was blown away with his flying. He made the machine as part of his body. I was able to do this a few times in my career as a pro triathlete on the bike. The bike felt like it was part of the body. Mike and Brad both fly this way. I have a long way to go before I can call myself a good pilot after flying with them. UNREAL! You guys are rock stars!
