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Western Canada Airways
Ltd., Flight Log - Bellanca CH-300 “Pacemaker - CF-AKI
Charter
for the R.C.M.P - the hunt for the Mad Trapper - February 3-22, 1932
Pilot:
W.R. “Wop” May, Mechanic: Jack Bowen
|
Date |
# |
From |
To |
Miles |
Time |
Weather |
Wind |
Notes |
|
Feb 3, 1932 |
456 |
Fort McMurray |
Fort Chipewan |
150 |
1:30 |
-30, OK |
W 15 MPH |
|
|
Feb 3, 1932 |
457 |
Fort Chipewyan |
Fort Smith |
115 |
1:15 |
-30, light fog |
W 15 MPH |
Forced to land at Fort Smith
on account of gas line plugged up with fine grey powder when dry. |
|
Feb 4 1932 |
458 |
Fort Smith |
Fort Simpson |
435 |
3:30 |
-30, clear |
W 15 MPH |
Cleaned Carburetor again -
still finding fine grey powder when dry. Could not proceed past Simpson, bad
storm reported from Norman. |
|
Feb 5 1932 |
459 |
Fort Simpson |
Fort Norman |
300 |
3:50 |
-15, high wind mist |
35 to 40 MPH |
Right tank while gas. Left
tank Ethyl gas. Used Ethyl first. On arriving at Norman Carburetor screen was
nearly closed off with grey powder. Oil temp gauge not working. Temp in air
about -20. Could not proceed farther. Weather impossible. Very high wind in
air. Snow drifting badly. |
|
Feb 6 1932 |
460 |
Fort Norman |
Arctic Red River |
370 |
3:45 |
-40 clearing some |
NW 15 MPH |
|
|
Feb 6 1932 |
461 |
Arctic Red River |
Rat River |
75 |
:35 |
-40 some fog |
NW 15 MPH |
Landed at Rat River but no
one there so proceeded to Aklavik where I found instructions. |
|
Feb 6 1932 |
462 |
Rat River |
Aklavik |
50 |
:30 |
-40 some fog |
NW 15 MPH |
Cleaned Carburetor at
Aklavik - found clean - no Ethyl gas used on this trip from Norman to Aklavik. |
|
Feb 7 1932 |
463 |
Aklavik |
Camp |
100 |
1:00 |
-20 fog clearing |
S 10 MPH |
Mountain flying (camp 40
miles up Rat River). Passengers Carter & Dr. Urquhart. Landed at Advance
camp. Got in touch with ground forces. Made arrangements re: supplies, etc.
Left Carter at camp. |
|
Feb 7 1932 |
464 |
Camp |
Aklavik |
100 |
:55 |
-20 some patchy fog |
S 10 MPH |
Traced Johnson tracks up
side of mountains - light got bad, returned to Aklavik. Cleaned Carburetor -
found clean - white gas used. |
|
Feb 8 1932 |
465 |
Aklavk |
Camp |
60 |
:30 |
-40 fog |
nil |
Mountain flying. Took load
of supplies into camp. Food and dog food. |
|
Feb 8 1932 |
466 |
Camp |
Camp |
100 |
1:05 |
-40 mist |
nil |
Made scouting trip over
divide to headwaters of Rat River and Bell River. Picked up tracks on Barrier
River. |
|
Feb 8 1932 |
467 |
Camp |
Aklavik |
60 |
:25 |
-40 mist |
nil |
Brought body of Millen to
Aklavik. Passenger Riddell |
|
Feb 9 1932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bad Weather |
|
Feb 10 1932 |
468 |
Aklavik |
Aklavik |
45 |
:45 |
-50 ok |
S 8 MPH gales |
Arrived over Rat River Pass
found gale blowing through pass, returned to Aklavik. |
|
Feb 10 1932 |
469 |
Aklavik |
Husky River |
50 |
:25 |
-50 gale in mountains |
S 8 MPH gales |
Found gale worse, landed
load at mouth of Rat at Husky River |
|
Feb 10 1932 |
470 |
Husky River |
Arctic Red River |
60 |
:20 |
-50 gale in mountains |
S 8 MPH gales |
Went to Arctic Red and
landed load of green fish at Husky to be ferried next trip |
|
Feb 10 1932 |
471 |
Arctic Red River |
Husky River |
60 |
:25 |
-50 gale in mountains |
S 8 MPH gales |
|
|
Feb 10 1932 |
472 |
Husky River |
Aklavik |
50 |
:20 |
-50 gale in mountains |
S 8 MPH gales |
|
|
Feb 11 1932 |
473 |
Aklavk |
Camp |
60 |
:30 |
-35 overcast |
W & N 20 MPH |
Landed at camp. Bad snow.
Blown off landing. |
|
Feb 11 1932 |
474 |
Camp |
Husky River |
30 |
:15 |
-35 overcast |
W & N 20 MPH |
wind bad |
|
Feb 11 1932 |
475 |
Husky River |
Arctic Red River |
60 |
:30 |
-35 snow |
|
visibility poor could not
see any tracks |
|
Feb 11 1932 |
476 |
Arctic Red River |
Husky River |
60 |
:30 |
-35 snow |
|
Returned to Arctic Red River
for more dry fish. Stored at Husky River mouth of Rat River |
|
Feb 11 1932 |
477 |
Husky River |
Aklavik |
50 |
:20 |
-35 snow |
|
|
|
Feb 12 1932 |
478 |
Aklavik |
Husky River |
50 |
:25 |
-35 OK |
S 10 MPH |
|
|
Feb 12 1032 |
479 |
Husky River |
Husky River |
75 |
:45 |
-35 OK |
S 10 MPH |
75 miles mountain flying |
|
Feb 12 1932 |
480 |
Husky River |
Aklavik |
50 |
:20 |
-35 snow |
S 10 MPH |
Snow drifting bad in
mountains. Serviced motor - changed oil |
|
Feb 13 1932 |
481 |
Aklavik |
La Pierre House |
100 |
1:15 |
-50 some snow |
W 15 MPH |
Landed La Pierre House. Snow
very deep had to run up and down to make runway. Visibility too bad to do any
scouting. Snowing heavy. |
|
Feb 14 1932 |
482 |
La Pierre House |
La Pierre House |
90 |
:50 |
0 clearing |
nil |
Followed tracks to mouth of
Eagle River. Lost tracks among mass of Caribou tracks. 120 miles mountain
flying |
|
Feb 14 1932 |
483 |
La Pierre House |
La Pierre House |
30 |
:15 |
0 heavy snow |
nil |
Tried to return to Aklavik
for load of gas and supplies. Pass closed off. Returned. |
|
Feb 15 1932 |
484 |
La Pierre House |
Aklavik |
100 |
:45 |
-20 clearing |
nil |
|
|
Feb 15 1932 |
485 |
Aklavik |
La Pierre House |
100 |
1:00 |
-20 some fog in mountains |
nil |
7 ten gallon drums gas and 8
gallons oil & supplies. 200 miles mountain flying. |
|
Feb 16 1932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weather impossible |
|
Feb 17 1932 |
486 |
La Pierre House |
Eagle River |
25 |
:30 |
-20 fog through pass |
W 10 MPH |
|
|
Feb 17 1932 |
487 |
Eagle River |
Aklavik |
125 |
:45 |
-20 fog through pass |
W 10 MPH |
150 miles mountain flying.
Followed trail from mouth of Eagle River, watched battle with Johnson saw wounded
man. Wounded m Hersey. Landed and brought Hersey to Aklavik. |
|
Feb 18 1932 |
488 |
Aklavik |
La Pierre House |
100 |
:45 |
-20 clearing |
S 10 MPH |
Serviced motor - changed
oil. (Used 20 gallons of RCMP A5 oil from camp). Left 70 gallons gas at La
Pierre house and 5 gallons of oil in charge of Jackson Brothers La Pierre
House. |
|
Feb 18 1932 |
489 |
La Pierre House |
Aklavik |
100 |
:50 |
-20 fog |
S 10 MPH |
Went to La Pierre House.
Picked up Inspector Eames and body of Johnson, kit, etc. 200 miles mountain
flying. |
|
Feb 19 1932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weather impossible |
|
Feb 20 1932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weather impossible |
|
Feb 21 1932 |
490 |
Aklavik |
Fort McPherson |
75 |
:35 |
-30 clearing |
N 10 MPH |
|
|
Feb 21 1932 |
491 |
Fort McPherson |
Arctic Red River |
50 |
:25 |
-30 clearing |
N 10 MPH |
|
|
Feb 21 1932 |
492 |
Arctic Red River |
Aklavik |
100 |
:45 |
-30 fog |
N 10 MPH |
Brought load of supplies for
RCMP from Arctic Red River to Aklavik. |
|
Feb 22 1932 |
493 |
Aklavik |
Fort Good Hope |
310 |
2:10 |
-50 clear |
nil |
Body of Millen, RCMP killed
at Rat River, Constable King RCMP wounded at Rat River. |
|
Feb 22 1932 |
494 |
Fort Good Hope |
Fort Norman |
160 |
1:20 |
-50 fog |
nil |
|
|
Feb 22 1932 |
495 |
Fort Norman |
Fort Simpson |
300 |
2:25 |
-50 clear |
nil |
Added one gallon of oil in
air between Norman and Simpson. Using too much oil. |
|
Feb 22 1932 |
496 |
Fort Simpson |
Hay River |
225 |
2:05 |
-20 clearing |
S 10 MPH |
Body of N. Millen, RCMP
killed at Rat River. Passengers King and Jack Cameron, sick for Edmonton
hospital. |
|
Feb 22 1932 |
497 |
Hay River |
River |
300 |
2:15 |
-20 fog |
S 10 MPH |
|
|
Feb 22 1932 |
498 |
River |
Fort McMurray |
175 |
1:55 |
-20 clear |
S 10 MPH |
|
Total 5,108 miles, total flying time 45 hours & 20 minutes, total trip 21 days.