Malcolm's previous post ...original accidently deleted

[Kip Powick]

A big piece of Saskatoon airline history departing for Lethbridge

By Brody Langager  Global News

Posted April 24, 2024 2:56 pm

 2 min read

A relic aircraft of Canada’s airline history will soon be taking a trip away from Saskatoon, but it won’t be by air.

Rik Barry, chairman of the Time Air Historical Society based in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alta., said they’ll be in Saskatoon over the next three days disassembling an aircraft that they’ll be transporting back to Lethbridge.

View image in full screen

An old Canadian Regional aircraft is leaving Saskatoon and making its way to a museum in Alberta. Global News/ Slavo Kutas

The C-FTAV, a 1976-built Fokker F-28-1000, will be used by the society to celebrate early airline history in Canada.

The plane has been stored at the Saskatoon Airport since 2002. Barry explained there were roughly 25 aircraft retired at that time.

“Air Canada retired them in 2002 and, because of the history of Norcan Air and their experience with the F-28, decided to mothball the whole fleet here where they have stayed for the last 22 years,” Barry said.

Norcan Air was a Saskatoon-based airline back in the day, with Barry saying that Time Air had purchased the company back in 1987.

“Later, Time Air was renamed Canadian Regional to better align with its parent company, which was Canadian Airlines.”

He said this move was the start of an airline museum dedicated to the history of Canadian airlines.

View image in full screen

Canadian Regional planes being stored in Saskatoon. Global news/ Slavo Kutas

Barry said there were close to 40 airlines throughout Canada’s history that eventually came to form Canadian Airlines before Air Canada took over.

He said any similar remaining aircraft in Saskatoon will be scrapped over the coming years.

Jesse Millington, operations coordinator with Time Air Historical Society,  explained the process — including the removal of the wings — involved in moving an airplane by truck and trailer.

“The wings are actually bolted. There’s about 300 plus really annoying bolts,” Millington said.

The body of the plane sits on one trailer, while the wings get hauled on another.

He said that this was not an easy process to get this aircraft, adding that this moment was four years in the making.

“It means a lot just to everybody here, everybody who is involved, and hopefully it will mean something to future generations that see the plane.”

[Malcolm]

Did you pilot or perform Mtce. on this aircraft?  Any fond or other  memories.

Mark:

C-FTAV

Common Name:

Fokker

Model Name:

F.28 MK1000

Serial No.:

11106

 

Basis for Eligibility for Registration:

CAR Standard 507.02, 507.03 - Type Certificate - A108

 

Category:

Aeroplane

Engine:

2, Turbo Fan

 

Max Take-Off Weight:

29484 kg

 

24 Bit Address:

Bin=110000000011001001000010, Octal=60031102, Hex=C03242

 

Regional Office:

Winnipeg

Year Imported:

1991

 

Base of Operations:

Saskatoon , Saskatchewan, CANADA

 

  Manufacturer Information

 

Manufacturer:

Fokker Bv

Country of Manufacture:

NETHERLANDS

Year of Manufacture:

1976

[W5]

Yes, I flew this aircraft and a number of his brethren for 5 years.

[Malcolm]

27 minutes ago, W5 said:

Yes, I flew this aircraft and a number of his brethren for 5 years.

Fond memories, interesting stories?

[JL]

As a dead-heading Dash 8 driver I remember them being extremely loud in the cabin...especially up front if you were jumpseating. Slipstream and environmental air combined for a level that was almost I tolerable. We could get away with Telex headsets on the Dash but if I recall most F28 pilots used David Clark's. The more senior FAs wouldn't touch it for the noise fatigue. 

[W5]

The F-28 was the most enjoyable transport aircraft that I have flown. Yes, it was noisy. And you definitely needed David Clark's in the cockpit due to the air conditioning packs being right under your feet. ( I am wearing 2 hearing aids these days, but that could also be blamed on R985's, R2800's, Darts and Allison's.) The cockpit was very well laid out, for it's time. Clean and simple and you could fly it single handed

Riding in the back was a different story, not going to expand on that here.

It was outstanding for short field and rough field operations as well as in mountain operations.

The speedbrake was extremely effective, being placed right behind the engines. Of course at that time the SOP was to be stabilized at 500 feet (VFR), resulting in a lot of a slam dunk and fast approaches. The massive liftdumpers and very good brakes made for pretty short landings.

Due to my position on the seniority list (and a couple of mergers) I was the bottom captain for 5 years. That resulted in a lot of reserve and a lot of interesting flying, mostly with a small group of great F/O's and F/A's; mostly junior on the list as well. That included a couple of overseas short term contracts. Our work was mostly the stuff nobody wanted, nighttime charters to LAS, RNO, PSP. Fishing charters, based out of MSP and going into the dirt in the NWT and Northern Saskatchewan. It was hilarious coming into ORD with an aircraft covered in mud. Nighttime (NHL) hockey charters into OAK because SFO and SJD wouldn't let us in past curfew. And then there were the 3 day pairings, with a couple of 10 leg days. Mining and oilfield charters. During the time that the ATR's were grounded we would do split shifts out of various places, replacing either the ATR or a Dash 8. Dispatch usually forgot to tell ATC that we were an F28, so we did get some interesting instructions or clearances initially.

Yes, I could tell a lot of stories. However I don't think that they would be all that well received in today's environment.

 

[Seeker]

7 minutes ago, W5 said:

 

Yes, I could tell a lot of stories. However I don't think that they would be all that well received in today's environment.

 

Who cares about today's environment - tell us the stories!

Ain't nobody here but us chickens!

[Malcolm]

19 minutes ago, W5 said:

The F-28 was the most enjoyable transport aircraft that I have flown. Yes, it was noisy. And you definitely needed David Clark's in the cockpit due to the air conditioning packs being right under your feet. ( I am wearing 2 hearing aids these days, but that could also be blamed on R985's, R2800's, Darts and Allison's.) The cockpit was very well laid out, for it's time. Clean and simple and you could fly it single handed

Riding in the back was a different story, not going to expand on that here.

It was outstanding for short field and rough field operations as well as in mountain operations.

The speedbrake was extremely effective, being placed right behind the engines. Of course at that time the SOP was to be stabilized at 500 feet (VFR), resulting in a lot of a slam dunk and fast approaches. The massive liftdumpers and very good brakes made for pretty short landings.

Due to my position on the seniority list (and a couple of mergers) I was the bottom captain for 5 years. That resulted in a lot of reserve and a lot of interesting flying, mostly with a small group of great F/O's and F/A's; mostly junior on the list as well. That included a couple of overseas short term contracts. Our work was mostly the stuff nobody wanted, nighttime charters to LAS, RNO, PSP. Fishing charters, based out of MSP and going into the dirt in the NWT and Northern Saskatchewan. It was hilarious coming into ORD with an aircraft covered in mud. Nighttime (NHL) hockey charters into OAK because SFO and SJD wouldn't let us in past curfew. And then there were the 3 day pairings, with a couple of 10 leg days. Mining and oilfield charters. During the time that the ATR's were grounded we would do split shifts out of various places, replacing either the ATR or a Dash 8. Dispatch usually forgot to tell ATC that we were an F28, so we did get some interesting instructions or clearances initially.

Yes, I could tell a lot of stories. However I don't think that they would be all that well received in today's environment.

 

Stories please.    I understand there was unique  relationship  in Churchill, The RCMP, overnighting  and bear bangers..... 

[W5]

23 hours ago, Malcolm said:

Stories please.    I understand there was unique  relationship  in Churchill, The RCMP, overnighting  and bear bangers..... 

That was with Transair. Way before my time.