4th Trip Across Canada
 

We hadn't flown the Ten to our home town in NB for 5 years. We always end up going some where else. We figured it was time we head back for a summer visit with our family. The new part about this trip is my wife has started working on her Pilot licence. We thought the safest thing for all the trips we do in the ten was for her to know how to fly. Two pilots are always better than one. She bought a 1975 Cessna 150 that she takes her training in. She also gets time on the 10 and the Carbon Cub. Learning right out of the gate that all planes fly differently is important. So many just learn on one plane and then they realize there is so much more to learn. The plan was for her to fly left seat across the entire country.

We loaded up the ten and set out for an over night in Thunder Bay, an easy day with one stop. We left mid morning with our first stop in Shoal Lake Manitoba for fuel. The crops were in full color all the way across the prairies.



The 510NM leg was around 3 hours and it was time to have our lunch that we packed. This was a fairly active airport with great fuel prices. We were greeted by some great people and got filled up. We relaxed for a while watching the spray planes coming and going as we ate lunch.



We were soon on our way climbing out of Shoal Lake watching the spray planes work below us.



Lake Manitoba came into view and we soon passed along its south shoreline. The ride was smooth and cool at 9500.



We were on with Winnipeg Centre and got handed to Winnipeg Terminal and cleared through their zone. A few scattered clouds started to form below us.



Once cleared through there zone it was back on with Winnipeg Centre and a climb to 11500. The scattered clouds were coming up. We rather smooth rides up high then beating in the bumps down low. OAT when down to -2C. Here we are cruising over Lake of the Wood country.



Not many places to land in these parts. The best options are the bogs. They have the smallest trees or none at all. We spent many hours over north Ontario, bog coming up good time to switch tanks, road coming up switch tanks, that was the routine.
Thunder Bay soon came into view and we finished off the late afternoon leg. It was an easy 1000nm day. No complaints from any one, not even from the guy in the right seat. Got the plane tied down, off to the hotel and relaxed for the evening.
The next day was a short flight to Sudbury. We always make time to visit my relatives there. We climbed out of Thunder Bay to begin cruising the shore line.



We followed the shore until about Wawa and made our way direct to Sudbury. Kids were enjoying the ride and the sites out the window, hard to tell from the picture. LOL



Here we are passing Wawa for the last view of the Lake Superior.

It was a 2.5 hour flight to Sudbury and we got in around noon. We spent the day visiting with family and touring the city. Went to the base of the 1200ft smoke stack and saw the big nickel. Sudbury is a mining town.
Next morning we headed to the airport to pack the plane. We filled up and planned to fly direct to home. This would be about 650NM for our routing. We had descent conditions for much of it other then thunder storms to get around near Quebec City. Once past that it was perfect conditions. We cruised along fairly low enjoying the scenery.



It wasn’t long and we were in the St Lawrence Valley and the cells on the radar started to show. We made the decision to get on the right side of them early so we would have a better chance at getting home.



Once past them, we were vectored right over Quebec City. Soon cleared the zone and direct for Charlo NB where I was able to book a hanger for 2 weeks. Best money I spent on the trip. Never once worried about the plane. We started our descent and passed Campbellton.



Next was Charlo where our family was waiting. The winds were kicking up pretty good and it was rough. Jody soon crossed mid field for the down wind and set up for final.



With all the turbulence and the cross wind she decided to not land this one. I was so proud of her just the same. She willingly flew, which meant stay awake, across the entire country! Right after touch down she said, I am sleeping all the way back! This was the easiest trip for me across Canada yet! We got out of the plane, hugged our parents then got the plane in the hanger. Two weeks of time with the family was about to start.

Great write-up, Troy. So good to see your wife taking the controls. I need to get her to talk to my wife. :-) We've been into Charlo as our weather alternate, and over NB one always needs a weather alternate! Enjoy some lobster and beer and great times with family.

Jody! Jody!!
 

Way to go Jody! Two more pilots to train great job Branch Aviation!

Awesome, I did all my flight training in Shoal Lake. Great little flying school!

Great write up! I'm eagerly awaiting more pictures!

Pretty awesome when the ladies join in the flying! Congrats on the trip!

Touring my home town.
 

After a week or so of no flying I figured we better go explore the area. Our home airport of Bathurst was being worked on and was closed; this is why we kept the plane in Charlo. It is about an hour to get there so it made it tough to just go fly, but well worth it for a hanger. I wanted to give the plane a good cleaning and fill it up, it always amazes me how much crumbs kids can make!

That plan was to take my Dad and Father in law flying. My father got his pilots license in the sixty’s and end up giving it up because of the lack of planes to fly and us kids that came along. I guess that is where I get my passion for aviation. He always does the flying when go together and he still just loves it. He finds the ten to fast for sight seeing though no matter how much I try to slow it down.:D He find the Carbon Cub just perfect for him but I wasn't making a 4000 plus NM trip in that.

The plan was to depart Charlo and fly across the bay to the Gaspe coast of Quebec and then fly the coast down to Bathurst and then up the Nepisiguit river to Mt Carleton area. Here is the crew.



We flew the coast to Bonaventure and then turned around to jump across the bay again.



We crossed over Heron Island. It is shaped like a fish and only people that are lucky enough to fly will see that. This is where many people go to dig clams. I was told that many years ago there was a homestead on the island.



We flew the coast all the way down to Bathurst. Here we are going by Youghall Beach with Bathurst in the back ground. Many cottages and homes here.



This area is called Carron Point. The bay is very low and they use to dredge the channel when the ships would come into the Pulp mill that no longer exists.



The big City Center of Bathurst.



We then headed up the river to fly past my parents place and then up river as we call it. We flew past Brunswick mines that is now closed. I was amazed at the clean up effort that was done in the shutting down of this mines. The mines and the mill employed a very large percentage of the area in the past.




We toured the areas that we spent many hours driving and snowmobiling on. Also got to see the many new wind mills that have been placed.



After a hour and half of enjoying the familiar area by air, it was time to land. We all had a great flight, filled the plane with fuel and made sure it was ready for the trip back west. I don't get to take my Dad flying very often as we live so far apart but it sure is a great day on the days I do. My father in law just loves going every time he gets a chance as well. It was pretty special to take them both at the same time.

Troy,

Thanks for taking the time to write this! Your (former) blog was instrumental in our decision to upgrade from the RV-8 to the RV-10 as our family grew. It's good to see Jody working on her license. Merideth did the same-- in fact she flew us to Oshkosh last year where we met you guys.

Best,
Guy

That is great to hear. We do remember meeting you, you hauled lots of stuff if I remember right. We missed Osh this year because of this trip and we hope to be back next year. Jody has been using her spare time to study so the Blog has kind of gone on the back burner.