BUSH PILOT Division

by Bill Odell

Red Lake

Red Lake, Ontario, is right dab in the middle of a large Gold exploration and several Gold Mines like the Red Lake Mine, Placer Domes Campbell and the Cochenour Mine. Aviation support is of major importance to these Gold Mines. Compared to other Gold sites there is every indication significant reserves are yet to be discovered.

Bush Pilot Division is an established bush operator, headquartered at the Red Lake Lodge, Red Lake. Their fleet consists of DHC-2 Beavers, DHC-3 Otters and C-46’s. With all of the flights, it is the responsibility of the pilot to make his own flight plan and to use Real Weather.

.Flight Board

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Aircraft From To Remarks

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DHC-3 CYRL CYVZ 4 passengers with 2 canoes

DHC-3 CYRL CKXL 2 Pass. + Cargo - 5 pax on return

DHC-3 CYRL CYQ3 AV Gas and fuel oil drums, bring back empties

DHC-2 CYRL CYX3 2 Pass + Mail, cargo - Stop CKQ7 on return for 3 pass.

DHC-3 CYRL CYHD Cargo for paper mill- pick up paper products for CYWG

DHC-3 CYWG CYRL Perishables for Red Lake

DHC-3 CYRL CZGR Av gas + fuel oil drums, cargo + mail on return

DHC-3 CYRL CYQK 4 passengers + cargo + mail, return shows cargo and mail

DHC-3 CYRL CYQD Cargo +Mail

DHC-3 CYRL CYPL-CJV7-CNM5-CYRL See narrative

DHC-2 CYRL CPS5 2 Passengers for Miminski Lake Lodge

DHC-3 CYRL CKM8 Cargo for Dome Mine

DHC-2 CYRL CKL3 Provisions for Nishnawbe First Nation

DHC-2 CYRL CYLH 3 passengers for Misty Isles Lodge

DHC-2 CYRL CNM5 4 passengers for Omahamo Hotel

DHC-3 CYRL CYWP Provisions for Webequie Indian settlement

DHC-3 CYRL CYAQ Fuel oil drums for the Kasabonika Indian settlement

DHC-2 CYRL CYTL 4 passengers for the Mc Donald Log Cabin’s

DHC-3 CYRL CKB6 Fuel oil drums for Shibogawa First Nation

DHC-2 CYRL CZRJ 4 passengers for Howland House

DHC-3 CYRL CYAC Provisions for the Ojibway Indian Reserve

C-46 CYRL CYWG Cargo from the Gold Mines and supplies on the return flight.

Now To Fly at Red Lake

Deer Lake - Four Adventurers arrive on the scheduled carrier from Winnipeg. These four have been with us before and are very experienced woodsmen. On this trip they plan to hike from Deer Lake to Pikangikum, roughly 70 miles (why any one would want to try this at this time of year is beyond me). You will fly them in the Otter, which is being loaded, to Deer Lake and drop them off. Part of their gear is two canoes that they will portage. They have sufficient emergency rations but plan to live off the land as they have done each time before, being picked up in one month at the Pikangikum strip. They have a radio with our frequency at Deer Lake and Pikangikum but will only use it in an emergency. A native guide will meet them at Deer Lake and get them set up for the hike. So, passengers on board, have the one who would be the primary navigator sit up front with his charts and you can fly their planned route in reverse, and he can note info on the charts as you see it from the air. Fly from Red Lake to Pikangikum then Poplar Hill and on to Deer Lake. This is the route that you suggest they take and the visibility from the air will give them a better picture of the route, and the portages can be greatly reduced this way. They agree. Coming in to Deer Lake now, and there is Charley their guide waiting. You go over the maps with Charley and he agrees that this is the best route. Unload the plane and Charley loads everything into an old truck and tells them he will take it to the Lake and pick them up at the Lodge at 7 in the morning. You? You head back to Red Lake thinking, “someday I would love to make a trip like that - oh yeh”.

Sioux Lookout - Back just in time, there is a party of two waiting to get to Sioux Lookout. Their baggage, and air cargo for the outpost is too much for the Beaver so load the passengers, baggage and cargo in the Otter and on your way. Most of the cargo is distributed out to the native communities from Sioux Lookout. There

will be four locals boarding at Sioux coming to Red Lake to order and pickup supplies for the communities and head back on the Otter. When they have loaded their supplies head back to Sioux Lookout with them. They will have a load of empty fuel drums for you to bring back to Red Lake.

North Spirit Lake - At Red Lake, a load of fuel oil drums for North Spirit Lake Lodge is being loaded in the Otter. Stocking up for the winter. There will be some cargo and mail to be brought back, so off you go. Time permitting you hope to catch lunch at the superb restaurant at the Lodge. They have some outbound freight and mail for Red Lake, check to see if they have any empty fuel drums, bring them back as we have a need for fuel at some other outposts and we are running low on empty drums.

Eagle River - After a good night’s rest, up an at ‘em. You have a Beaver flight this morning. Two passengers, baggage and mail for Big Eagle Lodge. Stop at Vermillion Bay on your way back and pick up three passengers from Tony Adams Fishing Lodge. When you get back the Otter will be loaded with paper mill supplies for Dryden paper mill at Dryden Regional.

Dryden - As you walk to the Otter you see your load for the paper mill at Dryden is loaded along with freight and mail for Black Bear Lodge. After you unload at Dryden you will pick up a load of paper products for Winnipeg along with some frozen pork from the Dryden Hog Farm at Greenwood Flight Service. With this weather, pay very close attention to icing, don’t forget that Air Ontario flight 1363; it didn’t clear the trees on takeoff. At Winnipeg you will pick up a load of perishables for Red Lake. You better make sure the perishables are protected from frost or freezing, if they do the airline just bought some useless items.

Norway House - There is a build up of perishables, cargo and mail for both The Pas and Norway House. It is essential that we make these flights to Norway House as, other than water, the only way in with supplies is by air, Norway House being a major distribution point along the Red River. The Otter is fully loaded and off you go, about two thirds of the load is for Norway House. They will be loading some freight for The Pas, plan on freight and mail from both on the return flight Check personally on their Av gas and fuel oil situation, don’t want to wait till the last minute for re-supply.

Deer Lake again - That Otter they are loading with AV-gas and fuel oil drums is for your next flight. Get on up to Deer Lake with that load and they have a load of empty 5 gallon Av gas cans to bring back.

Kenora - You have a mixed load on the Otter. There are two passengers for Red Indian Lodge and two for Bow and Arrow Resort plus some freight and mail. Your return load is eight passengers from the resorts that will be connecting to the Winnipeg flight at Red Lake.

Summer Beaver - There are 8 Tribal Elders of the Nibinamik Forts Nation at Pickle Lake that have to get home to Summer Beaver. Take the Otter and head over to Pickle Lake. Check your fuel at Pickle Lake, as there is no fuel at Summer. When you get to Summer Beaver head over to Kingfisher Lake as there are four fisherman needing to catch the afternoon DC-3 from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay. Kingfisher has fuel if needed.

Miminisik Lake – You have a couple of fisherman going to Miminisik Lake Lodge in the Beaver. Check and see if they have any return cargo or mail, also check on their fuel oil supply.

Opapimiskan – Your Otter is loaded with supplies for the Dome Gold Mine. They have a load of empty drums to bring back. We sure can use those as we are getting a little short.

Winnumin Lake – There is a large load of provisions for the Nishnawbe First Nation settlement on the Otter. Bring back any empty fuel drums they have and check for cargo or mail, they forgot last time.

Lansdowne House – There are three passengers waiting for you over at the Beaver going to the Misty Isles Lodge. There are supposed to be four passengers waiting to return.

Kingfisher Lake - Those four passengers and their baggage will be going with you to the Omahamo Hotel in the Beaver. There is a shipment of native artifacts to come back plus mail.

Webequie - You have an Otter load of provisions for the Webequie Indian Settlement. The will have some empty fuel oil drums for your return. Need all of these we can get before the coming winter season.

Kasabonika - The Otter is loaded with drums of fuel oil for the Kasabonika Indian Reserve. There will be a small load of cargo and some mail to bring back.

Big Trout Lake - You have a four-member nature photography team heading to Mc Donald’s Log Cabins. The Beaver should handle it real well. Remember that couple you took up there two weeks ago? Well they are coming back and hope to catch the DC-3 to Winnipeg, see what you can do.

Wapekeka - Another Otter load with drums of fuel oil for the Shibogawa First Nation settlement. They have two natives to bring back for a visit to the hospital at Thunder Bay.

Round Lake - those four nature lovers are going with you in the Beaver to Howland House. They have a generator that they are sending to Thunder Bay for repair.

Cat Lake - The Otter is loaded with provisions for the Ojibway Indian Reserve. Bring back the empty fuel oil drums.

Hope you all enjoy my adventures as much as I do flying and writing them, so sign on with us, enjoy!

Best

Bill Odell

wradodel@tampabay.rr.com