So Long BWIA, Hello Caribbean Airlines
It doesn’t seem that long ago that I flew BWIA to and from the United States and Caribbean. To those not as familiar with the airlines, BWIA is the company’s acronym for British West Indies Airways and is pronounced bee-we. My memories are moldy or else times have changed, because apparently many passengers haven’t referred to the airline in fond terms for quite some time. Based in Trinidad, BWIA offers service to several Caribbean countries, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, and England.
Airplanes: Floatplane Season
My favorite time of the year is floatplane season. It’s when a handful of my neighbors land and take off several times a day on the river behind my Yukon cabin. They fly homebuilt aircraft as well as classics like the Piper Super Cub and Cessna 182. I’m often at the big picture window with my binoculars announcing to no one in particular, “That’s the outfitter again, coming in to load up another group of fisherman.” Or, “Must be 15 knots out there. Look at him-- he’s on the step already!”
Airplanes: Glassy Water Landings
We haven’t had much of a summer in this northern country. The leaves are already changing and I can count on two hands the number of calm, warm days we’ve had since spring. For the floatplane pilots around here, that’s not entirely a bad thing. After all, a little wind is great for takeoffs and landings, and calm days bring glassy water. Glassy water makes depth perception nearly impossible, often resulting in bone jarring or lethal landings.
Cessna Considering New Light Sport Aircraft
Cessna has recently announced they’re considering producing a new light sport aircraft, similar to the now-retired 152. They plan to display a full-scale version of the aircraft at this year’s Experimental Aircraft Association convention in Oshkosh. Cessna hopes that feedback from attendees will help them decide whether to proceed with development of the new aircraft.
Airports Are Not Just for Waiting Anymore
Recently, I spent 24 hours at Vancouver Airport during a layover. Though I truly love airplanes and flying, I don’t like hanging out at airports for more than a few hours. And what I really don’t like is trying to sleep beneath bright fluorescent lights amid the noise of a busy terminal. I pride myself on being an experienced traveler, but I learned something the other day. If only I’d known about it while I spent those tedious 24 hours at the airport.
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