LAPACACA!: Goose Down!

Down as in verb, not as in fluffy warm clothing item. A round trip ticket on the goose to Akutan was Dawson's birthday present a while back. He's been waiting for a sunny day to use it, but unfortunately last week there was a small incident that put a chink in the plans. Fortunately nobody was hurt too bad. (More on the incident here.)

You might wonder just how a plane can hit a car while it's landing on the runway. Well, in our little town, runway space is at a premium, and the road runs quite close to the runway. Usually, Penair sends out a van that blocks the road. There are also flashing lights that tell you to stop, and a gate that presumably used to swing shut, kind of like a railroad crossing. The lights flash, but the gate's a decoration. At any rate, here's a picture coming from the direction that poses the largest problem.

Apparently, somebody driving back from the spit didn't see that little red flashing light and drove straight through the landing path of the Goose.

Here's the Goose after a little mishap last summer.

The Goose is an awesome plane, built in the 40's, that lands in water just as easily as on a runway. It's pure adventure goodness. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Envisioned as corporate or private "flying yachts" for Manhattan millionaires, initial production models normally carried two to three passengers and had a bar and small toilet installed. As well as being marketed to small air carriers, the G-21 was also promoted as a military transport. In 1938, the US Army Air Force purchased the type as the OA-9 (later, in the war years, examples bought from civilian owners were designated the OA-13A) the US Navy variants were designated the JRF.

The amphibian was soon adopted by the Coast Guard and, during World War II, it also served with the RCAF in the transport, reconnaissance, rescue and training roles, and used for air-sea rescue duties by the RAF. The RAF, in a common naming convention with all of its aircraft, designated it "Goose".

On returning to civilian service, after the war, the Goose found use from the wilderness of Alaska to the sunny climes of Catalina.

A total of 345 were built, with about 60 still airworthy today, some of them in modified forms, such as the Turbo-Goose (see below).

Here's our tribute to the Goose. We took these photos in January and February. (Just so you aren't mislead, there are actually three different Geese here in the PenAir fleet.)

Here's a picture of the Goose taking off over the fateful road. You can kind of tell how it's a hazard.

And this last shot is of the Goose actually crossing the road after making a water landing. When this happens, it just drives right up the boat ramp, crosses the road, and heads on into the airport.

If you want more hot Goose action, you can rent Commando and watch California's governor and Rae Dawn Chong flying around. And blowing stuff up. And making silly jokes.

In other news, last night our home town roots showed up again for their annual production. The Missoula Children's Theater put on a wild wild west rendition of the Wizard of Oz. It's always nice to get a little taste of home here on the islands.