Twenty-First Gathering of VPI Calgary, 28 May 10

1130-1330

1. E/On @ 1130

2. Attending: Austin Hayes, Don Little, Mike Luxton, Ian Gordan, Dan McLean, Dave Watson, Garth Irvine and Bill Smith. Bill Smith brought a guest John Baehr from Red Deer. A great turnout of 9.

3. I've added John Baehr to our membership roles as he is a former VP 407 Air Navigator who flew on Neptune's from 51-72.

3. Regrets: Didn't receive any.

4. Good time had by all:

John Baehr 407 Sqn Air Navigator, spoke about flying a Neptune from San Diego to Hawaii, and losing an engine and deciding because of the winds pushing them to Hawaii to continue on. They ended up throwing all kinds of equipment out of the aircraft as well as jettisoning the belly tank when they used all the fuel in it.  I believe he said there was equipment on loan from the US that was thrown out too. Plus his commanding officer was wondering where the equipment was too. In the end it doesn't matter, everybody got to the ground safe and sound with the aircraft intact.

Another Neptune story from John, Flying and lost an engine, and called North Bay to change filed airspeed from 250kts to 350kts. North Bay replied with why don't you lose another engine then you can refile your airspeed to 500kts. The guys in North Bay had never seen a Neptune, so didn't know that the aircraft had two propellors and two jet engines. They needed to start the jet engines to burn off the extra fuel.

Lunch was ordered on Dave's missing notepad.

Dave had gone on an Alaskan Ocean Cruise earlier.

Dave is going on a river cruise in Russia from St Petersburg towards Moscow. Sounds pretty cool

Well this is about all I can remember, thanks for everybody coming out. Dan

Funny or neat saying from lunch:

Some people are more interested in saving our ass,
than doing something about it

5. Website: http://vpi.calgarywaterford.org or http://vpi.navdan.ca

    Webmaster: Dan McLean - navdan@ns.sympatico.ca

6. Next gathering  of this pseudo Wing, the next one is tentatively scheduled for:

Fri. Oct  01, 2010 @ 1130-1330. Mewata Armouries. Consider this and pass the word!

7. E/Off @ 1330

PS From Don Little 29 May:

After yesterday's get-together at the Armouries, I sent Bill Smith a wee note regarding my observance of him and our guest, John Baehr, having what appeared to be a "good time" trying to find ways of handling the dreaded Pay Park ogre just prior to the gathering. With Bill's permission (I hope) here's my email, followed by his reply.
Coupled with the barricaded bar and with almost no place to sit but with great thanks to Dave who magnanimously solved both problems, it was a good time had by all nine of us. Am sure that Dan the Man will provide the recap.
don

> Hey Bill:
> Hope you and John enjoyed your time in front of one of the Pay Park
> machines.
> There has to be a story here.
> Standing by!
> don

From: "Bill Smith"

Subject: Re: Pay Park

The flap-jackin bloody thing does not tell how to enter the time you want to rent!!! It tried to swallow my credit card and when I took it out by force it swore at me!! So we stuffed in all the loose change we could muster and asked for a receipt but do you think the illiterate monster would print one? Not on your Nelly. As we were leaving I told John that the next time down we would bring a stick of dynamite and teach the fiend some manners.
Outside of that, it was a pleasant trip both ways and we enjoyed the camaraderie and the meal
Best wishes
Bill

 

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