The Canso is in from the cold!

For the past several weeks we have taken over Brian Wilson's shops on his farm, just south of Fairview. One shop has the FNJE fuselage taking up half the space - there is still a little room for his equipment - and the other shop has the wing, with the right out-board section removed, taking up all the space. Brian was one of the original Canso Crew who made the trip to Inuvik to salvage the aircraft and his ongoing help and support is most appreciated.

Progress - For the past three months we've had Don Wieben and Henry Dechant working in the shop most week days with drop-in help, when available, from the other original crew members: Joe Gans, Norbert Luken, Doug Roy and Brian Wilson.  About three week ago, Mark Bach of Kelowna, BC, an aircraft maintenance engineer with lots of structural experience, assessed the damage and started repairing and rebuilding.  Mark has now returned home for Easter but while in Fairview he worked at least eight hours a day - every day.  A year ago at this time, Mark spent six weeks in Turkey rebuilding the keel on one of the water bombers that had been sold by Buffalo Air to the Turkish Government.  The damage to the keel occurred as a result of an attempted wheels-up landing during flight training and was a feature episode on the reality t.v. show Ice Pilots NWT.   The thirteen episodes of Ice Pilots NWT are currently in reruns on Wednesday and Sunday nights on the History Channel. 

On top of that we have had three Wednesday evening sessions - Canso Nights - where each night about ten willing and eager Canso enthusiasts have shown up to lend a hand and spend four or five hours removing parts, stripping fabric, cleaning and, generally, whatever needs to be done.  Don and Henry spend time during the week planning small projects for everyone who shows up so there isn't a lot of time wasted asking what needs to be done.