Sarnia Chris Hadfield
_There's actually two airfields I like to visit in Sarnia, one is the main airport and the other is a small private field a couple of miles away on the old 81 highway called Reeces Corners http://archive.copanational.org/PlacesToFly/airport_view.php?pr_id=1&ap_id=1141
Reeces is a small grass field about 2000 feet long and is easily spotted from the air by the large airplane that was mounted on a post and is used as a wind direction indicator. I understand the field is now for sale so I'm uncertain of it's future. The guys who fly out of their are certainly a friendly crowd and I'm sure I provided many of the old-timers there alot of amusement when I first started flying my RV4 from there several years ago and would regularly land about 1.5 times faster than I should have, making good use of the ENTIRE runway.
I like Sarnia airport if only it's because my mother lives five minutes from the field and I can always count on transportation back to her house for a nice meal when I visit. Having said that, the last time I was there, one of the operators of the Huron Flight school was very kind to let me borrow her vehicle to run into town-that's not to say you should expect a loaner when you go there, but it's the kind of hospitality, that when offered, always comes as a pleasant surprise.
The photo above was taken a couple of years ago when I taxied to the end of the field only to develop a minor engine problem. Fortunately, the airport is not so busy that you can't pull your plane back to the ramp for investigation without causing a major incident.As a young boy growing up in Sarnia, my exposure to aviation was limited to the occasional airshow in nearby Selfridge, and trips to Sarnia airport to attend to relatives arriving to visit via one of Great Lakes Airlines Convairs. My father and I both shared a passion for aviation and as luck would have it, so did one of his fellow church members, Russ Walker, who’d built an early homebuilt aircraft in his basement and kept it hangered at nearby Reeces Corners aerodrome. My father was a machine builder, so he must have had carefully sized up Russ’ plane before sending his youngest son off in a ride with Russ- but that first quick hop in a small plane had me hooked from then on. At the age of 17, I received my pilot’s licence and can still recall stopping at Sarnia airport from London as part of a cross country requirement in pursuit of my licence; although uncontrolled, I’m told by the airport manager, Sarnia’s very old radio transmitter was kept in operational condition for many years (it still remains functional to this day) by my Uncle Hans, a local Sarnian, and a bit of an electrical wizard who’d helped the Dutch Resistance during the war with transmitters in South Holland. Years later, my father decided to build his own homebuilt, this one an RV-4, which slowly took shape in the back of our machine shop in Strathroy. Sadly, my father passed before its completion but as fate would have it, another family friend from Sarnia, Rick West, a well-known fixture of Sarnia’s aviation community would agree to help me finish it, and with that, the unfinished project returned to my hometown to ensure it’s completion. RV-4s are taildraggers, and as a novice of such aircraft, I spent a fair amount of time taxiing up and down the grass runway at Reeces Corners, sometimes slowly, other times concerningly fast enough that the old timers at the runway’s viewing stand must of wondered if I’d run out of grass or perhaps careen into one of the outbuildings, but with Rick’s guidance, I was soon ready to solo. Once again, Sarnia’s main runway beckoned, as Rick flew me the short hop from Reeces for some starter practice high speed taxi runs on a paved runway. With Rick standing on the side of the runway with walkie talkie in hand to give me some pointers, I applied the power and commenced down the runway. The RV-4 flys very easily when holding only a single passenger I quickly discovered, and before I knew it, the plane had popped off the runway and I was suddenly 200 feet in the air. I suspect Rick was as surprised as I was, and quickly suggested I might as well perform a complete circuit (presumably to collect myself) which I did; it was, hands down the biggest adrenaline rush I think I’ve ever experienced.
Airports seem to hold special attraction to those who tend to think a little outside of the box, and Sarnia’s airport is no different;
One of my strangest connections with the airport is related to the V-2 missile copy, built by Sarnia’s Rocket Man, Geoff Sheerin in a bit of a dark horse entry in the now famous XPrize competition. I had met Geoff by chance during his attempt to build a reusable, private spacecraft which he decided to model on a German V-2 rocket. As the owner of a CNC machine shop, I had the equipment his team needed to make a variety of rocket components for his engine and although he was able to successfully test fire a full scale engine (I’m told with at least one NASA observer onsite), the project was doomed for a variety of reasons, with the scale mockup of the proposed rocket unceremoniously tucked away in a corner of Sarnia’s airfield for several years after the prize was claimed by Dick Rutan and Scaled Composites. I am pretty sure more than a few satellite analysts in the Russian Republic made some double takes of Sarnia’s airport at the bright red rocket parked on the edge of the field while it sat there for a number of years afterwards!
Of course, you can’t talk about Sarnia’s airport without reference to it’s namesake Chris Hadfield, a true Canadian icon of aerospace. Commander Hadfield often makes public appearances in support of aviation events at the airport, and is perhaps oblivious to the influence he has on the next generation of aerospace enthusiasts, but some thirty years on from that first RV-4 flight in Sarnia, I was pleased to return to Sarnia airport in the same plane with my own son, 16, to meet Commander Hadfield when he made an appearance for a book signing. My son has since decided to focus his attention on a career in aerospace engineering, and I can’t help but think that Sarnia airport has played a small part in that as well.
Approach to main runway at Sarnia
Taken on approach to the main runway at Sarnia. Highway 402 can be seen at the bottom of the photo.
July 15/2018 It's not very often that you get to see a B-25 bomber fly in to your local airport but today I flew into Sarnia for a visit only to discover this Arizona based B-25 that saw combat service in WW11. I'd love to fly in one but at $650 the price tag was a little on the high side (although totally worth it).
Sarnia Airport Glory Days
This photo was taken at Sarnia airport in 1977; Back then, Freddie Laker was a name everyone recognized and this is a shot of my grandfather boarding one of his Convairs for a short hop to Toronto. Freddie was most famous for being the first to introduce "no-frills" airine service and challenged the suggestion that flying was only for the wealthy. Unfortunately, that mindset still is prevalent in many ways today and is one of the major stumbling blocks in keeping some airports operating. Too bad.
Sarnia's V2 Rocket
This is a shot of the rocket mock-up you'll find tucked off on the east corner of the Sarnia airfield. During the X-prize race, Geoff Sheerin,hoped to build this rocket as the Canadian entry but was ultimately beat out by the very wealthy Spaceship One team from the United States. He did however build a full scale, functioning rocket engine to power his ship on a shoe-string budget and at least a handful of big-wig aerospace movers were suitably impressed enough to continue financing his dream of space travel with a new project which he is currently working on for a major aerospace company. The project is still under wraps but I'll be sure to post some news as soon as he lets me. The picture incidentally, was taken with myself and Geoff in front of the rocket mock-up in Rockefellor Square in downtown Manhatten. Here's a link to the test firing of the engine in Lucan, Ontario http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD0ChIZnPLY
Rocket engine
Some of the parts I made for Geoff's rocket engine Oxygen injector in foreground, fuel injectors in background. I made the fuel injectors on a Hardinge GT lathe and the oxygen injectors on a Mori Seiki SL-15 so it was quite amazing to think that these parts had been manufactured accurately and in large quantities on manual lathes by slave labour more than 60 years earlier.
Step 1 for rocket engine
Fuel injectors assembled into the burner cup.
Step 2 for rocket engine
Burner cups assembled into engine head
Test stand
Assembled engine ready for testing. A large portion of the project was made possible by the generous donations of private sponsors-the test stand was built on a little used gravel pit outside of Lucan so as not to draw too much attention.
Rocket Burn
This was the largest privately built rocket test in Canada. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD0ChIZnPLY
If at first you don't succeed...
Recently I touched base with Geoff and was pleased to hear that he is still pursuing his dream of space travel and continues to attract the attention (and support) of major space companies such as Lockheed Martin. (Geoff and wife at centre)
Perhaps one of the most ubiquitous aircraft produced in Canada (outside of the DeHavilland family of bush planes) was the Noorduyn Norseman, one of only a few notable aircraft having earned a spot on a Canadian stamp. Designed by American, Robert Noorduyn, the first prototype Norseman was flown from the St Lawrence river in 1935. Noorduyn designed the aircraft to easily transition from floats to skis or wheels and its sturdy design made it ideal for Canadian bushpilots, and earned it the moniker, “One Ton Truck of the Air”. As a Canadian built plane, it might only have seen limited production, but the American airforce soon recognized its exceptional utility and began ordering a military version, the C-64A. Eventually, over 800 were built for the US air Force alone, with additional civilian models being built by the Canadian Car and Foundry after the war when that company obtained the aircraft’s manufacturing licence. Over 85 years later, it is one of the oldest aircraft designs that continues to fly in it’s intended role, albeit in relatively small numbers. Easily recognized by its iconic bowlegged undercarriage (which lent itself to quick and easy transition between floats, skis and wheels) the aircraft was instrumental in supplying Canada’s near and far north with reliable utility transport and was also used extensively by the Canadian RCAF.
The small community of Red Lake Ontario is most closely associated with the aircraft where its introduction coincided with the start of a goldrush that required reliable transport year-round in and out of the small town. Eventually, Red Lake would become known as the Norseman Capitol of the World, with celebrations commemorating the aircraft every summer; events include a fly-by, Norseman loading competition and the memorable float-pumping competition. Most remaining Norsemen now reside in aviation museums around the world although a precious few, twenty five, are still active on the Canadian aircraft registry. One man, is doing his best to ensure the legacy of the Noorduyn Norseman continues.
Dennis Ryan flashes a devilish grin when recounting his introduction to the Canadian aviation industry. As a young man in ‘79 he had packed his belongings in his car and, along with his girlfriend, headed 20 hours north from home, eventually finding himself in Red Lake, Alberta. A local car dealership was advertising for an experienced auto mechanic, and with no gas in the car or money left in his pockets, the prospect of a fulltime job was simply to tempting to ignore, and Dennis was soon employed as a car mechanic- despite having absolutely no auto repair experience. A very brief stint as auto mechanic at the Red Lake Ford dealership ensued, but unfortunately his enthusiasm to learn the trade was offset by his employer’s realization that the continued success of his dealership was dependent on losing its’ newest employee. Fate was on Dennis’ side however, since the employer recognized a good work ethic when he saw one, and promptly delivered Dennis to his first aviation job at a local bush airline as a loader- his first job in what would become a long career in aviation. A year later, with private licence in hand, Dennis found himself both loading and flying in Beavers and Otters; but it was the company’s Noorduyn Norseman where he learned the most, since it’s regular pilot was intimidated by the big bird and did not like to fly it- often after departing, he would pass the yolk over to Dennis (the yolk on a Norseman can pivot from one side to the other) who would gladly assume control for the rest of the flight. Dennis would go on to fly Caravans, King Airs and even 727 jets out of Hamilton, flying cargo to Vancouver- eventually landing at Sarnia when offered the opportunity to buy the local flying school there in ’99.
When a nasty hailstorm tore through Red Lake a few years ago, two retired Noorduyn Norsemen were ravaged by hail, leaving them in non-flying condition, the fabric literally torn from their wings and too old for its owner to warrant repairing- the aircraft were written off and insurance cheques were paid out to their owner. Seeing an opportunity to salvage not one, but two iconic Canadian bushplanes, Dennis jumped at the opportunity to buy the airframes with a local business partner, and set about patching up the wings-over 100 patches in all- in the mosquito infested woods of north Ontario, to return the aircraft to Sarnia for a more extensive repair. In short order, with the help of his bushpilot son and some friends, the aircraft were once again airworthy enough to approach the same insurance company that had only recently discounted the aircraft, for new policies to enable their return to flight.
The small community of Red Lake Ontario is most closely associated with the aircraft where its introduction coincided with the start of a goldrush that required reliable transport year-round in and out of the small town. Eventually, Red Lake would become known as the Norseman Capitol of the World, with celebrations commemorating the aircraft every summer; events include a fly-by, Norseman loading competition and the memorable float-pumping competition. Most remaining Norsemen now reside in aviation museums around the world although a precious few, twenty five, are still active on the Canadian aircraft registry. One man, is doing his best to ensure the legacy of the Noorduyn Norseman continues.
Dennis Ryan flashes a devilish grin when recounting his introduction to the Canadian aviation industry. As a young man in ‘79 he had packed his belongings in his car and, along with his girlfriend, headed 20 hours north from home, eventually finding himself in Red Lake, Alberta. A local car dealership was advertising for an experienced auto mechanic, and with no gas in the car or money left in his pockets, the prospect of a fulltime job was simply to tempting to ignore, and Dennis was soon employed as a car mechanic- despite having absolutely no auto repair experience. A very brief stint as auto mechanic at the Red Lake Ford dealership ensued, but unfortunately his enthusiasm to learn the trade was offset by his employer’s realization that the continued success of his dealership was dependent on losing its’ newest employee. Fate was on Dennis’ side however, since the employer recognized a good work ethic when he saw one, and promptly delivered Dennis to his first aviation job at a local bush airline as a loader- his first job in what would become a long career in aviation. A year later, with private licence in hand, Dennis found himself both loading and flying in Beavers and Otters; but it was the company’s Noorduyn Norseman where he learned the most, since it’s regular pilot was intimidated by the big bird and did not like to fly it- often after departing, he would pass the yolk over to Dennis (the yolk on a Norseman can pivot from one side to the other) who would gladly assume control for the rest of the flight. Dennis would go on to fly Caravans, King Airs and even 727 jets out of Hamilton, flying cargo to Vancouver- eventually landing at Sarnia when offered the opportunity to buy the local flying school there in ’99.
When a nasty hailstorm tore through Red Lake a few years ago, two retired Noorduyn Norsemen were ravaged by hail, leaving them in non-flying condition, the fabric literally torn from their wings and too old for its owner to warrant repairing- the aircraft were written off and insurance cheques were paid out to their owner. Seeing an opportunity to salvage not one, but two iconic Canadian bushplanes, Dennis jumped at the opportunity to buy the airframes with a local business partner, and set about patching up the wings-over 100 patches in all- in the mosquito infested woods of north Ontario, to return the aircraft to Sarnia for a more extensive repair. In short order, with the help of his bushpilot son and some friends, the aircraft were once again airworthy enough to approach the same insurance company that had only recently discounted the aircraft, for new policies to enable their return to flight.
Sarnia, Point Edward (my hometown) and the Blue Water Bridge from my RV-4. one of the few cities in Ontario I can fly over and recognize by smell from 2000 feet thanks to the Chemical Valley.