Willard plane takeoff

[BURLEY]

Willard Bay posted on FB that the plane would take off today. No set time. I just drove down to look and there are 2 guys still working on the plane. They estimated takeoff this afternoon, but no set time. They were in the process of jacking up the nose to check the nose landing gear. No one else was in the parking lot. If I had to guess, I would guess after 2pm before anything happens. FB guesses takeoff around 1:30pm.

[wiperhunter2]

Willard Bay posted on FB that the plane would take off today. No set time. I just drove down to look and there are 2 guys still working on the plane. They estimated takeoff this afternoon, but no set time. They were in the process of jacking up the nose to check the nose landing gear. No one else was in the parking lot. If I had to guess, I would guess after 2pm before anything happens. FB guesses takeoff around 1:30pm.

It will be interesting to see if there is enough water in the channel for them to get out onto the main part of the lake.

[BURLEY]

Willard Bay posted on FB that the plane would take off today. No set time. I just drove down to look and there are 2 guys still working on the plane. They estimated takeoff this afternoon, but no set time. They were in the process of jacking up the nose to check the nose landing gear. No one else was in the parking lot. If I had to guess, I would guess after 2pm before anything happens. FB guesses takeoff around 1:30pm.

It will be interesting to see if there is enough water in the channel for them to get out onto the main part of the lake.

Won't it just use its wheels until deep enough?

[wiperhunter2]

Willard Bay posted on FB that the plane would take off today. No set time. I just drove down to look and there are 2 guys still working on the plane. They estimated takeoff this afternoon, but no set time. They were in the process of jacking up the nose to check the nose landing gear. No one else was in the parking lot. If I had to guess, I would guess after 2pm before anything happens. FB guesses takeoff around 1:30pm.

It will be interesting to see if there is enough water in the channel for them to get out onto the main part of the lake.

Won't it just use its wheels until deep enough?

Sure, but the last time someone posted about the depth in the channel was only 3.5 ft. An aircraft that big surly needs more water than that to float . Even if they could use the wheels to contact the bottom of the channel, through all the muck and power it out the channel, it seems the wings would or might hit the banks on either side of the channel. Since the plane as been there since June, that drop in water level might be a problem with clearance. Hopefully someone on a TV channel will report about it.

[BURLEY]

2:40 plane still here. The people in charge are also worried about the water depth. It looks like they may try but I guess it will be about 4pm.

[wiperhunter2]

2:40 plane still here. The people in charge are also worried about the water depth. It looks like they may try but I guess it will be about 4pm.

Sure don't seem like a good idea to take it out the channel if they are worried about it. Too bad they can't take it down Eagle beach and launch there but I think the trees and pavilions are too close for it to make it through.

[BURLEY]

A big boat just launched without a problem. Fox13 is here.. barricade just got removed.

[wiperhunter2]

A big boat just launched without a problem.  Fox13 is here.. barricade just got removed.

If you are going to be there please keep us updated, thanks Hue, this is going to be interesting

[BURLEY]

Cancelled for today. They will try again on tomorrow's high tide or 7 am whichever comes first. They say pelican beach will be the best view of the takeoff. If they get out of the channel.

[wiperhunter2]

Cancelled for today. They will try again on tomorrow's high tide or 7 am whichever comes first. They say pelican beach will be the best view of the takeoff. If they get out of the channel.

Good luck to them, hope they make it. Thanks for the update.

[RockyRaab2]

That Grand, Great old Grey Girl got off successfully at 9:00 this morning. And there were already three wake board boats chomping at the bitt to launch.

[wiperhunter2]

That Grand, Great old Grey Girl got off successfully at 9:00 this morning. And there were already three wake board boats chomping at the bitt to launch.

Good to hear it was able to make it through the gantlet, was there any news channels there to film the exit?

[2knots]

Channel 13 on now

[wiperhunter2]

Channel 13 on now

Well that is a bummer, I was busy then, I wonder if it will come on again later, anyone know?

[RockyRaab2]

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news...cy-landing

[wiperhunter2]

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news...cy-landing

Thanks Rocky. What they showed of it appeared like a state parks boat was towing it through the channel and they had no problem floating the plane.

[RockyRaab2]

They used two large DNR boats, one towing and one guiding. There was a heavy DNR and Parks presence there, and they had the whole parking lot cordoned off. As I said, there were wake/ski boats that tried to get in and launch despite that.

It occurred to me that if those big DNR boats (and the plane) could launch, then I probably could, too. But it was quite literally "touch and go" for the plane because it looked as though the wheels touched bottom once or twice right at the mouth of the marina. Didn't get stuck, but there was some wing rocking when one side touched.

The ground crew told me they worked a very long day yesterday due to the water level dropping every single day. One said that if they didn't get it out of there yesterday they might have had to shrink wrap the plane until Spring! It was that close.

[wiperhunter2]

They used two large DNR boats, one towing and one guiding. There was a heavy DNR and Parks presence there, and they had the whole parking lot cordoned off. As I said, there were wake/ski boats that tried to get in and launch despite that.

It occurred to me that if those big DNR boats (and the plane) could launch, then I probably could, too. But it was quite literally "touch and go" for the plane because it looked as though the wheels touched bottom once or twice right at the mouth of the marina. Didn't get stuck, but there was some wing rocking when one side touched.

The ground crew told me they worked a very long day yesterday due to the water level dropping every single day. One said that if they didn't get it out of there yesterday they might have had to shrink wrap the plane until Spring! It was that close.

Thanks for the added detail Rocky, the video sure did not show the exit very well. Would have loved to see it trying to makes it's way out of the channel. Years ago, likely 15 plus years back, they dredged that channel and that little hump just at the mouth of channel is where they stopped dredging. If you go out, make sure your motor is trimmed up as you go past that area. As the water continues to drop, that will be a trouble spot for sure. Years ago it got so low, before they dredged it, that we had to drive out the channel, until we got to the main body of water before we launched. No sure it will get that low this year but time will tell.

[RockyRaab2]

I think that hump is where they touched, briefly. They were probably correct that another day or two and they'd have been locked in.

Before someone asks -- the reason they left the landing gear down is because it is hydraulically powered, and therefore can't be raised without the engines running. A floating seaplane has no brakes, so when the engines are running, you are moving forward, period. There is no room in the marina for that, so they had to tow out with the gear down. They had run the engines while still in the parking lot to make sure all was good, but shut them down until they were well out into the bay proper.

[BURLEY]

I'm  that I had to miss out due to a 9:00 Dr. appt. yesterday. I'm glad that they made it out  to deep water.

Look Ma, no wheels! Only supported by jacks.



Cute co-pilot.


The nose gear door on the left of the picture is the replaced door for the one that is said to have been torn off during their touch and go.