Flin Flon Visit

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Last September I spent a day in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada with Wings Over Kississing at their Channing floatplane base.  Owner, Curt Enns is a huge Norseman fan and his company is presently associated with five Norseman, although only two are used on floats during the northern summers.  C-FENB, serial 324 is used primarily on contract with Big Sand Lake Lodge approximately 350 kilometres northeast of Flin Flon/Channing.  Curt’s dad, Ike flies C-GRZI at his Grass River Lodge for day fishing flyouts.  This is where the Norseman still shines economically, on shorter trips and payloads that keep hard wear to a minimum.

Serial 175, Mk VI RZI at Channing after completion of the fishing lodge season. Of note, this is the only Norseman on the Canadian register with C-Gxxx.

Serial 175, Mk VI RZI at Channing after completion of the fishing lodge season.  Of note, this is thought to be the only Norseman on the Canadian register to have C-Gxxx.  All others started as CF-xxx, then C-Fxxx and most are now changed back to CF-xxx.

Now a parts source, C-FOBR is a Mk V model and carries the Kississing title as seen at the top of this post. It is located at the adjacent Channing airstrip along with SAP.

Now a parts source, C-FOBR is a Mk V model and carries the Kississing title as seen at the top of this post.  It is located at the adjacent Channing airstrip along with SAP.

Flown by Nueltin Lake Lodge, C-FSAP originally was 43-5240 with the USAAF in 1943. Serial 231 was operated under Kississing's certificate and is indicative of numerous Norseman now awaiting a chance to fly again.

Flown by Nueltin Lake Lodge, C-FSAP originally was 43-5240 with the USAAF in 1943.  Serial 231, a Mk VI, was operated under Kississing’s certificate and is indicative of numerous Norseman now awaiting a chance to fly again?

Finally, under cover in Steinbach, Manitoba is Mk VI CF-BHU, serial 506.  Formerly used at Grass River Lodge by Ike, it went for refurbishment, was stored instead and could be made operational again if needed.  This Norseman is not to be confused with Mk V, serial N29-8 which was also registered as CF-BHU until destroyed in a crash at Sachigo Lake, Ontario in June of 1974.