Midwest Flyer Magazine

Foundation (www.aopa.org/asf) and
the Federal Aviation Administration
(www.faa.gov) for specific emergency
landing procedures and information.
Canada’s search and rescue
procedures and personnel are among
the best, and thanks to emergency
locator transmitters (ELTs),
Canada’s flight plan and notification
requirements and procedures,
and pilots monitoring common
frequencies, if an aircraft goes down,
the pilot and passengers will likely
be picked up and back in civilization
within 24 hours.
As we approached Miminiska, I
requested that the pilot of the first
plane to land to radio to the next plane
as soon as his aircraft was parked and
the runway was clear. Lodge manager
and chief pilot, Fred White, was on
hand to greet and assist us in parking
our planes.
For the remaining 30 miles, I
throttled back a bit and watched Phil
fly his Piper Archer a few miles ahead
of us, wishing I had a digital recorder
mounted somewhere on my plane
recording his flight. It was a sight to
behold with the Archer gracing the
wilderness background of lakes and
forests. As Phil descended from 5500
feet MSL, so would I, as did each
plane behind us. The second best
perspective of our approach would be
from the ground, looking upwards, as
each plane passed in succession.
Once all six planes were safely
on the ground, I had a great sense of
relief and satisfaction knowing that
all pilots had properly planned and
executed their flight plans.
We securely tied down our aircraft,
and loaded our gear on a cart, which
was towed behind an ATV, then
walked about a block to the main
lodge where we used a satellite
telephone to call Winnipeg FSS to
cancel our flight plans.
Included in the Canadian flight
plan form is a section to note time en
route or “estimated elapse time,” and
a section to note how much time to
allow before Canadian Air Transport
initiates search and rescue, referred
to on the flight plan as “SAR Time.”
It is always good to allow ample time
to cancel your flight plan, but not so
much time that you delay search and
rescue in the event you really need it.
The key is to remember to close your
flight plan, and to have access to good
communications at your destination.
Otherwise, it is probably best to notify
your destination airport of your ETA,
rather than file a flight plan, which
is permitted in Canada. Refer to the
Canadian Flight Supplement for
additional information.
Miminiska Lodge is one of few
Canadian lodges that has its own
airstrip (CPS5). The airstrip has a
grass runway (9/27), which is 50 feet
wide by 2400 feet long. It handled the
singles and light twin in our group just
fine. Most remote airstrips in Canada
are made of compacted gravel, and
you have to be careful not to nick your
propeller. So seeing “green turf” was
good!
Alan and Krista Cheeseman own
Wilderness North, which includes
Miminiska and four other lodges and
10 outposts in northern Ontario. Only
Miminiska Lodge has an airstrip,
which to us pilots, is our passport to
adventure! All of the other lodges
depend on floatplanes to transport
guests. A Pilatus single-engine
turboprop aircraft on wheels is also
used to fly guests from Thunder Bay
to Miminiska Lodge.
Among Wilderness North’s aircraft
are three turbine de Havilland Otters
on straight floats (one of which is
based at Miminiska Lodge), a Beaver
also on straight floats, as well as
several cargo aircraft and corporate
jets used to shuttle people and
supplies.
Miminiska Lodge has an
assortment of rustic, yet modern
log and cedar sided cabins of
varying sizes, as well as rooms
immediately adjoining the main
lodge. After settling into our cabins,
we all got together in the main
lodge for refreshments and dinner,
followed by beverages on the deck
outside, overlooking beautiful Lake
Miminiska. You know you have
reached tranquility when you are
away from the hustle and bustle of
civilization, watching the sun set over
crystal clear lakes and green forests
and hear the call of a Loon!
A pool table and satellite television
were among the recreational amenities
available to guests, but most preferred
to fish after the evening meal, or
socialize. Our group meshed very
well together, and the common
denominators seemed to be flying,
farming, and business.
Everyone was more than pleased
with the great abundance of fish,
both in Walleyes and Northerns, with
many trophy size fish caught and
released as part of Canada’s good
sportsman policy. The largest fish
taken was a 37-inch Northern Pike
by David Maliszewski of McFarland,
Wis. Pat O’Malley of Sauk City,
Wis., caught the largest Walleye at 21
inches. Besides the fish we ate each
day for shore lunch, each of us were
allowed to take home two Walleyes
and two Northerns to share with our
families.
Probably the most popular lures for
Walleyes were yellow, white and tan
double tailed twisters or swirl tails on
the end of a yellow jig with a black
Berkley “Gulp.” Live minnows work
well, too. For Northerns, most used
weedless Dare Devils.
There are a lot of interesting
fishing spots on Lake Miminiska,
but the “Walleye Mine” is definitely
one of my favorites. The lodge
provides guests with a map showing
where the best fishing spots are, and
guide service is available. The lodge
had new boats and motors, a new
dock, and staff to assist us when we
launched in the morning and returned
in the afternoon. All fish cleaning was
left to the experts at the lodge. When
we docked at 5:00 pm, our work was
finished, unless we went out in the
evening.
The weather was picture perfect
all but the third day of the trip when
winds picked up to 50 knots out of the
Co n t i n u e d On Pa g e 23
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 13