Duane's World: Come Fly With Me Fraser Blues

Fraser Blues Aerial Team 2010

THRILL FLY!

WOW what a rush! Seems like a blur and 300 photos of the Sunshine Coast, BC from the air later. LOL

Duane Burnett flying with the Fraser Blues

I think I got a photo of just about every inch of the Sunshine Coast, BC from Sechelt, Roberts Creek, Gibsons, Langdale, Keats, the Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound!

Thank you so much to the Fraser Blues.

I had the pleasure to co-pilot with Gord Ball in his plane the Iron Eagle.

I have put together a slide show which you can sit back and experience the flight with me, PLUS I have pulled together photos from the archives in this blogspot article to give you different angles over the years of the boat blowing up.

SEE 300+ PHOTOS ON FLICKR LINK

Flickr Photo Album Link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/duaneburnett/sets/72157624444040347/with/4822329325/

SLIDE SHOW
of my flight with Fraser Blues at Sea Cavalcade
cRaNk you're fAvouRite TuNes Up and enjoy!

They were total professionals and gentlemen. We are so lucky to have them apart of the Gibsons Sea Cavalcade tradition!

Smoke on! Swooping down on Gibsons Harbour.

Tonight we kicked off the Opening Ceremonies with a fly past over Gibsons Landing Harbour, and blowing up a boat, thanks to the special effects crew from the Stargate television series!

View from Soames Hill. Fraser Blues bomb the boat.

The Gibsons Coast Guard Auxiliary Search & Rescue Unit responded to a realistic simulation of an explosion and fire onboard a vessel. The boat was rigged with special effects and an underwater cable pulled it into an adjacent boat causing the explosion roughly as the Fraser Blues flew over to simulate the bombed it with a missile. The Search and Rescue Crew surveyed the scene, formulated a rescue plan and assist with the cleanup of the debris.

Boat Goes BOOM! View from Soames Hill.

It all happened at precisely 6:55pm, in Winegarden Park.

The Fraser Blues are part of the Sea Cavalcade community celebrations Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The team is led by a former Canadian Forces Snowbirds Lead, and fly 1940's vintage L-17 "Navion" aircraft. With three ex Fighter Pilots, and two General Aviation pilots, The "Blues" provide a unique demonstration of close, dynamic formation flying in aircraft available to the average GA pilot.

View from Fraser Blues after the fly over.

I had a blast as a guest of the Fraser Blues during the Sea Cavalcade Weekend 2006. I checked back on what I wrote then, I remember feeling rather sick to my stomach from the strong g-force created as the planes banked left and right like they were in a real fighter jet dog fight.

We took much the same route again this year. The team took off from the Sechelt Airport in Wilson Creek and followed the coastline to Gibsons where they swooped into the harbour down low and did some loops and twirls and all that hurls.

Afterward we did some major banks and curves chasing each other over Bonniebrook like we were in a World War II dog fight before heading home.

It was really special for me as my parents met in in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) back in the 1950's, at the Trenton, Ontario base.

What a terrific fabulous time and thank you Fraser Blues you are absolute gentlemen!

Fraser Blues Team Riding in the Sea Cavalcade Parade

The Fraser Blues are one of the few civilian formation flying teams in Canada.

Leading the team is retired Colonel George Miller who, today, is manager of the Langley, BC, airport. For more than 35 years he was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, flying F-86 Sabres and CF-104 Starfighters in Europe, and with the Golden Hawks, Canada's first jet military aerobatic team. George went on to become a team leader of the Canadian Snowbirds.

Guy Miller, from Abbotsford, BC, flies in the number two position (lead's right wing). Guy is a former CF-18 Hornet fighter pilot and instructor, and a former Cathay Pacific Airways 747-400 line pilot and simulator instructor.

In the number three position, on lead's left wing, is Clive Barratt. With 65 different aircraft types flown, Clive is a former Canadian Forces instructor pilot, search and rescue pilot and accident investigator. Today, he flies for an airline and lives in Chilliwack, BC.

In the number four position (line astern) is Gord Ball, from Abbotsford, BC. Gord is a former CF-104 pilot and retired airline captain. During his career, he flew many aircraft including Huey helicopters, 737s,727s, DC-8s and DC-10s.

In the number 5 position (second line astern), is Willie Paterson, a civilian pilot and flight service specialist in the Nanaimo, BC, control tower. Willie first learned to fly in Scotland when he was working as a deep-sea diver off the coast of Norway. With a father who was an aircraft mechanic, Willie learned how to start an airplane long before he ever learned how to start a car.

View from the air of Gibsons getting ready for fireworks!

Thank you again to the amazing hospitality and generosity of the Fraser Blues. Thanks for reading my blog. Your Comments & LINKS below...

Happy Sea Cavalcade everyone!
Best Wishes, Duane Burnett

COMMENTS

Anne Kacoullas Hartman
Hi Duane, I just went on a virtual flight with you. What a trip!
Your photos are stupendous!!! Thanks for sharing with us.

Christine Moore
Saw you go over!!! did you see me wave ???

Don Heinrich
that is EPIC that you got to fly with them. Way to go. The pics I saw look amazing.

Kim Kerr Fenton
i was doing a wedding rehearsal when they flew over. such fun!

Dave Gardiner
The soundtrack possibilities are endless...

Christine Moore
Thanks Duane ! You leave me Breathless!!!

Deborah Ficko
Thanks Duane.. You leave me.. envious!! :)

Christine Moore
Should submit some of those pictures to C T V !!! SoOoOo Amazing!

Jackie Lee-Coyle
we waved at you! haha!

Cassandra Langlois
i'm jealous Duane... i have been taking pictures from the ground for years... i fantasized about getting aerial shots.. soooo cool! :-)

Diana Gledhill-Park
Was it you that won the contest to fly with them? So thats pretty good you have your stomach in tact;)

Penny Berdahl
Thats awesome!!!!

Shelley Harrison Rae
Duane you need a new blog called What will he be doing next!!!!!

Carole Sauve
They just flew over Woodcreek Park 30 seconds ago.