Can anyone point me to any good, Beaver-specific forums? Thanks for any help!

The Beaver Facebook group is the closest thing I've found. Would be great to have a DHC-2 section added to this website - as there is not really another forum space that I can find DHC-2 info. I'd be happy to contribute

I would have assumed all DH2 aficionados had this site bookmarked, however its not really a forum in the internet sense

https://www.dhc-2.com/current_cover_page.htm

I agree with both Nickleb and Maplefit, and my tinfoil hat doesn't allow for Facebook. However, if we want to get something going here, I'll start :

Anyone have any STC or Field Approval info for putting BAS harnesses in the Beaver?

Kevin

kevinmax wrote:I agree with both Nickleb and Maplefit, and my tinfoil hat doesn't allow for Facebook. However, if we want to get something going here, I'll start :

Anyone have any STC or Field Approval info for putting BAS harnesses in the Beaver?

Kevin

Hey Kevin! You guys still flying your dad’s beaver?

You just need to get big and fat like me so you can wedge yourself into the cozy confines of the beaver’s pilot seat. Seriously though for me I always found the single shoulder belt adequate, have you had a different experience?

I don’t recall ever seeing a BAS harness in a beaver.

Yeah Mapleflt I was looking at this page over there:

https://www.dhc-2.com/id83.htm

The guys at Kenmore were trying to get one going, I don't know if they did or not. The Facebook page is as good as we got right now.

Happy 75th birthday to the Beaver!!!

I was hoping to find something akin to some of the 4WD and overlanding sites online: hands-on advice from people who've already been where you're headed, encountered every conceivable problem, and tackled (and solved) every general and vehicle-specific mechanical issue you'll ever encounter--with tips on how to avoid them in the first place.

No such beast, then?

jmr wrote:I was hoping to find something akin to some of the 4WD and overlanding sites online: hands-on advice from people who've already been where you're headed, encountered every conceivable problem, and tackled (and solved) every general and vehicle-specific mechanical issue you'll ever encounter--with tips on how to avoid them in the first place.

No such beast, then?

I think what your bumping up against is that the iconic DH2 is operational "stratospheric" and the stuff of wet dreams for most of us. There's no shortage of "hands-on' advice and knowledge re: back country adventure, comradery, been there/done that not aircraft "type" specific. As for mechanical issues and vehicle-specific the mighty Beaver is well beyond the realm of tackling and solving via DIY or work arounds. As for avoiding mechanical issue I'd pick the brains of the numerous west coast operator, Sealand, Kenmore, Viking, Harbour Air and a multitude of others. These are the operators who have "been there, done that" and might be your best source for "tips on how to avoid".

Or if all else fails call MTV

Most of us have to live vicariously thru the adventures of others; PLEASE post lots and lots of pictures, its the best we can hope for.

I'm in the same boat at the moment; just trying to get an idea of what's involved if-and-when that Ship Comes In. It would seem (to me, anyway) that there can't be much about a 1930s-era engine that's not field- or shop-repairable. That said, I've never worked on an aircraft engine; more like 1970s-1990s SUV engines.

This summer is my first experience flying a beaver, and it's full time. I'm at about 3500hrs total and 1000hrs on floats. No one in my company had much experience in them, at least not the thousands of hours I was looking to get advice from. I googled around online and found more info on how to fly/operate flight sim beavers than I did real ones.

My solution was to let go of my pride and walk up to pilots sitting around at Brooks or crosswind lake and ask "what do you do". One of those pilots (Wes) already posted in this thread, with many fewer expletives than he uses in real life. I'm now up to about 300hrs in it and can ask more informed questions. This summer, 3 beavers have wrecked in our part of Alaska, that I know of, including one of the ones in this picture taken a few weeks ago. I've scared myself a few times, there are some weak points in the beavers operating envelope and in my technique, but I have no desire to give up my seat in the beav. It's been a summer of learning a new airplane and a true classic at that. Happy 75th!

What are the weak points in the envelope? Causes of those crashes? Survived?

Looking at the number of crashes overall, one could conclude that the Beaver is an unsafe plane. Or, my own theory: that people push these into situations they wouldn't dream of pushing most other planes into, largely in Alaska with its (among other things) wildly- and suddenly-varying weather conditions and lack of ATC--and things don't always work out. I think 42% of all US plane crashes are in AK, and the population is zip. And I suspect most US and Canadian Beavers are based in (or frequently in) Alaska, so they're overrepresented in the crash data even without pushing them into questionable situations. Like, say, residents of Baltimore when it comes to murder statistics; if they lived in Wyoming, different story.

I guess you'd have to look at Otters, Cubs and Super Cubs, 105s, 206s, Caravans etc. to confirm the overrepresentation side of the theory. Is there a public database where you can parse out plane model registrations by state or province? A crash database that allows you to select by aircraft model?

I hear some of the Beaver pilots up there have 30,000 hours plus, so you should find no shortage of good advice. I'm guessing they're not the types to dispense said advice in online forums...

There is a Beaver specific section over on Supercub.org, but no one posts much on it.

Jmr, I'm curious what you're actually seeking. Are you looking for someone to help you learn to fly a Beaver? Own and maintain one? Compile actuarial data for the purposes of insurance premium calculation? Are you a commissioner author writing a book about the history of Beaver crashes? What's your pilot experience? Maybe that that will help us point you in a better direction.

SmilinJack thanks!

Zzz... Just sponging up info at this point. It's the most appealing plane to me. I do some overlanding so this would in a way be a next step if I could afford one of the things. Maybe down the road, if things go really well. I might work one into a novel (which gives me an excuse for advance research). As to crashes, well, I looked for recalls and crash photos of my chosen 4WD, to see what I was dealing with. Also common maintenance issues to learn where to look for impending failures large and (mostly) small. Every vehicle has its own peculiarities, and you don't want to get stranded somewhere remote. Same deal here, 10x--as you don't just drift to a stop when something fails.

The Beaver floatplanes do seem to have a tendency to go floats-up on bad landings, even when the plane is relatively undamaged. I came across one hard flipper where the floats or their mounts had buckled or partially detached and were blocking the side doors; the pilot got out through the cargo door. Occupational hazard, I presume.

And, now that you mention it--I have been wondering what insurance runs on these, and what factors into that calculation.

Another thing I wonder about is how putting windows in the roof between the wings can possibly NOT weaken the overall support structure. Maybe that's clear when looking at the bare frame, but I've never seen a bare frame.

I'm censoring myself; rant over, I'm out.

Ton of learning to do; that's why I'm here.

jmr wrote:Ton of learning to do; that's why I'm here.

Of course, however this forum requires at least a current student pilot or A&P certificate to post. The people here will go to great lengths to educate you on Beavers but to avoid wasting their time, you must bring a minimum of aviation experience to the table so that we know you can consume it—that comes with a certificate. Otherwise, you are free to read.

Hi Sam, hope you're having fun flying the big iron!

He actually sold it a few years ago since it just wasn't getting used much. I kept track of it and was able to buy it back this January. Put about 70 hours on it this summer on floats, back to wheel gear in about a month.

Missed you at the Priest Lake splash-in.

And to keep this relevant to the OP, I generally cruise at 28/1800. Seems a good compromise between speed (ha!), and noise.

Kevin

To the OP...

The only other Forum I have seen that has a.wealth of Info on the 'Amik' is the Bush Flying Forum on AvCanada:

Regarding your comment about the logic of the Roof Windows; it passed the muster of both the USAF and the RAF with regards to Structural
Integrity, along with many other Air Forces around the World. Lots of Amiks out there today were former Military birds equipped with Roof Windows.

VP