My husband, Scott and I got a real vacation this year and flew our Champ and Sport Cub to Kalispell to fly floats.
We regularly try and go fly floats in CA at least twice a year, but our favorite Instructor spends summers with the Super Cub in Kalispell.

Thought some of you might be interested in what little video we got from this trip.

PNW float flying is my new obsession. Very cool.

I haven't any idea what flying on floats for a living is like, but flying on floats for recreation is a real hoot. If I lived in the PNW, I'd for sure have access to a seaplane.

Cary

Your favorite float instructor sounds like Terry...?! She's awesome.


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You are right! Terry Campbell-Hayes. We have been flying with her for 10 years. I got both SES and MES with her, my husband settled for
just the SES.

For those interested, you don't have to go to the PNW to fly floats, Terry teaches out of gold country of the Sierras in California in the fall and winter months!!

I went down to get my SES with her and Jim last fall, and a bunch of follow-up time. One of the finest instructors I have come across. Wonderful lady.

We have been sending people down from Alaska because if you are working up here, it is hard to take time in summer to get a rating...and winter time is not float flying time in Alaska! So people that need to do the training in the cold months we have to send somewhere else. Like California...works out great for us.


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I have a video, converted from powerpoint, of the flying I did in Feb 2006 with Terry when I got my add-on. I also did the advanced course.
If anyone is interested in seeing it, I will start a new topic with it. The only problem from then until now, is there was water back then!!

February and March are great months to fly with her in that area and you are so right, a great instructor!

Did I see you guys out West of town, towards Bitteroot or McGregor lake too? Thought I noticed a cub on floats go over my place a couple times a while ago...
John

My assumption is that the outfit you are referring to Foothill Aviation.

I see there is still an older NORCAL SEAPLANES FLIGHT TRAINING video.
Believe they (specifically) may not be around in same condition as in the video.
I was set to go there some years ago and as I recall they had and incident with the twin.

Further reading seems to show that TERRY bought them in 1998 but the Norcal video is dated 4-13-2010

Confused a bit.

Chris C

Hgr3029 wrote:You are right! Terry Campbell-Hayes. We have been flying with her for 10 years. I got both SES and MES with her, my husband settled for just the SES. For those interested, you don't have to go to the PNW to fly floats, Terry teaches out of gold country of the Sierras in California in the fall and winter months!!

Is that her operation that has (or used to have) a C150/150 floatplane, and an Apache floatplane?

Terry had owned Norcal Aviation on and off.
When I got my SES in 2006 with her, she was still the Designated Examiner and had a 150/150 Named Emma.

She sold the business... The new owners had an unfortunate fatal accident with Emma.

Then there was a gentleman with a 180 HP 172. I don't know the reason that they parted company.


My SES instructor then came in and brought a Top Cub to fly.


Ray then had heart issues. At this time they still had the Apache on Amphibs, don't laugh, it actually made a great floatplane.


They did end up selling the Apache and Terry stopped teaching when she lost her son Tyler.

Jim, Foothill Aviaiton, came along (2013) with the Pacer on floats, but it was not a good floatplane and we didn't see them for 2014.

Jim also took over the maintenance business and is up at Calaveras full time.

Terry contacted us last year when they got the Super Cub. We flew it out of the pond and then followed Terry up to Montana this year.
They also have a Stinson on floats


I will say that with all the changes Terry has always been a professional as well as our friend. It also allowed us to fly a variety of floatplanes
which keeps it interesting as well as fun! If you ever get a chance to fly with her, you will learn alot and have fun.

John,

Terry operates from the Flathead River off a private Dock "Lee's Landing"
My first day out, we headed up towards the Thompson Chain of lakes but couldn't do any landings as it was too windy.
I got lots of flying, just not as many landings as we had weather issues both Saturday and Sunday.

Really enjoyed the area and plan to visit again.

Hgr3029 Thanks much for filling in the gaps. Chris C

Hgr3029 wrote:John,

Terry operates from the Flathead River off a private Dock "Lee's Landing"
My first day out, we headed up towards the Thompson Chain of lakes but couldn't do any landings as it was too windy.
I got lots of flying, just not as many landings as we had weather issues both Saturday and Sunday.

Really enjoyed the area and plan to visit again.

Yeah, I've known Gene Lee for lots of years. I used to work on a few airplanes out there. He was an outfitter as was my Dad.
Then that was you guys probably that I saw. Not too many floats fly by here, so when some do, I notice. I'm at "Hanson" on the sectional out there, not too many miles from Cabin Creek.
Stop by if you get up this way again...always something going on around here! haha
John

Troy Hamon wrote:Your favorite float instructor sounds like Terry...?! She's awesome.


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Glad to hear she is still in operation. I got my SES rating from her in Calaveras in 2002 or so in a (since crashed) Super Cub on straight floats. Great (and beautiful, as I recall) instructor. As was her co-instructor Donna