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The Otter was
purchased by Wally Johnston who owned Springbank Dehydration and also Kent
Aviation in Chilliwack. It was bought from Bannock Aerospace in Toronto. Russ Bannock prior to this was President of
DeHavilland. Bannock was a broker and got this one from the Kenyan
Airforce. Wally bought it in June 1974 and Bannock installed it on straight
7170's and put 4 DeHavilland Dove seats in the cabin. 2 facing back and 2
facing forward. It also had 4 normal Otter seats aft. He paid $105,000
Canadian (I should have bought it) fly away Toronto.
I brought it out from Toronto in Sept/73, (25.7 hours) It was put on amphib’s in 1974
in Vancouver. I flew it for 6 years between my AC trips. Wally died in
1978 and the estate kept it until 1979 when it was sold to a private party in
the Bahamas for $209,000 Canadian. (I should have bought it) It
stayed in the Bahamas for a year and was sold to (I thought) Smithers Air
Service. It could have been Northern
Mountain, I'm not sure. It crashed as you said in 1982 and I think
the area is northeast of Smithers.
Anyway all that’s history. It was a real cream puff. I put 550 hours on it
while it was here.
Only one pot change!!
The picture was taken
it July 1975 at the Chilliwack Airport.
Bill Hann -
December 2003
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