Know Roy Heibel, Trans-quebec Helicopter Pilot?

[transquebecniece]

Sharkbait: I was just a babe, probably now somewhere between those Antique and Classic years I suppose, when Bach wrote Stranger to the Ground and I have not yet read Chickenhawk, but if you recommend them, I'll read 'em! You don't, by chance, have a very special copy of AA that I can borrow one day, do you?

I appreciate the explanation for why there were so many American vet pilots working in Canada; makes total sense now! Cripes. With all that air-traffic on the James Bay project, I'm surprised there weren't more mid-air collisions and even more surprised that you could decipher anything over the cackle of a jammed radio. Sounds like pandemonium. Who was orchestrating the symphony? And just the visual of so much air traffic that included recently released vets fighting their own demons AND at the controls in such congestion makes me whince in a funny kind of way and I even laughed (no offense to you vets!). It's almost cartoonish, no? Bet it made for some pretty interesting fodder at the bar. No wonder those girls knew better; you guys were crazy scary and on the ground one minute and in the air the next!

Hey, if I can be somewhere between Antique and Classic, you can be crazy scary!

You know, I have some French-Canadian ancestry and family on my mother's side still in Montreal. Methinks I'll have to get up to Quebec one fine day and see this little James Bay thing and Matagami the ghost town for myself! And of course, I must stop in at L'enfer in Chibougamau if it's still there! Anyone with me? C'mon, you just didn't get enough of those places, did you?

And Sharkbait, I ask you one more time: Do I know you?

And Biggles, please come back and explain this oyster-wine thing. I was officially warned but you oughta know by know I'm still gonna ask! I can only imagine! Eeewwww.

 

[cap]

TQniece--------unknowingly perhaps, but you may have just helped to "heal some hurt and wounds" over the whole incident on this side of the border. I'll tred carefully here when I say your feelings about the accident are appreciated by others.

There never was and isn't at present, anything remotely secret about the goings-on with the Polar Shelf Program. It's basicially an on-going Project that hosts scientists from Canada and around the world in Arctic studies of all sorts. That now also includes a NASA Project, HQ'd out of the Ames Space Centre on a place called Devon Island. The island apparently has many features comparable to Mars and they are using the island as a test-bed for a host of tests and experiments. Roy probably didn't say where he was because that would involve some explanation to a Minnesotan. It's not like he could say he was working 5 1/2 miles south of St. Cloud or Sauk Center. 😀

Just a little addition to what Sharkbait stated also. A lot of the American ex-Vietnam pilots that ended up in James Bay were pilots that "got the shaft" from Bell Textron International. They had been hired to instruct Iranian pilots to fly and most of them right from the ab initio stage. None were making it to the level where they could be trusted to go solo and and they wouldn't allow them to solo as a result. Time dragged on and then one day, one Richard Colby, the American Ambassador and ex-CIA Director, called them all in and instructed them to allow the solo because he was getting pressure from the Iranian government, Bell and the US government. They stood firm and were all released. Even after they were working in James Bay, they all were involved in a massive lawsuit against Bell Textron International in order to get compensated for lost wages. They were all quite bitter about the whole deal. Remember also, that the Shah was still in power in Iran and it had all pre-dated the Revolution. I was told, but I don't remember now if they ever did win their case.

Any "demons" being fought by pilots in James Bay in those days were being fought by guys from civvy street, if there was anyone. There wasn't anything weird or unusual about the ex-Vietnam crowd. They tended to be a "tad older" than their ages indicated and most, if not all, had had the "now let me show you what this a/c really does" taken out of them long before.......and for the obvious reasons. Some went back home and continued flying, some got out of the business and some married Canadian girls and are still residing here. Roy never stood out either....just did his job and was a quiet guy to be around anyway. He never was what you would call an extrovert and a quiet-spoken guy anyways when he did talk. He just "cast a large shadow" on all of us that knew him and for those pilots that wanted to learn their "trade" and a/c better, he was well worth paying attention to.

 

[transquebecniece]

You still there, Cap?

 

[Biggles]

Transquebecniece: Ahhhhh, the fine wine and oysters have been part of our monthly "eat ritualsl" :unsure: , however the dear Sharkbait and Agent XK47 still try after all these years to get me to swallow one of these slimey little suckers . No amount of scotch or fine good wines can numb my mouth enough for me to put one down. Thanks Sharkbait, just got the "willies" thinking about them again! Speaking of food, been a long time since I saw the looks of lasagna or better still a Cafe Con 212!!

Looking forward to meeting with Fred Wayte next Wednesday and you bet I will ask about Roy. For sure we'll have a good sit/chat/drink and I will let you know what he remembers. Cap: wish I knew your name so I could say hello on your behalf! Sharkbait: you remember Fred Misset don't you 😉

Before I get booted off by my own yard apes (as Charles the Rev calls them) I will boot my ownself off. See, Transquebecniece, I too have a few but so far they haven't figured out or haven't the notion of time "classics or antiques!" At ages 10,10,10 & 11 I'm still in the "cool" books!

Biggs

 

[transquebecniece]

Cap, I'm sorry I missed you here last night. I feel awful about about going into so much about Harrison Lake. After all these years it is still a soft point, and I didn't consider that it might be up there as well. Point taken. I too will tred lightly there.

And I am sooooo sorry if I offended any Vets on this forum or anywhere; I have too much respect for them for that! I meant "scary crazy" in a fun-loving way, kind of like riding a moped in Mexico where there seems to be no traffic rules or rocking a kid upside down on a Ferris wheel to make her squeal. That kind of scary crazy. I've no doubt that the Vets flying in Canada were older by wisdom and experience alone and that the daredevil tactics used in SE Asia as a means of survival were not brought to the airspace over James Bay. Nosiree! Not what I meant and I'll watch my words real careful I will. I know Roy never stood out as a braggadocio. He was too humble for that. And the shadow he cast he or there is still hovering; we all feel it and can't seem to let go of it.

Case in point: For the first time since 1981, my cousin and Roy's BC girlfriend went out to the lake last month. My cousin (Roy's God-daughter) won a trip to Vancouver and I hooked the two up immediately. It was the first pilgrimage anyone in our family had made to the lake. They took a boat ride to the same spot where the Quasar was recovered to toss flowers in the water for all those who never got to say goodbye. Throughout the planning of the trip and while they were out there, we all felt his presence, his shadow if you will, and it was a good and approving presence. As if he was glad that the story was finally coming out and we'd have a little closure. Don'tcha know that the fellow who took them out on the boat was the guy who helped salvage the bird?! He knew right where to go! And once the flowers were tossed in, one lone helicopter flew over the lake. It was the only set of blades they heard for the entire 2-1/2 hours they were out there. Makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Long shadow but a comfort zone.

Enough about the lake! Now cap, I'm pretty sure you're too young to be an Antique; more along the lines of a nice Vintage perhaps. I'm too young to be a Classic if you're going by current standards; definitely more along the lines of a Nova SS (my first ride!) or Chevelle SS (my dad's car; oh do I have a story about Roy and Dad and that Chevelle!), with the heart of a GTO (another uncle's car---now mostly American muscle cars)! I know you'll have a wisecrack about that too, but be nice!

Biggles, biggles. I could never get those slimy pearl-makers down either and they've got to be nasty with wine---even a good one! Now I did get them down once (and they stayed down!) with a little (okay, a lot of) Cuervo, lime and salt only because it killed the taste. And escargot? Puke! Give me grilled shrimp and salmon any day! And yard apes. OH! That's a good one! I'll have to use that on the five guys I live with! You've got class; you're a Muscle Car too in my book!

 

[cap]

Biggles --------ohhhhhh, can't reveal that here, but I'll give you something to torture Fred with and see how good his memory is. Ask him if he remembers him and Jack Pearson doing a T/R change on my 206 (on floats) in the Iron Ore of Canada hangar in Sept-Iles. We pushed it out, the tarmac was completely ice and they stood watching me do my walk around. We ended up pushing it back into the hangar right away for some reason. If he remembers the incident, then he'll have my name. Say hello to his wife Barb for me....fantastic gal....and tell the old fart that I'm walkin' through his office door one of these days and at that point his "work day" will cease.

TQniece -------- I didn't take your "Vietnam Vets" comments the worng way and understood what you meant. They were all real "low key" guys and I can't really remember any "goings on" that stood out. I don't remember anything "daredevil" from SE Asia, but I remember a/c being asked to do things that they weren't designed to do or endure. That was kept to a limit also because this "horse" you were flying was your only ride home and taxis were real scarce to find 😀 . People weren't shooting at you every time you went flying, but the potential was always there and if you heard a "tsk" in your headphones you knew it was going to be a "bad hair day". Oooops, should explain that "tsk"......that is my written version of the sound you heard when the a/c got hit by small-arms fire.

Thanks, but I'm definitely defined as "Antique". I was born during the BIG war and the result of one-too-many furloughs at home 😀 😀 .

 

[Biggles]

Hey Cap, I figured that I wouldn't get your name here, I was thinking more in the lines of PM's etc. But hey, I like trivia and will tease and torture the Fredster. He's pretty sharp though and everytime we get together (last time Herb Tom was with us) we can dig out more of the lost stories and names. I will pass on my regards and to Barb as well.

Transquebecniece: Glad to be in the muscle car books and not the antique collectors! Though I am "getting there" and many days it feels like I've been there and back, I still like to think I have a few good ones left! Might have to join a younger group of friends though, my so called oyster/scotch buddies have all passed the golden age! Jussssssst kidding Sharkbait & Co.

Look forward to my findings next week.

Biggs

 

[cap]

Biggles ------- ahhhhh, let's torture him some more. Tell him Pearson and Masse used to be seen at my home in Montreal a lot when Masse and I worked for the same company and he knows my wife also. I better be careful too about who I call "an old fart" because Fred and I are in the same age bracket.......that would make Herb Tom the "old fart" then. 😀

 

[sharkbait]

Cap : was by any chance the anti torque device installed in a new and tcerrocni manner? 🙄
Cheers
sharkbait

 

[MINI]

Cap.

Sorry to tell you this but Jack Pearson passed away about a year ago or so.He was a very good friend of mine.I worked with him at TQH and Sealand.He gave my girlfriend at the time Bertha Norwegian her first job in this great business.But you are right Jack would have some good stories of Roy as would Jim Masse.I hope that they are all having a cold one together and telling stories up there about us.

Have a safe day Mini.........

 

[sharkbait]

Ah Jim Masse " OK Guys - Today WE are going to clean the hangar! When I say we that means YOU!" Someone should write a compendium of famous Jim lines.
MINI's last post reminds me - Anyone remember the story of Red McKinnon (SP?)(RIP) taking the S-55 for a spin in front of the hangar in Matagami. Was not there but hands down one of the funniest helicopter stories I ever heard. Would love to hear the "truth" from someone who was there. It was a 55 was it not ? Did Red really just depart direct from the scene? Was there a rush into the hangar by someone to grab a camera? ect. ect. 😀
Of course perhaps it is best not to let bald truth ruin a good story.

 

[MINI]

OKAY YOU GUYS,ESPECIALLY YOU NEW GUYS..........

Jim Masse Lg2 Hanger 1976


I used to walk in the hanger in the morning and if ya touched the outside walls you could actually feel them shake from his snoreing.......

Sorry people didnt mean to take away from Roys thread,just had to put that in.

Cheers Mini.......................

 

[cap]

MINI -------- NO, I didn't know Jack passed on. Plse PM me and give the time, place and date........ my "other half" will also be saddened to hear that. The "old team" is disappearing fast......Masse, Pearson, Lupien, Messier, Farquhar, Easton. I guess Freddy and I should get together soon before it's too late. Please don't mention snoring "Champions" to Fred and I......we spent a year in the same tent with Jim and we know who the "Champion" was. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact that it was a very large tent and lots of the craziest and funniest personalities in there with us. Every night was like spending a night at "Yuk, Yuks Comedy Club" and it was a #### to get paperwork done....and it never stoppod.

Sharkbait........let's just say that sometimes pilots are right and sometimes engineers are right, but if they both respect each other and work with one another they can damn near over-come almost anything. Let's also say that Fred, Jack and I would file that under the heading of "I Learned From That". 'Nuff said.

Ok now, so one day Red brings his "lady" out to show her the fancy big, noisey S-55 he's working on. He helps her up the long climb into the cockpit and then he climbs up the other side. He proceeds to show her how it starts and the old 1340 starts in a cloud of smoke. He then attempts to show her how it flies. He gets it off the ground and then he over-controls the old girl. She touches down hard, the oleios do their "thing" and she beats herself to death and then falls over and catches fire. "Interested" engineers looking out the hangar door call the local fire department and out they come with all sirens screeching. Red and the "lady" have managed to crawl out unscathed. The firemen drag out the hoses and start to rush off towards the burning a/c, spraying volumes of water as they go. All of a sudden, numerous engineers "go insane" all at once. They race towards the firemen screaming at them to "stop, stop for Christsake". The firemen shove them away and curse at them in French, The volumes of water hit the burning nose nacelle of the S-55 and "WHOOSH", the fire explodes into a raging inferno. The firemen drop their hoses and race back towards their pumpers, shut off the water and go screaming back down the road.
(Now read this all again, but when you do, imagine those old Keystone Cops movies where the speed is all really fast and that way you'll have a true depiction of the speed of events and appreciate the story much better). In case you don't know Sharkbait, the nose, clam-shell doors on the S-55 were phosphorous or "Willy Pete" as we called it in 'Nam'. If it touched your skin, it would burn through the flesh until it hit bone and pouring water on it makes it burm like you poured JP-4 on it. That's why divers use them underwater......phosphorous just LOVES water.

It is the ONLY time in my life where I witnessed an accident and laughed so hard that my face muscles were sore for a whole week therafter. I thought Jack Pearson was going loose control of his bladder, he was laughing so hard. If I remember correctly, the "lady" did have a wet crotch and that didn't help Jack and I at all.

I tell that story ONLY because of learning of Jack's passing here and you bringing that story up at the same time. It made me remember Jack and how he acted like he was going to have a heart attack from laughing so hard.

 

[transquebecniece]

I've missed you guys; dang job gets in the way of things I'd rather being doing an any given day!

Sorry to hear of your buddy Jack Pearson's passing; life is just way too short and death never takes a holiday. Hoping your fond memories of him will see you through!

Cap---I still find it hard to believe you were born before 1915, the current Antique classification. That can't be true, can it? Your Red/lady friend memory is too funny, ESPECIALLY when you read it again with Keystone-cop goggles on!

Mini---it's okay to stray from my original thread topic; it's YOUR forum, not mine. I'm glad you are all reconnecting and remembering and sharing; the years have gone by just too fast and they keep on clicking. I am fortunate that I haven't been kicked off the forum for not always staying on topic or for saying something stupid! And my life has been enriched by meeting you all in the virtual world. I may be Roy's blood kin, but there are people on this forum who were his "family," too. And the "family" of other pilots, as well. Go anywhere your mind and heart desires; it's okay by me.

Biggles---I'd like to PM you something for your little reunion next week, okay?

And I have to ask about the statement "Roy even passed the "Jim Masse test" and that was reserved for very few pilots. " What was the Jim Masse test?

Have a great weekend all; you're in my thoughts...

 

[cap]

TQniece -------good shot there....hope you didn't hurt yourself laughing as you typed that. 😀 I compete in what is termed "Concours Class" and their definition of "Antique" is about 20 yrs younger........so there "smartie pants".

"The Jim Masse Test"........Jim was notorious for being hard on pilots and "riding them" and there's host of them that had no great fondness for Jim. There was a small cadre of pilots that Jim would do that to, but "they wouldn't bite" He could see that they knew their jobs well and they usually hit it off well thereafter. Me and about 6 others knew the "real" Jim from way back and knew he was really a "big softie", had suffered some real bad personal tragedies and "cut him some slack" because of it. There was an "unwritten understanding" that we never spoke of those things to others to justify his actions when they spoke ill of him. This Fred Wayte that we speak of is one of that group.