I'm an old Grumman pilot, in my 80's now, with over 5k hours in the Goose with Chalks & the Widgeon, flying the North Slope in the 60's & 70's up in Alaska, & the USNPS in South Florida Everglades & Ft Jefferson NM, Retiring in 1986. I loved those amphibians, their good machines & never let me down.
As a young lad 8 I will always remember going with my mother from Annett Island to Kathacan for monthly grocery supplies on an old Goose with the bilge water leaping up when we landed. After seventy years this is still my best childhood memoriey. Thanks from an old man's heart.
That is one of the most beautifully restored Gooses I've ever seen. Perhaps the most beautiful. There's another in Alaska that someone did a really nice job on too... Well done! I'm jealous!
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As a kid I got to fly to Catalina Island several times each summer on the Grumman's owned by Catalina Airlines, and I can tell you it was the highlight of my trips to the island. I couldn't wait for the visit to be over just so I could get on the plane. One time , I was able to sit in the right seat, but it was really choppy and the take off run seemed to take forever. The pilot actually had the wheel pulled so far back it was against his stomach, and finally after what seemed like ten minutes we broke water tension and lifted off. Great memories and the Grumman Goose will always be my favorite airplane.
Used to see these planes in powell river British Columbia all the time as a child.a huge forestry company had a couple and flew the execs around the coastal opperations
Cool, just saw the NAS Whidbey, the E-18s fly over me every day, got to ride in a Goose a couple times to Catalina, once in the right seat, this is one beautiful restoration, thank you for caring enough to do that to such an amazing plane.
I flew in them routinely for BB trips in HS to all the towns in SE Alaska. We even lost sight of land once and had to motor across a bay for about 10 miles. Wild Stuff!!!
I worked for Alaska Island Air in Petersburg for a few years straight out of high school. Goose, Beaver, and 3 Cessna 180s on floats. The owner Lloyd Rountree showed me some of the special world he had grown up with and seemed to own. He had me fly to Kake, AK on Thanksgiving in the Goose, in the worst weather I had ever seen to bring a pregnant woman back to the hospital. An experience that I wouldn't trade for anything and also wouldn't want to ever have to do again. Over 3 hours of vomit inducing terror for a 50 minute round trip flight. His wife came to my house about an hour after we had landed and found us drinking and listening to Pink Floyd. Another time he had me dropping boxes of climbing gear and supplies out of the Beaver's belly for guys making an assent of The Devils Thumb. He would take me up to Petersburg Lake to rinse the Goose a few times a week, fly back to the airport, put her away for the night, then drive home for dinner while I washed that big bitch all by myself... I loved every minute it.
I flew the G21 Grumman Goose for Chalks International airlines. Back in 1969 1970. Then I flew the Grumman Widgeon for Dept.of Interior, Everglades Nation Park, also I flew a Widgen up on the North Slope of Alaska & retired in 1986.
Chalks Goosed me from Miami to Bimmini in 65. I had just gotten out of the USAF so the pilot put me in the right seat. It was raining and was coming in around the glass :( I was used to rolling fighters into target, all the Goose had was a compass and a clock
Really great to see a Goose with 2-blades, terrific sound, almost hypnotic. I recall in the 50's series Sea Hunt-featured the 2-bladed Goose with such wonderful engine/prop sound.
R 985's engines full power on take off, in the Goose, gritting my teeth on every take off, cuz in the D18 with same engines we only pulled 3650, Goose about 44 inches, Yikes.!! But, never blew a jug.
Gorgeous airplane. It looks and sounds like the result of considerable time, money and serious dedication. The approaches to the lake looked somewhat challenging and nicely executed. Beautiful.
Fabulous. Thanks for sharing your ride in this great aeroplane. I'm sure I'll be watching this and listening to the sound of those wonderful radials in that stunning setting many more times.
Wow that's so awesome! Bring me memories! I used to fly the Goose and Mallards back in the 70s all over the Caribbean islands with Antilles Air Boats! Thanks for sharing guys and keep those wings flying! :)
Thanks for stirring up some nice memories. I rode in a Grumman Goose a few times between Old Harbor and Kodiak, Alaska in the early 1970's. Quite a ride flying between the mountains and landing and taking off from the water.
As a young kid remember Gooses taking off, and landing from Watson Island, Miami ..Flying regularly scheduled trips to Nassau, Bahamas, and back in the sixties......
That was probably Chalks, in 65 they had some Gooses. The pilot heard I had just gotten out of the USAF and had me take the co-pilots seat. I look for nav equipment and there's just a compass :( It was raining and all we could see of Bimini was a troposcatter antenna sticking up out of the fog. We managed to land without hitting any boats in the fog :)
They should be produced again with modern technology and material with same appearance. The classic of all amphibious classic airplanes. Flew in them many time when I lived in the Virgin Islands. GlennFHoward
This is what a real view from a office window should look like love the old girl and what looks like nice Garmin avionics upgrade thanks for the video as so many have said and may all your flights be like this for you have one of the best officers views in the world
I used fly a Goose for Chalks International Airlines back in late 60's & early 70's, sometimes 3 flights a day to Bimini, Cat Key & back to Chalks on their little island in Miami cut, then I went to Alaska, flying the North Slope in the summer, in a Wigeon, it's been over 50yrs ago.WOW.!! how time flys when your having fun. I ended up flying a Widgeon for Everglades Nation Park, retired in 1986, then flew tourist around Florida Keys, till I turned 70yrs old, then quit flying.!! enough is a enough, total time, 29,750 hrs about 6,500 hrs water flying. Thats all folks.
that is just beautiful. thanks for posting! reminds me of an old tv show - Jake and the Golden Monkey; never remembered what the show was about - but I remembered that plane!
Saw one from a police sale years ago in FL that went for under 4 K if i remember right, no log books but both engines would start right up and need new avionics but for the most part, it looked like a sold old aircraft and all of its systems worked
Fantastic aircraft up there with the PYB Catalina. I love the retractable float mod on these. Looks very clean. Gorgeous sound from those two P&W wasp radials.
Outstanding work gentlemen a few years ago I was able to ride in the “Spam Can” a P-51 Mustang it’s was just about the best 30 minutes of my life. Cheers and happy flying!
Great video! My Dad's best pal was corporate pilot for the Briggs Corp. in Detroit. Their exec plane was a Grumman Mallard. Beautiful airplanes! My Dad (RIP) and his bud would get to use the plane occasionally, and would fly into lakes in Canada to fish.
SO AWESOME!!!!! A classic Goose!!! With original engines, windscreens and non-retractable floats!!!!!! ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!! Thank you for this spectacular gem!!!!!
There was GG stationed on Powell Lake, north end of Powell River BC. It belonged to the paper mill. It was used to fly in execs, techies, etc. I loved going to the dock just to look at it. Gorgeous plane.
OMG! The views and video were gorgeous, but the last frames took it over the top... Years ago my dad worked out at NAS Whidbey. My family lived in Oak Harbor. Thanks for sharing!
Sure brings back memories! We had a Grumman Goose at Parks College when I was getting my A&P certificate. We used it for multi-engine start up, shut dawn and taxi practice. This Goose looks immaculate, not like the one we had at Parks.
