Anyone here flown a Beech18 ?

[FreightPup]

Bummin off my friend's account here, yet again. Hey AK, who were you working for during the Purolator days? I was flying Purolator into Columbus for Mountain Air Cargo/Sunbird Airlines during that time, in our brand new Beech C-99's. Me and a couple of the guys started the Thursday night flightline BBQ's out there. Did you get in on that at all? Perhaps we've met at some point. Those were fun times! We used to BS on 129.75 & 123.45, all night long. I was there some in the first half of 1981, and almost all of 1983. In the summer of '81, I went up to Washington State with Methow's first Twin Beech and helped them get going, getting the first several on line. Also, flew for Airpac Airlines, in Seattle, during most of that time. Came back to Mountain in Jan. '83, flying the BHM-HSV-BNA-CMH run mostly, then flew the MEM-BNA-CMH run, before heading off to Oklahoma City to fly YS-11's for Trans Cancel (Central) Airlines, in late '83.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sunbird-Airlines/Beech-99/0909287/L/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Tran...o_nr=6&prev_id=0725442&next_id=0353723&size=L

 

[Waldom]

Thanks, 727gm, for the correction reference the Westwind IV (N231LJ). Too many brain cells lost and gray hairs aquired on my part. I also did not know the the "pre-Hamilton" history of the conversions.

Sorry to learn of N38L's recent runway "excursion". Hope it flys again and does not become another corroding wreck in the Caribbean weeds. That airplane was the nicest flying Westwind III I had flown.

Sorry to report the demise of N38L along with two crew from Monarch Air. According to NTSB records, the airplane went down in the ocean seven miles northwest of Nassau on a flight from Florida on 14 December.

 

[727gm]

Sad News....

Good ol' N38L was a favorite.

By the way, here's a Be-18 crash with a happier outcome, although not for the airplane. Tough old birds.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...vives-horrific-plane-crash-busy-motorway.html

 

[Otter]

D18s

It was a good time remembering the Beach 18 through this string of posts. My only 18 times was in a S on EDO floats. In my humble opinion it was a great performer on water and fun at the same time, though the updraft carburator had a tendency (read always) to get carb ice when on the water.

Since they were not amphibs...you always had carb ice. That said a mod was completed by some chap up in Canada and the intakes had hoses and mounts made to move the intake to the 10 & 2 on the engine cowlings if memory serves. Getting the intake up and away from the water and spray solved that issue for the most part.

 

[Waldom]

As the carbs are flying ice-makers on the landplanes, I can imagine the the problem with the sealane version. I remember carburetor temperature guages (if they were functioning) being a handy thing to have on those airplanes. The Simmons fuel injection mod was one cure for that problem.

I have seen that "10 and 2" inlet induction system on a couple of airplanes, although I haven't flown them.

The seaplane must have been challenging to load cargo in. I would think the low wing was a problem at a lot of docks.

 

[dustrpilot]

I have around 500 hours in a t/w 18. It was a ok airplane to fly, but at the worst flying job, no, worst job I ever had.
I was a ex rEAL pilot when I flew it. I picked up one night at the MEM Fedex hub and got a ride to the plane in the crew bus. I caught a lot friendly jokes about my ride, but I did get the satisfaction of telling them I " knew I could fly theirs, but I'd bet they couldn't even taxi mine".