Splash and Dash Searey Seaplane Delights
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Posted By: Nickens, Dan
Date Posted: Oct 24, 2016
Description: Free flying SeaReys in China?

Well, there are SeaReys. The free flying is a work in progress.
Date Taken: October 15, 2016
Place Taken: Da Lu Airport, Peoples Republic of China
Owner: Nickens, Dan
File Name:    - Photo HTML
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Thumbnail - <img src="/show.php?splash=75hGO3jnhs">

Category: China_'Reys
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Read what others had to say:


Nickens, Dan - Oct 17,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The Seareys are located the Da Lu airport (N32deg14’11”,E119deg43’07”) near Zhenjiang, west of Shanghai. The airport, less than
2 years old, is impressive with first class facilities. Sky Alliance owns and operates six new LSA Seareys. Fortunately there is only
one employee checked out to fly them. They had to import U.S. pilots to fly in the first sport aviation air show in China. Perfect for
me and three others.

To get there visas had to be obtained, pilot and medical certificates submitted to and approved by the Chinese Air Force. An
approved narrow flight corridor was issued for the 18 mile flight to the air show. The flight area for the show covered a 5 km radius
below 300 meters. We were told that all flights had to have a Chinese pilot aboard (this was later revised to allow Americans to fly
as long as any Chinese national was onboard).

The restrictions kinda rubbed me the wrong way on the first day. The Chinese SeaRey pilot, Chang, said we should fly in formation
to the air show. I flatly refused. Even though he was a former air force instructor, formation flying without prior preparation or
knowledge of the pilots violated my flight restrictions. ""No. Period. End of discussion."" (Rude. Very rude.)

After that crisis passed, I grounded my airplane. ""Where are the documents? There is no airworthiness certificate, registration or
weight and balance documentation."" It was politely explained that the documents were removed to the corporate office for ""safe
keeping"".

""No paper, no fly,"" I asserted. Now who was being obstructionist?

After a awkward delay the papers to my airplane arrived via a harried Sky Alliance guy running across the ramp.

The pilot assigned to fly with me was a polite young man with limited English language ability. It was agreed that ""Mooney"" would
handle the radio and relay information to me. I offered to let him fly after we were in the air.

That was before I knew there was a problem with the airspeed indicators. They both read high and the AOA was funky. Oh, well.
Who needs stinking gauges? I let him fly any way.

We were supposed to follow Chang to the seaplane ramp in Zhenjiang. As we approached the lake I took back the controls and set
up to land there. It turns out that there was a ""Ground Commander"" for the ramp. Mooney translated and relayed his radioed
landing instructions.

Chang did something quite unexpected, however: he landed well away from the ramp. I was second in line to land but told Mooney
that I was not landing with Chang and began a left turn. Mooney took the stick and turned back to the right towards the high rise
towers of downtown.

""NO! It's my airplane. Release the control stick!""

That was a rude shock to my ever so polite co-pilot. ""But the commander says we must turn right to the base.""

I sharply turned back to left, keeping Adam and Chang in sight. ""The commander won't be in the airplane when we smack into
those buildings or into the other airplane. He doesn't command this airplane.""

Mooney was stunned into silent obsequiousness. I turned and landed close to the ramp, feeling really bad for being such a reactive
jerk. The whole thing should have been handled much more diplomatically. My excuse was jet lag. I resolved to make it up to
Mooney with a less contentious flight at the earliest possible date.

It's amazing, really, that I wasn't grounded (or worse).
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Did I mention Sky Alliance had some other cool toys?      Attachments:  

Show Transport
Show Transport


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The excellent facilities at the Zhenjiang seaplane ramp had been constructed in the span of a month. It had earlier been just a muddy field.      Attachments:  

Show Storage
Show Storage


    
  
Dave Edward - Oct 17,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Another great adventure for you Dan.....you lucky sod !!
Watch your ' six ' and keep us posted.
I feel one hell of a story coming on.
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    You are right, Dave, I am lucky....lucky not to be in a Chinese jail, shipped out of Shanghai by noodle boat, or reported to the International FAA branch for air show ineptitude!     
  
Paul Sanchez - Oct 17,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, I feel your frustration! And admire your patience. I spent 4 years flying in and out of China and if I never hear a Guangzhou
controller tell me , ""You r cqueared to waand"" I will be too happy. The mentality they have is to ""Just do it"" is without thought and
quite scary. Believe it or not, a friend of mine was asked to ferry an MD 80 with one engine inop! I mean from takeoff to landing. I
suspect (and I hope) your mantra will continue to be , ""my controls!"" I just hope the SeaRey name will not become what I see on
most defective products sold in the US - ""Made in China"".
    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 18,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, it seems to me that you reacted appropriately. The Chinese have a category usually translated as ""Foreign Expert"" that you may or may not hold formally; but you're certainly operating LIKE a Foreign Expert there. That makes you, if not THE expert, then AN expert. You have more Searey experience than anyone else in China, so I think you should expect to advise the controllers and the other pilots. And you should expect that they ought to pay attention to what you say on matters relating to safety (but not bureaucracy).

A place to begin is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Administration_of_Foreign_Experts_Affairs

Another is http://en.safea.gov.cn/
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Do you think it is a crime to imitate a Foreign Expert, Don?     
  
Robert Richardson IV - Oct 18,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    what no Chinese splashing?     
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Rob, they're splashing and giving rides at a lake, coordinates: N32.2233, E119.4322 Use satellite mode in GoogleMaps or -Earth. The airport is at: N32.2364, E119.7186

(And yes, digital degrees are simpler and more logical than degrees seconds minutes. So is the Chinese way of writing dates: yyyyy mm dd, which sorts automatically into chronological order. And of course there's the entire metric system... One can even get used to the surname-first naming system.)
    
  
Chuck Cavanaugh - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Okay Professor, I just wasted 20 minutes Googling why you're wrong on the digital degrees thingie. I got nothing. So you win this battle. To make it worse, for 35 years in mil and com aviation we've used Degrees, Minutes, percent of minutes: The worst of both worlds!

Does this mean I have to return Heather's birthday gift to me?
     Attachments:  

Home coordinates
Home coordinates


    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Better not! Because it's elegant--and then I'd have to return this one from Carol:      Attachments:  

DMS
DMS


    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Degrees minutes seconds is traditional and very cool, Chuck. (As long as you don't have to add or subtract it.)     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    "The show must go on!" It's a mantra I've often heard but never experienced. This show was to change that.      Attachments:  

Showtime
Showtime


    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Oo! A panda balloon! Very impressive! (Not a joke.)     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Just a little background: the show almost never got off the ground. The decision to go to China was received at 0015 for an 0545 departure to the airport. Adam and myself went in the first wave. Joe Friend and John McLeroy were booked on flights the following day. We were short one pilot when Kerry elected not to go.

Adam and I arrived the day before the show to shuttle the airplanes from the airport to the lake where the show was to be held. Joe and John were not scheduled to arrive until 0300 the day of the show.

Late in the afternoon the day before the show Adam told me there was a change of plan and he was going to have to be in the announcer's booth. He could communicate with us by radio, but now we were down to three airplanes instead of five. It should be simpler, right? Adam asked me to come up with a 15 minute show plan on the fly.

With no preparation or practice I decided that formation flights were not safe or appropriate. Here was the last minute plan I scribbled out for Adam:

1030
Engine Start
Taxi to water, Engine warm up

1040
Depart to North, eschelon left
Right turn climbing to 500'
Transition to loose in trail, return to start

1043
Low over water high speed in trail to North
Climbing right turn loose in trail return to start

1046
Lead slow flight to north at 500'
2 land for high speed swerving taxi
3 power on stall climb to 500 to 1000'
Rejoin on lead in right turn at 500' return to start

1050
Lead descent to lake and max angle climb to 1000'
2 steep turns to right at 500'
3 touch and goes on water
Rejoin on lead in right turn at 500' return to start

1051
Smoke on, right turn and return to start
Lead 800'
2 500'
3 200'
Rejoin on lead in right turn at 500' return to start

1053
Engine off on down wind
Land, power up and step taxi back to ramp

END OF SHOW
(Okay. So I compromised on a formation takeoff. That seemed to be pretty low risk for three experienced SeaRey pilots.)

On the way to the hotel Adam told me the Air Force was requiring us to have a Chinese pilot on board. ""That won't work, Adam,"" I protested. ""The airplanes are fully fueled."" That was the only rationale I could think of because I really didn't want someone else put at risk or reducing the performance of the show planes.

""Okay. Tomorrow I will have the airplanes defueled.""

I was resigned to accepting that. When we arrived at the airport at 0900, however, we learned that it was going to be a huge problem. Portable fuel cans are controlled by ""Public Safety"". We would have to get authorizations for removing and storing the fuel at the show site. That would take ""days"".

""Sorry, Adam, but I'm not going to fly an over gross airplane with a passenger that I can't communicate with at an air show.""

""I understand. What can we do?""

""We can go back to the Air Force and tell them we must fly the show solo.""

""That may work. Officials at Sky Alliance are ex-military and have some influence. We will try that.""

It was amazing. Within an hour the requirement for a Chinese pilot was suspended for the show.

Weather on the morning of the show was low overcast with fog and smog. It improved a bit over time to 3 to 5 miles and 1000' overcast. At least the wind was reasonable, 7 mph out of the north.

Joe and John arrived about an hour before show time. They had had only a few hours sleep and Joe's luggage had not arrived. Adam had e-mailed the cobbled together flight program to them but Joe had not received it. He had to scribble it down on a piece of paper minutes before startup.

Just before engine start a serious problem was identified: there were no keys to the airplanes! ""Where are the keys!"" I asked. Adam's wife Ruby jumped in to translate the panicked request to ground support. She was told that pilots could not be trusted with keys until they were needed. We needed and we got with minutes to spare.

At the designated time three SeaReys rumbled down the ramp and into the water. The SeaReys were to follow powered parachutes. Adam told us he would advise us by radio when to launch.

That was the first confusion. Since Joe hadn't seen the place before, he set up in an area too close to the show and outside of our operational area. That had to be sorted out over the radio. Then Joe thought we were to launch when we were warmed up. Frantic calls prevented him from taking off while the parachutes were still in the air.

The frequency was confused with Chinese transmissions. Adam's radio was weak and almost unintelligible. We had one more aborted takeoff in all the confusion. When we did get authorization, Joe didn't hear it. We were not off to an impressive team start.

At least the formation takeoff went well. Somehow, however, the first routine, low and fast over the water, didn't happen. Now the script was messed up.

We got back on track for a couple of circuits. During the course of the show, however, Adam requested revisions. Only Joe, the flight leader, didn't hear all of them. There was a lot of radio chatter and angst getting it sorted on the fly.

On the next to the last circuit we were supposed to do smoke. Unfortunately the scripted altitudes wouldn't work because by now 1000' was in the clouds. Frantic radio calls got that sorted out. It didn't matter for me, because my smoke didn't work.

The climax of the show was to be turning the engines off for a quiet landing. Due to a misunderstanding of the orientation, Joe did not order engines off until low on the base leg. At that point we were so far away from the crowd that no one would have noticed except for the announcers.

What a fiasco! It had to be the worst air show performance ever. At least no one crashed and the airplanes survived, but heading back to the ramp I was totally embarrassed for SeaReyers everywhere.

A mob had formed at the ramp. They were smiling and waving at us. ""Where are the pitchforks?"" I wondered. I wasn't sure if we would have enough room to get up the ramp because of the crush of people.

As soon as room was cleared we pulled up and switched off the engines. That's when the mobs descended upon us. My cockpit was surrounded. I wasn't sure I could get out. I was terrified thinking that I had two malfunctioning smoke packages on each wing within inches of the crowd.

I stood up in the cockpit to see John and Joe were similarly swarmed. John was smiling and waving and picking up kids. Joe couldn't be seen because of the thick covering of people.

I spotted one of the maintenance guys and frantically waved him over. How he got through the crowd I don't know. I tried to get him to understand the problem of live pyrotechnics but my sign language was apparently too ambiguous.

Meanwhile people were pushing their kids towards the cockpit trying to get pictures. Girls were hugging me for selfies. All I could think of was the disaster that was going to develop when my smoke went off. I was finally rescued by Adam who got the maintenance guy to cut the wires.

I apologized profusely to Adam about the performance. He was nonplussed. ""You don't understand. These people have never seen an air show before. The crowd is just happy that you flew for them.""

Wow! I hadn't thought about it that way. ""Alright! Let's bask in the limelight. We are rock stars!"" Well, at least John was. He knew what to do. Kissing girls and holding babies. As soon as I could I just slunk off into the back of the hangar.
    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    I'm glad the show went so well, Dan.

The secret to crowds, at least when we lived there, is motion. Start moving and the crowd parts in front of you, as if you were some
kind of modern day Moses.
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    My smoke wouldn''t work at all. The others continued to smoke long afterwards. At least the local police force managed to keep most of the crowds out of the hangar.      Attachments:  

Still Smoking
Still Smoking


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Just to prove that we weren't going to be tarred, feathered and railroaded out of town, we were invited to the after show banquet. We actually got one of the head tables. I still tried to keep a low profile because I'm sure some in this crowd knew what real show performances are supposed to look like.      Attachments:  

Banquet
Banquet


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The food and drink just kept coming out. I didn''t think it was going to stop. I certainly paused, though, considering what to eat. It was actually all delicious (and nothing at all like the Chinese restaurant in Howey).      Attachments:  

Suspect Food
Suspect Food


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Well, some things I just didn't have the nerve to sample (not that I had any nerves left after the flying fiasco).      Attachments:  

More Suspect Food
More Suspect Food


    
  
Carr, Frank  - Oct 19,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Thank you Dan for a wonderful story; I bet the crowds were thrilled because of the theory that ""Happiness is expectations met"".
Awesome.
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    A secondary mission following the show was to provide demonstration flights. Sky Alliance had queued up a crowd of customers for short local tours within our restricted operational area.

The four red Seareys were ours to play with. The gray one belonged to, Chang, the lead ace pilot for Sky Alliance. He took pretty girls for long flights. (Now that's a lucky guy!)
     Attachments:  

Ride Ready
Ride Ready


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    To accommodate the maximum number of people, Adam set up a flight time goal of 3 minutes per circuit.

"Three minutes?"

"Yes. There are many people."

So...okay. We put together a circuit around the lake that MIGHT come close to that operational goal.

There were four (sometimes five) airplanes in tight airspace. We agreed to operate like an uncontrolled field with multiple reporting points.

How did we do? Well, I flew 15 circuits with 13 people in a little over 2 hours. That's about one circuit every 8 minutes. Clearly I needed to fly faster.

Sky Alliance needed to work on crowd control. It was always an issue to clear people from around the airplane so we could start up and taxi.

JinShan Lake Circuits
     Attachments:  

Lake Circuit
Lake Circuit


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 24,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The biggest time hog for our limited flight fare was loading customers. Since three of us didn't speak
the language, Adam trained various Sky Alliance pilots for loading and briefing the passengers. This
impressive young pilot took care of my passenger briefings.

Two of the most important briefing points:
1. Don't touch the controls; and,
2. Don't launch your phone/camera out of the airplane.
     Attachments:  

WingWoman
WingWoman


    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The young pilot looks very chipper in her colorful uniform. It's certainly different from the uniforms that everyone wore only a few years ago--drab cotton Mao suits of blue or green or grey.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The flying circus was well supported. In addition to our grounded pilot/passenger loaders, there was a contingency of Searey mechanics standing by. Some of their post flight habits had to be modified. Every time I shut down they would reach in and pull the circuit breakers for the landing gear. Well, okay. Fine. Then they would shut down all of the fuel pumps and the strobes even though the master was off anyway. Worst of all, they would want us to get out so they could visually confirm the fuel level after every short circuit.

I eventually persuaded my mechanic that I wasn't going to get out of the airplane every time so he could check the fuel on my side. There are two sides and he could look on the other side. Then I brought in an interpreter and explained why I wasn't turning off the fuel pump and strobe every shut down. I gave up on the circuit breaker pulling.
     Attachments:  

Searey Support Vehicle
Searey Support Vehicle


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    There was a ground control facility. The frequency was sometimes invaded by a blast of Chinese that only Adam could understand. The rest of us just ignored it.      Attachments:  

Ground Control
Ground Control


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Sometimes the paraplanes were in operation over land. This one had a Searey sign advertising for us.

Late one afternoon, just before sunset, I spotted a pair of the paraplanes cruising around town BETWEEN THE SKYSCRAPERS! I was soooo jealous. I checked with Adam to see how they could get away with that. "They don't ask."

Hmmm....maybe there is a lesson there.
     Attachments:  

Flying SeaRey Sign
Flying SeaRey Sign


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    We did get a lunch break. I scored driver's seat on this fine machine after lunch. It was completely illegal for me to drive in China without a state license. Unlike aviation matters, however, I have very flexible situation ethics when it comes to vehicular rules and regulations.      Attachments:  

My Ground Vehicle
My Ground Vehicle


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The lunch place was in a hotel near the flight base. Outside was a representation of the future of planned development in the local area. It looked pretty good, but docking all those SeaReys is going to be a challenge. And the Cessnas? Wheeled landings in the water? Good luck with that!      Attachments:  

Lost in Translation
Lost in Translation


    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    After the flying circus was grounded for the day, giving way to bombers, I got reacquainted with an old friend. Retired from the yachting business (and almost sinking in Marlborough Sound, NZ) back in 2011, this LSX lady was completely rebuilt and scored a quiet retirement gig in China.      Attachments:  

Yacht Retirement
Yacht Retirement


    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    It's well preserved, Dan--with propblade covers, tire covers, and aileron locks.

Are the regs any different there for foreign-registered aircraft?
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 21,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    I don't know, Don. When SuRi visited Shanghai we could not get permission to operate the SeaRey or helicopter. This was a display airplane. Adam indicated it isn't legal to fly. (But he didn't say it didn't fly.) While we were in Zhen Jiang, it was just a lawn ornament.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    "Sky Alliance would like us to train some of their pilots today," Adam told us.

"Flight training? I thought we weren't allowed to do flight training."

"We cannot do flight instruction. That is illegal. We need a Chinese certificate."

"But flight training is okay?"

"Um, let me see....flight training is okay. They are pilots. We just show them some things we know about the SeaRey."

It sounded like a linguistic issue to me. "Okay. Absolutely, positively no flight instruction then."

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Mooney was assigned to me. I liked that because he spoke pretty good English.

"What would you like me to show you today, Mooney?"

"I would like to know better takeoff and landing."

"Um, okay." Is that flight training or flight instruction? I figured I wouldn't ask.

We walked towards the airplane. Mooney immediately went for the left seat. Well, PIC can sit either side, right?

"You are a pilot, Mooney?"

"Yes. I have three hundred hours."

"What to do you fly?"

"Cessnas."

I told Mooney I would demonstrate the maneuvers first. He was to immediately relinquish the controls when I instructed to do so....er, I meant suggested to do so.

During the course of our flight demonstration (not instruction) Mooney told me his father and brother had been in the Air Force. He wanted to fly. I was afraid to ask him why he hadn't joined the Air Force.

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Mooney actually did quite well following some simple demonstrations. That gave me time to exercise my camera.

The green place in the middle is where the air show took place. Near the top center of the photo, at the far end of the canal, is a bridge with an open box structure. Originally we were to fly through the center of it as part of the show.

"How can the people at the show see that?" I asked.

"There are cameras there and a big screen at the show place."

"It's a car bridge," I protested. "Won't there be traffic underneath?"

"Traffic will be stopped for the fly throughs. You will do it, yes?"

"Well, do you have waivers for it? We will certainly be violating about a gazzillion regulations."

"I will check."

There were no waivers. We didn't fly through the bridge.

    
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Looks like minimums for Class G airspace.

But look at that lovely green grass! In 1981-82 there was only one lawn in the entire country (on the campus of Fudan University, which was evidently prestigious enough to be exempt from the no-decadent-lawns rule).
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    It was fresh, Don, in rectangles laid in for the air show.     
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    It would be interesting to see if it's there next week. They're excellent recyclers!     
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    One of the landmarks by the lake was a large, rusting hulk of a boat. There were workers there with scaffolding and welders. I don't know whether they were taking it apart or building it. I'd hate to be the captain of it in any wind.

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The landmark at the eastern edge of our authorized airspace was Jiaoshan Hill. A large temple pagoda topped the hill. The top of the pagoda was just below the bottom of the ever present clouds.

Adam explained that there are about 60 days every year when blue skies prevail. "People come outside to see when it is blue." I bet they do. The typical gray would be depressing (and the daily smog would be disconcerting).

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    As Mooney flew around the hill I got a good look at the Jiaoshan Temple. Nice bridges.

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    As Mooney rounded the corner I caught a glimpse of a steel tower on the western edge of the hill. "Steel tower? Why would they have a steel tower on an ancient, historic site?"

About a millisecond later I saw the three wires strung across the lake from the tower! They were almost invisible in the gloom.

"My airplane!" I grabbed the stick and climbed to make sure there was some altitude between us.

"Did you see the power lines?" I asked Mooney when I got my breath back.

"Yes. Power lines were in briefing."

"In the briefing?"

"Yes, briefing package. You were given."

I remembered the briefing package. It was all written in Chinese."

What we weren't briefed on were kites. Tall kites. Extending almost to the clouds.

John spotted one and warned, "Looks like jet traffic approaching from the south." Being in military airspace we took the observation seriously....until he continued, "Never mind. It's a kite." They were actually flying higher than jets.

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    The Yangzte River is a major highway for commercial traffic. At Zhen Jiang the river connects with the Grand Canal, a historic artery for moving food from the south to Beijing. The Chinese invented locks to facilitate boat movement. The convergence of canal and river is still a major port for grains.

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    There wasn't much traffic on our lake (that was really nice). The only traffic was slow moving scows moving between the city and island. Looked like garbage barges to me but Adam said the trash gets burned. I didn't see any smoke stacks on the island. Could be the garbage is transshipped. Maybe. I don't know.

I never saw a private pleasure boat. I did see a Chinese Coast Guard Yacht. It almost blocked the channel during the show and presented an irritating obstacle.

    
  
Philip Mendelson - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, as always Thanks for sharing your Searey Adventures! I was with a group that traveled to China in 1983.
It is amazing how far this country has come since then. In that year Only 40% of homes had electricity!
We were closely guarded by at least 20 soldiers, us a group of ten Teneco oil employees and never allowed more than ten feet away
from our guide Freddie. Our whole visit was guided and well guarded, we were not even allowed to talk to anyone. other than our guide.
The thought of flying over this country boggles my mind! Great Job!
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 22,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    We were staying in a five star hotel and treated to sumptuous buffets. The cityscape rivaled anything in New York or Sydney. Adam assured me, however, that not everyone lived in the lap of luxury. Outside the city limits poor peasants roamed. The fishing boats along the river were all I saw of that around Zhen Jiang.

Mooney got several hours of "flight demonstrations" and he learned quickly. At the end he thanked me profusely. It was a little embarrassing, actually, because I didn't provide the instruction he should have.

That evening the entire U.S. crew was invited to dinner at the hotel as guests of Sky Alliance. Not me. I was done and went to bed. The other guys went and were treated royally (except John got challenged to a drinking contest with the Chinese Air Force types....they found he wasn't an easy target having had a military indoctrination from his youth...I'm told he upheld our honor and reputations).

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 23,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    One day I walked away from B-10FV thinking I'd be back to fly it again. Sure, we knew we had one day off to tour the town. Maybe the Air Force wanted its airspace back for a day. Fine.

What we didn't know was weather from a distant typhoon would come to end the fun with our Chinese SeaReys. As you can tell from the smiling faces, ignorance is bliss.

A wet and grounded pilot is not going to be satisfied for long. The only clear way back to happiness was to head east for home and our own 'Reys. That's where we've gone.

    
  
Steve Kessinger - Oct 23,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Great stories, Dan, we're doing a heck of a lot of China now out of SF, I'm looking forward to the day I can rent a SeaRey on a layover, or at least go for a ride and get some ""flight training"".     
  
Don Maxwell - Oct 23,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    A dapper gang of flyers!     
  
Dennis Scearce - Oct 23,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Thanks again,Dan for a great adventure. There ought to be a mini series for PBS in your future.     
  
Carr, Frank  - Oct 23,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Great idea Dennis, taking a line from the late Carl Sagan, Dan could call it ""Billions and Billions of Searey Tales and Not tales.""     
  
Walt Bates - Oct 27,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan

I flew in and out of several Chinese airports with United. If you think Germans are intolerant you need to go to China. Taking off to the north out of Beijing it is about a one minute extension of the takeoff direction to see the Great Wall. We would do that sort of thing when departing Rapid City on RWY 32 to give pax a view of Mt Rushmore. So at Beijing I told (not asked) departure that I would be extending to the north before the normal left 180* turn to view their Wall. The controller absolutely came out of his skin threatening me with virtual life in prison if I didn't turn immediately. Welcome to China.
    
  
Nickens, Dan - Oct 27,2016   Viewers  | Reply
    Well, rules and procedures are to be obeyed without question, Walt, unless you're a rebellious, undisciplined ""monkey"". Adam told us that was the local appellation for westerners. We assumed the role, posing with hands over mouth, eyes and ears under the legend of the monkey and chicken. (The story goes that the monkey thought he was pretty special until his wise owner killed a chicken in front of him to prove the monkey was expendable. The legend is the monkey learned his lesson. I'm not sure all monkeys are that smart.)     


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