Celebrating 65 Years

   

Celebrating 65 years this month, our hardest working aircraft,  the Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, with call letters C-FFET continues to fly and earn it’s keep. (Charlie Foxtrot Foxtrot Echo Tango)

The Piper Super Cruiser is quite a famous aircraft.  About 4,000 Super Cruisers were built in only two years (l947-48) at the Piper plant in Lockhaven, Pennsylvania (that’s about 8 aircraft per day).  Half of those Super Cruisers are still flying in North America today.

In 1947 two Super Cruisers made history, leaving Lockhaven, Pennsylvania and flying around the world.  They were the first light aircraft to circumnavigate the globe.   One of those aircraft is in the Piper museum in Lockhaven, the other in the Smithsonian.  In that trip of 36,000 kms the most serious mechanical problem encountered was a cracked tail wheel.

Ours was built on January 3, 1947.  When Arthur Elmhirst purchased her in 1973 she had accumulated about 1,000 flying hours.  Over the past 40 years we have flown her an additional 8,000 hours.  Of course,in that time there have been multiple rebuilds and several new engines.  The molychrome tubing frame is covered with a doped fabric, making it relatively easy to maintain.

Since coming to Elmhirst’s she has been used for sightseeing flights around Rice Lake and the Kawarthas as well as training pilots in water flying and ski flying.    Over the decades hundreds of pilots, many European, have taken their seaplane training in FET.  Thousands of Elmhirst’s Resort guests and other local resort guests have enjoyed the thrill of float flying in FET.

Although most of the hours have been on floats, the recent addition of hydraulic wheel skis allows FET to fly year round.  This winter FET is based in a heated hanger at Peterborough Airport – flying three or four days a week.  April will see the installation of a new engine and the floats reinstalled in preparation for another thrilling season of sightseeing on Rice Lake.  (Sightseeing flights $50 pp plus HST).

Foxtrot Echo Tango over and out 

 

Submitted by Peter Elmhirst, Chief Pilot, Elmhirst Vacation Air Ltd

Do you see what I see?

This tree was definitely winking at me….at least smiling at me….what do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

February begins this week…..book a Superior cottage for the upcoming weekend and Wilma will upgrade you to a Deluxe cottage.  Good deal.

Valentine’s Day plan secure?  Drop in for dinner or stay the weekend.

Family Day Weekend – don’t be the only ones left in the city…..come on out and experience life in the country.  Packages and free skating available.

Norman Hardie will be here February 25 for a winemakers dinner (barrel tastings to preview the harvest) – book your seats for dinner or stay the night.  Dinner $99 pp   Dinner, overnight, Sunday Brunch $169 pp     Good Valentine’s Day gift…….

 

Sunday Kiteboarders

               

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunshine, great snow conditions, good winds and lots of enthusiasm – what a day!   The windsock was blowing straight out – ideal for beginners and seasoned kiters.  Instructors giving lessons, kiters jumping, kites of all sizes flying high……snowmobiles and a skiplane, spectators and cameraderie…….if you missed this weekend you missed alot!

 

 

Kiteboarding in Snow Squalls

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the snow, blowing and swirling all day, the kiteboarders were out and enjoying the winds.  At times it was difficult to see what was happening on the ice but it was a full day of activity and the kites are so colourful it was exciting just watching from the dining room.  Lots of kites, squeals of delight from new kiters and whoops of joy at the jumps and wind beneath their wings……..kiters gathered for a social with Steamwhistle Brewing when the sun went down.  I’m sure they will be reliving the day with yarns and good laughs all evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The horsedrawn sleighride on the waterfront trail was awesome…….Belle and Murdoch didn’t seem to mind the blinding snow.  It felt very Dr Zhivago, under the fur blankets on the sleigh.

 

Another wonderful winter day at Elmhirst’s Resort……don’t despair if you missed it  -  the fun continues tomorrow.  Come on out and take a lesson or watch the demos on the ice or from the comfort of your Sunday Brunch table.

 

Did you know….?  Kiteboarding, also known as kitesurfing or snowkiting, is an extreme sport made safer (and therefore more inclusive) by the improvements to the kite designs, power controls and release systems.  The sport is growing around the world (both on water and on ice) – how cool to have access on Rice Lake.   Kitepower was seen to be an alternative to horsepower in the early 1900′s, partly to avoid the hated “horse tax” levy.  

Burns Menu for Kiteboarders

 

 

Friday Night Supper Club guests enjoyed the Robbie Burns menu and beers from Scotland this evening while the kiteboarders held their welcome Meet and Greet in the Wild Blue Yonder.   On arrival the boarders were out on the ice, preparing for tomorrow.  Demos and lessons will be available on the ice Saturday and Sunday.  Check it out!

Looking Forward

Did you have haggis last night?  It was the day to celebrate Robbie Burns, the famous Scot.  Tell us how you marked the occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

Just a reminder……Kiteboarding Weekend starts tomorrow…….

 

February is chock-a-block with good times…….

Feb 03-05  Upgrade Weekend (book a Superior Cottage and we’ll upgrade to Deluxe….big savings!)

February is Throw in the Towel month……book Sunday Brunch and we’ll throw in the towel (free swimming after Brunch)

February 14   Valentine’s Day  Have you booked that special dinner or night away? 

February 17 – 20 Family Day Weekend     ask about our special weekend rates

February 25   Norman Hardie Winemakers Dinner    Dinner $99pp       Dinner, overnight, Sunday Brunch $169pp

Stay tuned for March events……….

 

 

 

United Way Goddess Night

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greeting Goddesses at Peterborough Square (in Peterborough) volunteers and United Way staff were on hand at the “Be a Goddess” fundraiser for United Way this evening.  Ladies are treated to make-overs, new products, champagne, massages, a silent auction, decadent food served by local celebrities and police officers, live music, fun cocktails and grand prize draws.  It’s a great venue for visiting, shopping, sampling and enjoying a night out while raising funds for the United Way.  I have volunteered for a few years and always find the experience to be very satisfying.  Who doesn’t want to be a Goddess for a night?

CHEX TV (our local television station) featured a segment on kiteboarding and the upcoming weekend on their newscast tonight.  You can feel the excitement building for kiteboarding weekend.  Come and try something new…………

 

 

What the Kiteboarder Sees

         

 

 

Kiteboarder John Rumball shared his photos of what he, the operator of the kite, saw as he glided across the ice on Sunday.  Doesn’t it just make you want to try it?  See you on the ice this weekend for demos and lessons.

 

Happy (actual) Birthday Leslie Wood, who celebrated with her group of friends this past weekend at the Resort.  Many happy returns.

 

Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year!  It’s the Year of the Dragon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen was kiteboarding on the lake this morning  - check out my amateur video (you’ll hear the sounds of wind and carving ice – hum your favourite song)    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR2E_qu82_A

 

 

February Events

Valentine’s Day Romantic Dinner  Feb 14

Family Day Weekend    Feb 17 – 20

Norman Hardie Winemakers Dinner Saturday February 25

 

 

 

 

Sunday Entertainment on the Ice

                      

Sunrise on Rice Lake – colourful and dramatic.  Guests at Sunday Brunch were entertained by the kiteboarders on the ice.  The conditions were ideal for a preview of what we could expect next weekend.  Come on out and try flying a kite yourself or settle into a window seat at Sunday Brunch and catch the action from indoors.

 

 

 

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