Text 15001, 54 rader
Skriven 2011-08-28 20:53:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: A touching memorial
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Last week a First Air 737 crashed in heavy fog as it approached the
runway way up north in Resolute. It was a "combi" jet, mainly
freight but with four rows of seats at the back. There were 15
people on board, 4 crew and 11 passengers. 3 of the passengers
sitting at the rear survived, with 8 passengers and all the crew
killed. That was the second largest air disaster we have ever had
here in the NWT and the largest since I moved north.

I attended a memorial service for the flight crew as I knew them
all. Two lived here and the other two had lived here earlier in
their careers. The service was remarkable for a few reasons...

It was put together quickly while the company's employees were still
in shock but carried out very professionally and smoothly. It was
held at the airport's largest hanger. The turnout was amazing: I
counted the chairs quickly and they were rows of 36 seats, going 48
deep and yet there were at least 200 more people standing at the
rear of the hanger.

From time to time throughout the service we could hear planes taking
off and landing, a bitter sweet reminder that life goes on and that
true professionals do their duty when it has to be done regardless of
how they are feeling.
                         
At the end of the service the hanger doors were opened up so we
could see the airfield. These doors are massive: 32 feet high and
the whole row of them are 150 feet wide (they roll in tracks to one
corner of the building). When the doors opened the sky was dramatic:
a stunning mixture of dramatic black and white clouds. And just as
the door opened, the clouds parted so that the setting sun shone,
it's rays streaming right into the building.

We went out to watch a fly by. The first plane was an ancient DC-3,
piloted by Joe McBryan of Buffalo Airways (Buffalo Joe). He had
purchased that plane from Bradley air, which was First Air's
predecessor company and the husband of one of the deceased flight
attendants, a pilot, had trained on that same plane early in his
career. Joe was followed by one plane each from all of the regional
and local airlines and charter companies. They were all prop planes
flying as slowly as they could, just above stall speed. At the end
the planes were followed by three helicopters, one from each company
here. Then when the ceremony was over, unexpectedly, a Canadian
North 737 leaving for Edmonton, pulled a very hard, tight turn right
after takeoff (I wonder what the passengers thought) and passed
over us, tipped his wings, then turned again to resume his flight
southward. Very moving.

Jim



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