Noorduyn Norseman

Flight Journal, Dec 2000 by Oltersdorf, Jim

First flight

Perry says, "It's huge, but surprising gentle for a big plane. It makes an expert out of anyone for water landings and has lots of horsepower. My first flight was pretty intense even though I didn't fly it but just rode in the right seat.

"It was not a difficult transition at all. In many ways it is a lot easier than a Cessna 185," he states. "It holds trim very well, and it goes where you point it; it's very predictable. By comparison, there are some situations with the high-lift wing de Havilland Beavers and Otters that, if you don't have the flaps in and make a steep turn, a stall/spin accident is possible. This plane doesn't surprise you like that. The big surprise is how fast it is on floats. At a light weight, rotation speed is 50 to 60mph; at a heavy weight, 60 to 70mph. It takes only 18 seconds to get the Norseman up on step. It will do what a Beaver will do and more."

Employee Jim Hitchcock, a high-time pilot of many aircraft with 31 years of Alaskan bush-flying experience, says about the Norseman, "I had a lot of de Havilland Beaver experience, and after a short time, I was able to fly the Norseman just fine. It is an honest plane. It has no odd quirks and kind of takes a bit of physical effort to fly it. By the same token, you can set the flaps and different speeds and not be overcome by the plane."

The Alaskan-Canadian bush country is a place where the term "anachronism" is seldom used because there simply aren't any in that arena. The demands of the environment are such that the worth of a flying machine is judged by how well it does its job. Its age doesn't matter. Using those standards, the Noorduyn Norseman can only be judged to be a long-term success, and it will continue to work as long as there is work to be done.

Jim Ottersdorf is known for his photographic work in ornithology, mammals and high-risk geographical areas. He also works for some of the largest companies in the U.S., creating on-location product photography in the wilds of the Yukon and Alaska. He is currently on assignment in Alaska, photographing Alaskan bush pilots and specialized aircraft. He is an active pilot.