Another "ace' Retires

[cap]

To those that don't know, I've been told by Sandy MacDonald that he has "hung up his guns" and called it a day. He intends to fly no more...period. He said 70 is a nice round figure and that's enough. Anyone looking for him or wanting to contact him will have to wait until sometime in April. He's taking a long vacation until then away from the stupid Canadian weather. He's still healthy by the way, so he'll be around for a long while yet I suspect.

 

I told him to leave that experience and knowledge behind for the rest of us when he goes out the door.

[Phil Croucher]

Good ol' Sandy - well, at least he's still with us!

 

Phil

[Skidz]

Maybe he'll pop around here every once in awhile and let us "soak up" some of that wisdom of his...

[MINI]

Is this the same sandy mcdonald that would have worked at TQH in 75/76.**** of a nice guy.Wish I had the time to sit and talk with him.We had a **** of a good time in Jimmys Lagoon if its the same guy.Would love to tell you guys and girls some of the stories,but I think the James Bay police are still looking for us!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cheers Mini..

Hey CAP...Hows it going eh..............

[cap]

MINI ---- "It's" going slow and very cold. This is partially the fault of Gold Member because he keeps sending me "crap" weather.....and I'm going to get him for that too...just wait.

 

There are a whole bunch of Sandy MacDonalds unfortunately and some of them are female. The Sandy I refer to was Associated Helicopters for years and then became an "asset" of a large, plump, western hummingbird. I was in James Bay in those days and I don't remember Sandy anywhere in the area and definitely not at TQH. I'll have to remember to ask him if the hummingbird leased him out for a stint up there. He's running around the Far East and Aussieland for some months and said he'd give me a shout when he got back.

 

Skidz -----Sandy would only "loiter" here if someone provided some "nectar of the Gods" and POLITE conversation. His perspective on some technical subjects here would be both enlightening and undoubtedly very humourous.

[GoldMember]

cap,

 

It's always nice to hear about an old vet retiring and enjoying life afterwards, gives us pups some hope. You may get a chance to get back at me in person as I might be in your fair city in early May, I'll let ya know when I know. As for crap weather, I took off from YZY yesterday at 10 am and it was +4 and flyable, got to the Peace Arm and dropped down from 4500 to about 3000 to get under a thin layer of cloud and the temp dropped to -25! Heck of an inversion. I came in to land on a beach at one of the work sites and at zero groundspeed I had 50 MPH indicated, needless to say we found a sheltered bay to set down in. Maybe you got back at me already.

[skullcap]

Sandy Mcdonald or Sandy Donaldson? The latter worked at Associated and last heard was at Remote, not sure if am sucking sloughwater or just got my names mixed up?

 

sc

[cap]

Skullcap------No ******, you aren't screwed up......I am and embarrassed at the same time. Got 'my mix all talked up' there. I also got an old F/W bud that I was talking to in the same age bracket and he's retiring too...... and that's why the 'brain cramp'. Take a bow...you got me. Easily done these days.

 

All correct on the rest, but Sandy has now rolled life back to "idle", so Remote is history.

 

 

Gold Member ---- know that area like the palm of my hand. It has it's own weather system and PIREPS are the only thing you can trust there or just "wing-it". It can get ugly too around the corner at down towards the dam. There's a "venturi-effect" that kust makes the winds howl down through there and staying out in the middle over the water (ice) is the only smooth place to be. Otherwise, if your in a Light, you just back off on the Q and look out for "torque-spikes"....cause they are waiting for you on a windy day. I'll PM you a phone number if it looks like you are coming this way.........AND leave your F'in, rotten wx behind when you come. Don't bring YVR's wx either ******. First you send me crap wx and then TQN gets a crack at me.....quit already you two. :angry:

[skullcap]

Hey CAP, no worries; appreciate the update. Sandy is a very nice man and have alot of repect for him. Glad to see he's retiring and hopefully on a good note.

 

take care

sc

[cap]

Skullcap -----I know too many MacDonald's and Donaldson's and they are all in the same age bracket as Sandy and me.....and they are all in aviation. Gotta find more Ukrainian-Canadians that fly and weaken the collection of bloody Scotsmen.

 

He's doing just fine and although he's had to have a few "minor repairs" the body is still "truckin' " just fine. He lost his buddy, Doug McArthur, recently to a heart attack and I think it might have been a "wake-up call" for Sandy to do some travelling and enjoy himself a bunch more....and he's sure as **** earned it.