how'd you like to be painting this?!

Hey gang,

Sorry it’s been a while – I’ve been busy chasing geese!

Anyway, we’re well into spring here on the lake, and we’re ramping up for a great season.  What’s really exciting, though, is we have a ringside seat for one of the biggest parties in Seattle this year: the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair!  That’s when they built the Seattle Center, and its crown jewel, the Space Needle.  And I can see it right from our dock!!

Known as the Century 21 Exposition, the Seattle World’s Fair introduced the world to the Pacific Northwest in a big way, putting Seattle “on the map” as it were.  It featured a glimpse into the future (mid-20th-century style, that is), and even gave inspiration to a movie starring Elvis!!  “It Happened At the World’s Fair“  (they shoulda had Elvis star as a seaplane pilot, though)  Wow!

The 50th birthday celebration is ramping up now, and the first touch is painting the Space Needle a retro golden color. Here I am checking it out from our dock:

The fun’s going to go on throughout the spring and summer, so why not take a flight with us?  You can get the best pictures in the world of a world’s fair celebration!

Cheers,

Toby James

Hey, you geese! Get outta here!

Hey, everybody,

Happy Spring!  (or Happy Autumn, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, like my friend Merisha   We’ve got cherry trees blooming, daffodils popping up everywhere, and it’s almost time for the famous Skagit Valley tulips to be in full flower!  (they look even cooler from the air… or so I’ve been told!)

Another sign of spring:  my arch-nemeses, the Canada geese, are back!  There is a pair in particular who are trying to nest on our dock.  Just like last year, and the year before that, and so forth. I think it’s the same pair, anyway. (but what do I know?  I’m not a bird dog!)

So, I keep trying to gently (?) remind them that they should nest elsewhere, but they don’t listen!  The picture above shows me trying to be persuasive… without a lot of luck, I might add.

It’s life as usual, therefore, here at Seattle Seaplanes.  Why don’t you come fly with us to celebrate spring?

Cheers,

Toby James

The "girls" helping move the new engine out to the airplane

Hey, gang,

It’s been a busy few weeks here at Seattle Seaplanes.  We’ve got a project going on right now which is all the more exciting because it’s outside and over water.  AND, it’s being crewed by nearly all females!  And my dad, of course.

What am I talking about?  Well, those of you who know anything about airplanes know that those planes have to be inspected & maintained on a rigorous schedule.  (if you really want to read about it, you can do so here.) And, that at a certain point, crucial parts have to be replaced altogether, even if the previous part is working just fine. It’s the reason why airplanes are so safe for travel, and why a seemingly “old” airplane can go on forever!

My dad loves his planes.  No, let me say that this way:  he LOVES his planes. And he takes care of them that way – better than just the regulations call for.

So, it’s time to replace the engine in our trusty old Cessna 172, N5721T (or “Two-One Tango”)  And my dad Jim has his trusty crew of mechanics-in-training to help him with the work.  They just happen to all be female.   Jennie, Heather, and Christine are helping with the work.

Those of you who know something about planes can also imagine that this kind of work usually gets done in a nice, heated hangar with a concrete floor, and a radio playing. Well, when you have an airplane on straight floats, that’s kinda hard to do. My dad knows what he’s doing, though, so he can do this work outside over the lake without any problems. Who needs a hangar?!

His faithful gang of workers soldier on through the cold and wet, and absolutely love the experience.  (me, I like staying inside next to the heater!)

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures to show what we’re up to.  Check our Facebook page to see more!

Checking out the new engine

Cheers,

Toby James

We started off the week with great news: my pal Erik passed his ASES add-on rating checkride! Erik is a flight instructor at a flight school on Harvey Field in Snohomish, Wa.  I’m really pleased he decided to come have the fun of the water, too.

Valentine’s Day may be over for this year, but you can still surprise your sweetie, or anybody special, with a Seattle scenic flight. Don’t you think that sounds like fun?!

When you fly with your sweetie, everything looks like a big ol' heart from the air!

 

Won't you be mine?

Here’s Daniel, our newest private pilot!

Do you like my snow hat?

Click here to see a beautiful shot of people having fun at Lake Union. Photo courtesy of Wonderlane, Flickr Creative Commons

Hey, everybody,

You might have heard that it snowed in Seattle recently. Well, yeah, it did. A lot.  And when it snows in Seattle, things shut down.  Not just schools, but whole businesses.  Everybody battens down the hatches, and then grabs the gear for playing in the snow!  It’s a time for most people to turn into kids again.  Sledding down the (many) hills, cross-country skiing through the neighborhood, snowmen everywhere…. and hot cocoa afterwards!

I confess, my “brother” and I spent most of the time inside the house during this recent storm. I’m all for having a great time in the snow, but he prefers to be inside where it’s warm and dry.

Here’s my “dad” on our dock

Tobes, where's my snow hat?!

We’re flying now, though, and ready to take you where you want to go!

Meanwhile, if you think we’re snow wimps here in Seattle, I invite you to read this. Says it better than I could!

Cheers,

Toby James

Kareen, the Cleanin' Machine!

Hey, everybody,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had good holidays.  I know I did!  Among other things, I got a stylin’ new collar – I’ll show you a picture in a minute.  Meanwhile, I have to tell you about my friend Kareen, because she did something really good for us recently.  She got into our little rowboat and rowed around our docks, picking up stuff that shouldn’t be there, and just generally tidying up the place.  Thanks, Kareen!  (You can thank her yourself if you drop by on Sundays.  Which would be a great time to take a flight…. hint, hint!)

Meanwhile, I’m keeping cozy inside by the heater.  See my new collar?

Keeping warm inside

Stop by to see us!

Cheers,

Toby James

From all of us here at Seattle Seaplanes, we wish you a Merry Christmas……

Is it time to light the candles?

Happy Hanukah….

The newest certified Airframe mechanic!

I’m just so proud of our staff – they keep doing incredible things!  Our Jennie is now an FAA-certified Airframe mechanic!