1957 Catalina Airlines Grumman Goose ~ Long Beach to Avalon Flight
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
- Great footage (in the cabin and out) featuring a Grumman G-21A (from Long Beach to Catalina Island) taxiing on land, taking off, flying over the Pacific coast and ultimately making a water landing in Avalon after some great aerial shots of Catalina from above (including the famous art deco casino) and deplaning at the dock. Also has brilliant footage of aircraft movements at the seaplane base with arrivals and departures. Some great footage of Avalon and the harbor. Aircraft registration N322 shows the aircraft was historically registered with Catalina and Golden West Airlines. It was eventually sold and according to records it “developed a plugged fuel tank vent in flight causing fuel starvation. The aircraft crashed in a field and nosed over in Big Spring, Texas July 6, 1987” (where it was eventually registered) - though the aircraft has not been registered since the incident.
I flew Catalina Airlines back in 1976. We took off from Long Beach Airport and landed in Avalon Bay and taxied up to a seaplane ramp. Flew back a couple of days later. It was a real thrill. Chalk it up to "Things That Aren't Here Anymore."
As a ten year old I got to sit in the co-pilots seat as we flew out of Avalon. It was a pretty choppy afternoon and I remember the take off distinctly, the take off run was very long and the pilot had the wheel practically pulled into his ample belly as he was desperately trying to break the water tension so we could get airborne before we hit the rocks along the highway. We finally got out of there and headed to the base of operations just under the Vincent Thomas Bridge. My dad and I flew over to Avalon many times and we even flew on the the old four engined Catalina Airlines Sikorsky VS-44 flying boat, the only survivor of three ever built, and the last of the long range clipper types. Even at a young age I could appreciate what it must have been like to fly to Hawaii or some other foreign destination. The interior and seats were luxurious and the big windows gave me a great view off the port side. Thanks for posting this video, it brought back some very pleasant memories.
Thanks for sharing!
I flew to Catalina on N322 back in 1978! What an exciting thing for an 8 year old boy. It crashed in 1986 and has been sitting in a yard in Big Spring Texas ever since.
Wow, look how beautiful the SS Catalina looks.
My gosh! What amazing footage. Was waiting and searching for something like this for years.
Now in my early sixties I recall flying to and from the island 2-3 times a year for vacation with my mom and dad. I used to sit in the cockpit with the pilot. That was always the highlight of my trip. Miss these wonderful days. Thank you, thank you for posting this awesome footage.
Wow, I myself used to sit up in the cockpit with the pilot as a young boy. I grew up in Redondo, and my parents were friends with a pilot, so we generally flew to Catalina with him at the controls. You and I had a very rare and lucky experience in life.
Flew these to Avalon in the '50s!
Thank you...it is hard to put into words how super the memories are!
Took off from Catalina Harbor with my Dad when I was 11 years old !! The pilot let me take controls I got to sit in the co-pilots seat.. ! He let me take the helm for a bit . I will never forget
How lucky we were as children to experience sitting in the co-pilot seat. My first experience was as an eight-year-old in 1971 on a trip to the island, as my parents were friends with one of the pilots.
Nice film. I used to ride these planes from San Pedro back in the 70s
Exactly as I remember my first flight in 1960. Bravo.
Love these pictures. Brings back such good memories!
Did it leave from Daugherty Field?
Years ago...I took one of these planes from Long Beach Airport to Catalina...then back home to San Pedro.....what a rush!
Dick Probert and his guys were the best! Served the island well. . . .
wow i can see where my house would be, its just so different
that had to be a pretty good gig piloting the seaplanes
That's for sure.... !
Another kid who got to sit in the co-pilot's for the flight on the Goose to Avalon. The pilot let me put the wheels up. Besides the Great White Steamer and the Goose you could also fly to the Airport in the Sky on Catalina I don't remember the fare differences.