WONZ 218 – Lucy Newell – Canadian Bush Flying

Guest: Lucy Newell

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 18th of February 2020

Released: 29th of March 2020

Duration:  51 minutes 44 seconds

In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Lucy Newell, a young Kiwi commercial pilot who is currently bush flying in Ontario, Canada. She is piloting Cessna Caravans off gravel strips and floatplane DHC-2 Beavers off lakes.

Lucy began flying seven years ago and on gaining her commercial licence in Christchurch, she became an instructor at Wanaka for several years. There she loved the mountain flying and the challenging winds. She also was introduced to flying vintage aeroplanes there and she regularly flies Tiger Moths when the opportunity arises.

In 2019 Lucy began working as a commercial pilot in Canada for Wilderness North Air, which has broadened her experiences as a commercial pilot with lot of interesting flying and adventures.

Lucy is a member of the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand and also a volunteer with The Vintage Aviator Collection.

Sadly since this episode was recorded last month, the Corona Virus crisis meant that Lucy will not get back to New Zealand in April, and the Wanaka airshow she planned to fly in has been cancelled. Lucy is still in Canada and continuing to fly the Caravan at the time this episode is released, and still plans to return to flying the floatplane Beaver in May 2020.

Quick Links:

•   Wilderness North

Above: Lucy Newell next to the beloved DHC-2 Beaver that she flies in the Canadian summer. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Above: An example of the cargo being loaded into the Beaver by Lucy on one of the wilderness cabin trips. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Above: The Beaver with a kayak roped to the float struts. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Above: Beavers at the dock. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Above: One of the fishing cabins in the wilderness. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Above: The Cessna Caravan that Lucy is flying though the winter. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Above: The Caravan. (Photo Lucy Newell)

Below: The DHC-3 Otter, a turbine engined version, which also flies with the company. Lucy hopes to gain a rating on it soon. (All photos Lucy Newell)

Lastly, the wonders of Ontario, Canada. Sunset on the lakeside. (Photo Lucy Newell)

NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

3 comments to WONZ 218 – Lucy Newell – Canadian Bush Flying

  • Elizabeth McLoughlin

    Hi..interesting stuff, especially inspiring to youth. However, I can’t figure out where the share button is! Thanks

  • ZANIN Gerard

    It is a pleasure to meet you via the Internet.
    I remember the flights we did together in New Zealand (Mount Cook, Milford, Te Ana, etc.) in 2018. Many thanks again for these fantastic flights.
    I see you are in Canada. There too, I made several flights as well as in Alaska near Mount McKinley. Where are you in Canada, because it is a very big country and I have crossed all of Canada from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast and from south to north from the US border to the far north and Hudson Bay . Canada and New Zealand are my favorite countries and the Beaver, a superb plane.
    Friendships
    Gérard (a French pilot)

  • […] 2018 – featuring Bevan Dewes• WONZ 200 – 200th WONZ Show – featuring Bevan Dewes• WONZ 218 – Lucy Newell – Canadian Bush Flying featuring Lucy Newell• WONZ 250 – 10th Anniversary Special – featuring Bevan Dewes• […]

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