VANCOUVERâAfter a fatal plane collision in Alaska where at least four people including one Canadian died, experts say flying float planes in remote areas poses unique challenges for pilots.Two sightseeing airplanes collided in mid-air Monday afternoon in Ketchikan, a popular tourist destination in Alaska. Ketchikan is located on the southern tip of Alaska about about 200 kilometres northwest of Prince Rupert, B.C.One of the planes, a single-engine de Havilland Otter DHC-3 operated by Taquan Air, was carrying 10 passengers and a pilot back from Misty Fjords National Monument when it crashed. The other plane was a de Havilland Beaver DHC-2, operated by Mountain Air, carrying four passengers and a pilot.All were passengers on a side trip off the Royal Princess cruise ship that left Vancouver on May 11 and is scheduled to dock in Anchorage on May 18. Arnold Parnaud, who teaches pilot training courses at the Canadian Aviation College located in the Vancouver area, says both the Otter and Beaver plane models are âsolidâ and extremely common in the industry.Read more: Rescue workers sift through âa lot of wreckageâ at scene of deadly float plane crash in AlaskaIt is not yet clear what caused Mondayâs accident in Alaska, but Parnaud, who has had his pilotâs licence for a decade, said flying float planes in rural areas poses significant challenges.Conditions on the water can change without warning and they are not regulated in the same way as runways â there could be birds, floating logs or waves at any moment, he said. âYou are at the mercy of nature,â he said. âFlying floats is its own niche. Itâs unique.âIn addition, pilots in more remote areas like Alaska must rely on other pilots to report their position and intended flight path over the radio. Unlike at major airports, there is no air traffic control to co-ordinate take off and landing times. âA lot of awareness really relies on pil ...
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