Pilot Dale Buchan doesn't like a lot of fanfare, but as a veteran aviator with more than 43,000 flying hours, which is unheard of nowadays, deserved to have one last splash.
Last month, after 45 years of flying with Pacific Coastal Airlines, Buchan took flight one last time, from Powell River Airport to Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Before take-off, fire trucks were on site for a ceremonial spray-over of the plane, which has been a long-standing tradition in the aviation world.
Buchan survived multiple engine failures and lightning strikes over the years as a float plane and commercial airline pilot, but he said that’s just part of the job.
“I've had five engine failures, got hit by lightning five times; that's just part of the beast,” said Buchan. "In 1973, I started flying [float planes] in northern Ontario, delivering supplies to remote villages, and I flew the Hudson Bay coast and the Arctic for five years."
Buchan said that kind of flying is tough for any pilot, seasoned or novice, because of the weather conditions and remoteness of the communities. Every landing is different, Buchan emphasized, so the mind has to be alert and constantly figuring things out.
"I came out here in 79," said Buchan. "I didn't want to do another winter there, and so I came here."
A friend who was flying in the qathet region at the time convinced Buchan to come out west.
“It was different; I wasn't used to how close the communities are,” said Buchan. “I was used to flying, two, three hours, but out here everywhere seemed close.”
Buchan started flying out of Powell Lake with the company Powell Air.
“We did [fly into] all the logging camps,” said Buchan. “It was a different kind of flying.”
He said they flew both float planes (from Powell Lake) and twin engine planes out of the airport.
“It was fun flying the [west] coast; we would go right up as far as [Prince] Rupert, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.”
Buchan said with the kind of training and licence he has, he can fly anything with wings on it.
“Float planes are a little different, they're challenging because no two landings are the same,” said Buchan. You have to land in all kinds of conditions; it’s not like landing on a runway.”
Buchan said he will miss all the people he’s met over the years and the camaraderie of his colleagues.
“There's so many people who have gone through over the years,” said Buchan. “You're looking at least 500 people that have come and gone.”
Buchan said many folks do shorter stints in smaller places but eventually move to the big leagues, like Air Canada, which he said he’s had no interest in.
“I’ve logged about 43,600 [hours] and change,” said Buchan. “We don't fly as many hours now as we used to.”
Buchan said he would fly between 150 and 200 hours a month but now most only fly 80 hours due to safety regulations.
“I think there's only two, maybe three of us in Canada with as much time [flying] as I have,” said Buchan. “I'm probably one of the highest time pilots in North America.”
Buchan said he will spend more time hiking in the qathet region and travelling. Although some people call the northern Sunshine Coast isolated, Buchan has never felt that way.
“When you can fly you never feel isolated,” said Buchan. “I’m keeping busy, but the only thing is, you miss the people.”
Buchan described the culture of a pilot and the aviation world, as a small world.
“I run into people now who I haven't seen in 15 or 20 years,” said Buchan. “I was in Toronto last week and ran into a guy I used to fly with out here, so we had a little chit-chat; it's a small world.”
As for things Buchan has seen in the skies over the years, such as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP), he said he has seen some very strange things, but nothing he would call a UAP.
In an email to the Peak, Pacific Coastal chief pilot Blaine Brown commented on Buchan’s retirement.
“He taught a lot of people how to navigate some very tough places and I’m just fortunate to have gotten to work with him over the past eight years,” stated Brown. “I wanted him to write a book, as I know I would buy it, as would many, many others.”
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
