Alberta's Aviation Heritage

Harold remembers a pilot named Joe Coombs (not sure on the spelling), who flew a Canso flying boat for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Now, the Norseman was nimble enough to land on the river at Cambridge Bay, but the Cansos were considered to be too large and awkward to land on the river, so they had to attempt much riskier landings in the bay itself and then float to the mouth of the river. Joe Coombs was the only pilot who would regularly land his Canso on the river, not the bay.



	Joe Coombs and Canso River Landings Harold remembers a pilot named Joe Coombs (not sure on the spelling), who flew a Canso flying boat for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Now, the Norseman was nimble enough to land on the river at Cambridge Bay, but the Cansos were considered to be too large and awkward to land on the river, so they had to attempt much riskier landings in the bay itself and then float to the mouth of the river. Joe Coombs was the only pilot who would regularly land his Canso on the river, not the bay.