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An idea of traveling to Whitecourt was enticing to me ever since I got a message from Magnat, a navigator, one of the Mil-26 helicopter crews, who advised they were going to stay there for the next couple of weeks waiting for some new contacts with mining or oil companies.

I made a call, and guys, who grew already a bit bored in waiting for the next job, seemed to find the idea attractive to them as well, and in a wink of the eye everybody’s just got eager to do it.

Besides, we’ve got a nice chance to give a test run to our ‘Oddya’, a Honda Oddisey van we bought recently.

But it wasn’t until well after noon (on the April 14) though, when we’d finally set off.

Oddya’s navigation computer was given a task to calculate the route to the Green Gables Inn, Whitecourt, Alberta, the place where the Mil’s crew now stays. At this time we just obediently followed the route and complied with all instructions that ‘a Lady’ (with no given name yet), - an ‘announcer on the Oddya’s behalf’ - was giving to us at the due points of turns and highway changes.

After not too exciting 5-hour drive, a couple of short breaks included, we reached the ‘Snowmobile Capital of Alberta‘.

Apparently, them, folks in Whitecourt haven’t caught up with a new opportunities open now for advertising the place as a ‘Mil-26 capital of the North America’. Or, at least, ‘of Canada’.

We found the crewmen exactly where they supposed to be. After the warm greetings and some small talk we immediately proceeded to the aerodrome in the crew van to see the giant machine. We didn’t want to waist the time as at this period of the year it would be only another couple of hours available for us before it gets dark. We were longing for a chance to make a ‘coupla shots’.

 

Anyway, after 5-min drive from the hotel to the aerodrome we reached ‘the object’.

Oh, yeah, it was big, - big enough to be seen instantly on the tarmac of the Whitecourt (CYZU) airport:)

The sponsor company, Airborne Energy Solutions, alloted a dedicated concrete parking lot for the Mil.

 

Here’s a small three-view drawing and a few numbers giving you an idea of the helicopter’s dimensions:

Main rotor diameter: 32 m (105′)
Length with a main rotor spinning: 40.03м (133′)
Height: 8.15 m (27′)

Once we got off the van, I made a quick walk around and made a few shots of the helicopter’s exterior, staying mostly on the port side, for there still was enough light from the lowering sun to play with a camera.

First, ‘I looked into her eyes’..

Well, generally speaking, both sides, - port and starboard, - should be symmetrical…

 

 

 

But observing the rear of the helicopter I instantly noticed a very distinct assymmetry of the vertical fin’s airfoil.

You can see it also on this drawing showing the view of the empenage from the beneath..

And of course, - the door, it must be on the PORT SIDE! (To those who don’t know which side of the aircraft or the sea ship is PORT - check it out here).

It’s funny, but a reference to this ’seagoing’ stuff doesn’t sound irrelevant at all when you are looking around the PORT side of the helicopter,

- check it out, this area by the entry door - doesn’t it look like a board of the ‘Freedom of Seas’?! :))

To enter the helicopter there’s a door, and there are steps on the back of this door so, as a matter of fact, the door serves as the airstairs.

While stepping up on the airstairs to enter the craft I had a quick glace at the main gear weels that apparently were in a good shape, looked as brand new.

I think, however, the mood of operation they chiefly utilize on this helicopter doesn’t cause the tires to wear off too fast. I’ll ask guys, if this is true.

Oh, here we are!

The inside of this ‘cavern’ certainly feels spacious. At least it has enough room to easily ’swallow’ the amount of cargo worth of 44.000 lbs.

And there was so much required, necessary, indispensable, just useful, or handy stuff hanging on the walls!

(The flight deck area was explored in excruciating details too! - To be continued..))