Seaplane Airline
(continued)  Knowing that my own home office view of our lake in Connecticut can be a pleasant distraction, I asked if Gregg had the same experience. He agreed. But with a smile and a glance at one of the docked airplanes, he added that on some occasions the view was not necessarily positive.
If the dictionary contained the phrase "low key," Gregg's picture would be an insert. After inquiring about a photo on his desk taken of the members of the African Children's choir, and discovering his involvement with the charitable Restore International organization in Uganda, I had no doubts as to Gregg's unassuming character. A few days later, upon introducing my wife to Gregg as the man who ran the show, I was corrected. With an earnest expression and a grin, he waved his arm around the operations area, explaining that it was his employees that ran the business.
Our mellow discussion began with a brief history of Kenmore Air, named for the town that borders the north end of Lake Washington. Gregg's father, Bob Munro, began as a mechanic for Pan Am. He and another Pan Am mechanic, along with a pilot friend, had grand visions for a seaplane airline. In addition to the seaplane operation, a resort hotel was part of the plan. The hotel never materialized and for various circumstances, the partnerships dissolved. Bob remained the sole proprietor.
Gregg and his sister literally grew up around seaplanes. They had no choice. Their home, as it still remains today, is situated only yards from the water and the Kenmore Air base.
In 1947 Kenmore Air was primarily a flight training and maintenance facility for seaplanes. The company began operations with one 36 hp Aeronca K. One year later, charter flights were added to the operation with Republic Seabees flying the bulk of the trips. Soon, Kenmore became involved in de Havilland Beaver floatplane modifications. As many folks are aware, Kenmore is still considered the authority in this area. The company is a household word in many things seaplane. As a matter of fact, Kenmore purchased Edo Floats as a hedge on that portion of the seaplane market, quality control for their airplanes, and just to keep a great product alive. The floats are now manufactured in China, a reflection on globalization for even small companies.
During the peak time periods of veterans taking advantage of the GI Bill, Kenmore was a major seaplane training facility. At one time, five 172s were part of the instructional fleet. Rental airplanes were also available until the damage history outweighed the revenue and liability.
In 1980, the company added single-engine de Havilland Otters to its fleet. Kenmore presently operates (6) turbine-powered Otters, (2) turbine-powered Beavers, (9) radial-engine Beavers, (2) Cessna 180s, (1) Caravan capable of operating with both floats and wheels, and (2) Super Cubs for flight training.
And of course, Kenmore Air has flown its share of celebrities, past through the present. Most notable, Harrison Ford selected Kenmore for both flight training and the resurrection of a Beaver he had purchased. The Beaver was barely recognizable as an airplane when the actor acquired it.
In addition to numerous locations in the Seattle area that include the San Juan Islands, the company flies to 32 locations in British Columbia. Many destinations are scheduled stops during the peak summer season. Charters are also part of the flying. Not only do charters include people, but supplies also. Boaters are sometimes mechanically stranded in inaccessible areas. A seaplane is the quickest mode to transport both mechanics and parts.
The airline is a FAR Part 135 carrier. Because of the fickle weather in the region, Kenmore is given a waiver in their VFR Ops Specs. The airline is approved to operate in the Seattle area with a ceiling as low as 200 feet and a visibility of three miles. Considering the variable nature of the terrain, those minimums pose a challenging workload for a single pilot. Each pilot relies upon their experience to dictate the go or no-go decision.
Gregg encourages pilots to consider their own personal comfort level. He would rather a newer pilot not complete a mission even if their veteran counterparts are still flying. No questions asked.
What are the backgrounds of Kenmore's pilots? Very colorful. On my first evening, over a pitcher of beer and a pizza delivered to the local watering hole, I had the opportunity to uncover some backgrounds. Although the watering hole was rather "well seasoned," it provided a great vantage point of Lake Washington and Kenmore Air's docks. In between landing critiques of returning airplanes, I conducted some informal interviews.
Many pilots, like Jamie, started from the flight instruction ranks. (Jamie actually began as a line boy at the age of 16.) A Blue Angel pilot and a space shuttle pilot have been on the seniority list. A handful of airline pilots that take a leave of absence are currently flying during the summer months.
Marty, a late 50-ish floatplane veteran of Alaska bush flying, had been a practicing attorney in his former life. He was proud to admit that much of his off-season was spent on the golf course. Thirty-four-year-old Chris had also been an attorney. Judging by the chiding around the table, Chris hadn't quite decided what he wanted to be when he grew up. Stu, a perpetual smile on his face and a black beret on his head cocked just so, had fallen in love with floatplane flying while in Alaska. He had been a computer cartographer for the state of Washington. During the off-season Stu consults for a private company in the map business.
Interestingly enough, the pilots at eligible airline-hiring ages had limited career aspirations in my profession. Even Jamie was not overly eager to begin the application process. The realism of his father's career and the current state of the industry had permeated his thought process. Erin, the 27-year-old flight instructor from Park City, Utah, that gave me my seaplane recommendation ride, was considering a future in air-ambulance flying. Her boyfriend, Sean, was an RJ copilot for Skywest. He seemed undecided as to his eventual career path. Twenty-two-year-old Tony, his occasional somber expression a contrast to his actual demeanor, was almost adamant about not considering an airline career.
Discuss this article in our forums
| 
Copyright @ 2009 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
