A very old airplane story that is contrasted by yesterday's amazing airplane story

[Stinky The Clown]

This happened in June of 1972. I was in Christiansted, St. Croix, down at the waterfront, where the Grumman Gooses (Geese?) then flown by Antilles Air Boats disembarked passengers. Right next to the ramp (not unlike this)



was a sidewalk bar (not unlike this)



We sat at the bar to await the arrival of this curious mode of transport serving the US Virgin Islands (except St. Johns). Soon enough the plane was seen circling the harbor, decreasing altitude, touching the water and sending up the iconic rooster tail. Soon enough it approached the ramp.



As it got close to the ramp and the wheels contacted it, the plane reared up out of the water and onto the land.

Right in front of the bar. The starboard prop was whirring but now winding down, the port prop still.

The cabin door opened.

Out hopped the pilot, a grizzled blond/gray haired man of indeterminate age with wrinkled skin. His white airline captain shirt was rolled up to his meager biceps. Before the starboard prop had fully stopped, he leapt toward the bar where we sat. On the bar were two shots, the placement of which, we had not noticed.

He knocked them both back in very short order.

Back to the plane, he placed a small wooden step platform and assisted his passengers as they deplaned.

Within a month or so of this, there were racial riots in Fredericksted and a supposedly racially motivated murder of a tourist in Christiansted. Tourism fell off to near zero.

I suppose our erstwhile pilot retired soon after that.

I also know I would never fly on Antilles Airboats.

Their safety record was never a paragon of confidence inspiration. Herewith, from a site that tracks the careers of individual aircraft, the record of Antilles' Goose fleet:

1053 - N328
1061 - N48550
1141 - N702A
1149 - N28369
1150 - N5548A Crashed St Thomas, USVI May 19, 1966 - Non-Fatal
1152 - N8777A Crashed St. Thomas, USVI.April 5, 1978
1161 - N95467 Crashed Christiansted, USVI August 27, 1965 - Non-Fatal
Crashed Christiansted USVI, December 5, 1967 - Non-Fatal
Crashed ? USVI, June 7, 1978 - Incident
1162 - N5521A
1165 - N74588
1172 - N74676
1187 - N8229
1191 - N323
B-19 - N40R
B-29 - N3283
B-46 - N1048V
B-53 - N3284
B-60 - N4762C
B-63 - N79901 Crashed Roadtown, USVI. September 2, 1978 Incident
B-88 - N79914
B-111 - N7777 Crashed September 2, 1978, Killed owner Capt. Charles Blair and 3 others.
B-131 - N4772C Crashed and sunk off St. Croix February 21, 1976

http://www.geocities.com/alaskangoose/AntillesFleet.html

For some reason, I am always put in mind of 1930s flier, Smilin' Jack when I tell this story.

[islandmkl]

1. i have been drinking beer at Stixx from 4:30 p.m. AST until approximately 8:00 p.m....

this very afternoon/evening...at least Stixx is still going strong...and Cape Air and Seaborne both land planes out front...but not right up on the boardwalk, anymore...there is enough local action already to not need that excitement...

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Is AAB even still in business?

[islandmkl]

3. not with that name...however, i think there is so connection somewhere down here...

either with the owner of one of the 'airlines' or something similar...it's funny, i just read something in the Avis sometime in the last week that referred to someone and Antilles...i'll have to scrounge around and see if i find the mention...