Bob Bates and Barry “Baz” Payne are taking the trip to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first flight around the world. The two departed in a single-engine monoplane from Papua New Guinea on June 1. So far, their excursion has taken them through Japan, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, a handful of islands in the North Atlantic and into Canada. They took off from Happy Valley-Goose Bay in central Labrador on the morning of Aug. 30 and landed at the Muskoka Airport midafternoon.

“The flight to Muskoka was one of the best flights that we have [had] so far,” they said on their blog. “There were no clouds and it was a very smooth flight. It was 900 miles to the south west of Goose Bay and we arrived on schedule at 2:15 p.m.” 

The Muskoka landing was orchestrated with Bruce Hodge, a local cottage owner and a longtime friend of Bates. Hodge founded a Toronto-based travel company called Goway Travel and works with Bates to offer tours in Papua New Guinea.

After doing some interviews with local media, the pilots went with Hodge and his wife Claire to their cottage on Lake Rosseau. They all went out for dinner at Windermere House before settling in at the cottage for the night.

“They met us on the apron as we exited the aircraft after landing at Muskoka, and, gave us the best rooms in their cottage,” they said. “They fed us well and gave us many cups of tea. It was really a relaxing couple of days for us, we needed it, and for this we will be eternally grateful to the Hodges.”

Saturday was a no-fly day for them, so they spent the morning catching up on emails and updating their website. After that, they spent the afternoon on Lake Rosseau with the Hodges, exploring the area on a pontoon boat. 

Bates and Payne said the Hodges were the perfect hosts for their two-night stay in Muskoka. On Sunday, the two men set out for Plattsburgh, New York on their way across the US to Seattle.

“From there, we will pickup the 1924 route through Alaska, along the Aleutian Islands chain to Kamchatka and complete a full circle back at Kagoshima,” they said. “We aim to arrive back in Mount Hagen on 28th September, the same day the two Douglas Air Cruisers landed back at Seattle in 1924.”

Four Douglas Air Cruisers operated by the US Army Air Service left Seattle on April 6, 1924. Two of the airplanes crashed, leaving one crew to brave the elements in Alaska for six days before finding an abandoned cabin. The other crew was picked up by the US Navy after their plane went down in the North Atlantic. 

A cheering crowd greeted the remaining crews in Seattle 175 days after their journey began. Bates and Payne aren’t flying the exact route of the first world-traversing flight, but they are retracing parts of the original flight path. 

They also have handcrafted monkeys made by Paynes’ wife Sandra to keep as mascots – a nod to the stuffed spider monkeys carried by the original crews. They each have one with their names on the back, and Bates’ monkey companion can be identified by its bushy eyebrows.

The combined age of the pilots is 161 years, amounting to 105 years of pilot experience. Bates and Payne are both members of the United Flying Octogenarians (UFO), a US-based organization with over 1,800 members. Meeting other pilots like them is part of what drove them to hit the skies for 100 days.

“[Four] of its members are over 100 years old,” they said on their blog. “We hope to meet fellow UFO’s at a number of towns during our flight and encourage pilots to keep their ratings current no matter how old they are.”

To learn more about their journey, visit Bob & Baz’s Flight Blog.

The post Octogenarian Pilots Visit Muskoka During 100-Day Trip Around The World appeared first on Muskoka411.

While it’s impossible to predict or prevent these issues, travellers can take proactive steps to ensure their safety and peace of mind. From staying buckled during flights to considering an All-Inclusive travel insurance plan, these measures can help mitigate risks and manage the impact of travel disruptions.

Preparing for Extreme Turbulence

Turbulence can happen suddenly and unexpectedly – causing serious injuries. To avoid injury during turbulence, passengers should:

• Stay Buckled – Even if the pilot has turned off the seatbelt sign, passengers should stay buckled whenever in their seat.
  
  
• Listen to Safety Information – While travellers may be tempted to zone out during the flight attendant’s safety briefing, it’s important to pay attention to know what to do in the event there is turbulence or an emergency landing.
  
  
• Consider Travel Insurance – In the event a traveller is injured during turbulence, and needs to seek medical attention, a policy may help cover medical bills associated with that injury.

Travel Insurance and Weather-related Issues

Extreme weather has been wreaking havoc across the country and around the globe – damaging homes and popular destinations, delaying/cancelling flights, and making for unpleasant vacations.

While travellers can’t prevent weather-related vacation issues, travel insurance can help make dealing with them a lot less stressful by potentially providing coverage, including:

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption: If your scheduled carrier is delayed by weather conditions or a natural disaster, and you decide not to continue your trip, travel insurance may cover the unused portion of your trip and provide subsistence allowance up to the maximum limit.

• Cruise Cancellation or Interruption: In the event your cruise is cancelled before departure or interrupted after departure due to mechanical failure, grounding, quarantine, or repositioning of the ship due to weather or natural disasters, there may coverage for the airline change fee or transportation allowance for unused airfare, whichever is less.

• Missed Connections: Delays caused by private automobile or common carrier issues, including weather, may be covered. Benefits may include coverage for the unused portion of your trip, up to the maximum limit for the subsistence allowance.

• Uninhabitable Residences: If a natural disaster renders your or your travelling companion’s principal residence uninhabitable, insurance may provide coverage.

• Uninhabitable Destination Accommodations: Should a natural disaster make your or your travelling companion’s destination accommodations uninhabitable, there may be coverage.

Each travel insurance plan may offer something different, so, it’s important to read several sections to see what is and is not covered when a weather-related incident occurs.

The post InsureMyTrip Offers Expert Advice On Preparing For Mid-Flight Turbulence And Weather-Related Issues appeared first on Muskoka411.

“Those who are considering booking a trip should make sure they understand the scope of what travel looks like at the moment,” said Nadia Matos, manager external communications, CAA SCO. “The checklist for planning a trip has changed and we want to help people navigate this new environment.

“Airports are experiencing delays with varying degrees of impact, and Ontarians should be prepared.”

Through consultation with its top travel agents, CAA SCO has identified ten key considerations that potential travelers may not be aware of. Anyone who is considering travel in the current environment should remember that travel requirements and regulations are continually changing.

Expect itinerary changes. CAA SCO travel agents say our members are experiencing schedule changes for flights. Subscribe to the airline’s text message service to be immediately notified of any changes, and book connecting flights with more time in between than you normally would if available. A travel agent is also a valuable resource if this happens.

Consider packing a carryon instead of checking luggage. Potential baggage delays mean that your luggage may not arrive with you or take extra time to be unloaded off the plane. If you bring a carryon, make sure it fits the size requirements for all the airlines you are flying on, and with any tour operators. When using a carryon to travel, you still need to follow the 3-1-1 rule: three ounces of liquid, gel, aerosol, cream or paste that fit in one quart-sized resealable bag. If you are checking luggage, make sure your carryon has your hygiene essentials, any medications, and a change of clothing.

Expect longer wait times at the airport. The old standby of being at the airport one hour before takeoff for domestic flights and two hours before international flights no longer apply. CAA currently recommends arriving at the airport a minimum of two hours before domestic flight departures and at least three hours for international flights.

Make sure all your documentation is in order before you book. Your passport should still be valid six months after your travel date, as this is required in several countries. Passports themselves are taking longer than usual to renew, so it should be done several months before you travel. Each destination has varying documentation requirements, so make sure you fully understand what information you need to have ready and in what format.

Buy travel insurance and understand what is covered. Make sure you have $5 million in coverage for emergency medical situations and that illness related to COVID-19 is included. Understand your entitlements for situations like denied boarding in the event of a positive test, trip cancellation or delays, what luggage is covered and what isn’t.

Car rentals need to be booked months in advance. High demand as well as a shortage of vehicles means a shortage of rental cars. Some rental agencies, particularly on the east and west coasts, are not allowing vehicles to be rented in one city and left in another. A travel agent can help you navigate this.

COVID-19 is still a major consideration. Confirm the COVID-19 situation at destination prior to booking. Understand the risk level associated with travel to a particular destination by checking the Government of Canada Travel Advice and Advisories website. Individual travel advisories remain on a country-by-country basis. It is important that Ontarians understand the ongoing uncertainty associated with international travel, whether that be related to the continued community transmission of COVID-19, or state of health care systems in destinations hit hard by the pandemic. Canadians returning home must have all required documentation loaded onto the ArriveCAN App or website.

Stay connected. It is important to have access to trusted, up-to-date information while travelling so you can monitor changing conditions and requirements and adapt accordingly. Bookmark the Global Affairs Canada website prior to departure and check it regularly while abroad. It is also a good idea to sign up for Registration of Canadians Abroad and stay in touch with a family or friend that has knowledge of your travel plans. Find these and more information at www.caasco.com/travel

Confirm change and cancellation flexibility with your travel service provider. Many airlines and hotels have been providing more flexibility when it comes to refunds and changes to bookings. Make sure you understand any key dates related to cancellation and changes and whether you are entitled to a refund or a future travel voucher or credit at the time of booking.

Be patient, be kind. Around the globe, airlines are dealing with staff shortages and luggage handling back-ups. Keep in mind that the staff at the airports are there to help you, and that things may take longer than usual.

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