Classic Cockpits presents "Flying the PBY Catalina" DVD

Join ZK-PBY, a Catalina owned and operated by The Catalina Club of New Zealand, en route for a training weekend to scenic Lake Taupo in New Zealand’s North Island. Today is a rare occasion because in order to preserve the hull from corrosion the PBY-5A never lands on the sea, and visits freshwater Lake Taupo only once or twice a year.

Enjoy air-to-air footage of this historic aircraft against the spectacular New Zealand landscape (and in the company of a formation of Yak trainers), before landing on the runway at Taupo airport. Snow-clad (and volcanic) Mt Ruapehu is in the background. Brett Emery, the Training Captain takes us on a walk-around.

The hull shape, fittings and features reflect the aircraft’s dual identity; flying machine meets big speedboat. The cabin interior is also unique: part boat, part aircraft.

We now join Brett and other Catalina Club pilots in off-water circuit training. We are in the cockpit for take-off from the runway at Taupo, and for a circuit of the lake leading to a touch-and-go. Multiple cameras give us an intimate view of all cockpit operations; a helicopter provides spectacular air-to-air views, and a speedboat takes us up close on the water. Sound is recorded directly from the Cat’s intercom and allows us to hear all cockpit conversations from engine start to shutdown. Landings are very spectacular when viewed from the Catalina’s rear fuselage blisters!

In the cockpit, Brett passes on some valuable handling tips. We learn that the ailerons require one and a half turns of the control wheel for full travel, and that they are used often and in careful coordination with the rudder, so flying a Cat is a very physical experience.

We go around again, this time for a full stop on the water, and the engines are shut down. The engines are restarted and we take off again with vast sheets of water obscuring the cockpit windows. The view ahead is totally obscured. This program ends with some more air-to-air footage of the Catalina. This venerable aircraft’s place in history is assured.