Two vintage Albatross aircraft 'nesting' in Conroe

CONROE, Texas -- A rare Grumman UH16 Albatross has taken up residence at Lone Star Executive Airport. Approximately only a dozen of this vintage aircraft are still in flying condition. Zeus is one of them, and another, the Pegasus, will soon be flight-worthy.

Many Lake Conroe residents witnessed Zeus, a Grumman HU16 Albatross owned by Mike Bialka (Owner, Pilot), and Stewart Lawrence (Owner, Water Captain), landing in Lake Conroe last June, when the flight crew from Everything Albatross made a few ‘touch and go’ landings on the lake. Calls flooded in to law enforcement agencies to report that a large plane had crashed into the lake. Many have probably never seen this type of aircraft before.

The first flight of an Albatross took place October 24, 1947, and went into production in 1949. It was last produced in 1961. The Albatross was developed to land in open ocean situations to rescue downed pilots and other flight crew members. Its deep-V hull cross-section and substantial length, enable it to land in the open sea. The large twin–radial engine, amphibious flying boat was used by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), the U.S. Navy (USN, and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), primarily for search and rescue, and combat search and rescue purposes. The Albatross build a lasting legacy when the USAF used the SA-16 extensively in the Korea War in the 1950s, for combat rescue, where it gained a reputation as a rugged and seaworthy craft. (Originally designated as the SA-16 for the USAF and the JR2F-1 and UF-1 for the USN and USCG.) In 1962, it was redesignated as the HU-16.)

Since the aircraft weighs over 12,500 pounds, pilots of civilian US-registered Albatross aircraft must have a type rating. The Albatross is so stalwart that in 1997, a Grumman Albatross (N44RD), piloted by Reid Dennis and Andy Macfie, became the first Albatross to circumnavigate the globe. The 26,347 nm flight around the world lasted 73 days, included 38 stops in 21 countries, and was completed with 190 hours of flight time. In 2013, Reid Dennis donated N44RD to the Hiller Aviation Museum.

The plane as an amazing flight record. Of the few recorded incidents in which an Albatross was lost, less than a handful could be attributed to a malfunction of the airplane. The Zeus has a proud legacy too. It was issued to the US Navy and assigned to the seaplane carrier and transportation USS Currituck AV-7. To read the complete history of the Zeus, visit the Everything Albatross Facebook page at the link provided

To read more about Everything Albatross and the team that powders and pampers these two babies at Lone Star Airport, which consists of the owner and pilot, Mike Bialka, the other owner, Stewart Lawrence, Justin "Skeet" Hemme, and another member listed as 'Pat' on their website, click on the link provided.

For those who wish to experience the thrill of flying on this amazing aircraft, contact Scheduling@RotorWashMedia.com

#Zeus #Pegasus #EverythingAlbatross #‎GrummanUH16?