Lastest Video update of the Philippine Mars
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVW6dsVs-BY
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3ICQg1CwqU
Mars Bomber base will no longer be open to visitors
Philippine Mars soon off to U.S
Scott McKenzie, Alberni Valley Times
Published: Monday, February 25, 2013
As one of the Alberni Valley's most prized possessions is set to be in a flight museum in
Florida this summer, Coulson Flying Tankers will also be shutting down the visitor's
centre and tours at the Mars Bomber base indefinitely.
Wayne Coulson, CEO of the Coulson Group of Companies, said that with the
Philippine Mars being sent to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.,
"there really won't be much to see."
Attendance at the bomber base, located on Sproat Lake's Stirling Arm, has been down
over the past few years, as well, which helped Coulson's decision to shut it down.
"[The Hawaii Mars] is either sitting in the water or it's away from the base,
" Coulson said, "so there really isn't that much for folks to see.
"I mean, when we had the Philippine there everybody could tour the aircraft and
walk around it, and people really enjoyed that."
All of the memorabilia inside the bomber base will remain in the Coulsons' possession, as there might be a day when the Hawaii Mars (the operational one) is on display,
much like the Philippine has been.
The deal to send the Philippine Mars to Pensacola is still in the works - the timing of the deal and what Coulson Flying Tankers will get in return are being negotiated -
but Coulson expects it to be completed before the summer.
"We painted it last year and started to put the motors on in the spring, and we'll
probably be test flying it in June," Coulson said. "I would think it will be ready for delivery some time in later July."This past summer, tours of the Philippine were shut down as
crew members gave the bomber a new paint job , it is now blue and white, and installed
the new motors. A send-off celebration is also in the works for the Philippine so that
fans of the
bomber can see it one last time before it is put in the museum.
The Hawaii Mars, however, will remain operational and has had its contract with the
provincial government renewed.
Coulson Flying Bombers is also working on a deal with the Mexican federal government
to utilize the Hawaii Mars earlier in the year than usual.
The contract with British Columbia is on a year-to-year basis, and the government has
the ability to contract out the bomber any time it is needed, for any period of time.
Coulson plans on continuing to fly the Hawaii Mars for the foreseeable future.
Coulson Aircrane purchased the two water bombers in 2007 to expand its fire fighting
capabilities. The Philippine Mars has not been used in five years. Mars Bomber base will no longer be open to visitors
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVW6dsVs-BY
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3ICQg1CwqU
Mars Bomber base will no longer be open to visitors
Philippine Mars soon off to U.S
Scott McKenzie, Alberni Valley Times
Published: Monday, February 25, 2013
As one of the Alberni Valley's most prized possessions is set to be in a flight museum in
Florida this summer, Coulson Flying Tankers will also be shutting down the visitor's
centre and tours at the Mars Bomber base indefinitely.
Wayne Coulson, CEO of the Coulson Group of Companies, said that with the
Philippine Mars being sent to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.,
"there really won't be much to see."
Attendance at the bomber base, located on Sproat Lake's Stirling Arm, has been down
over the past few years, as well, which helped Coulson's decision to shut it down.
"[The Hawaii Mars] is either sitting in the water or it's away from the base,
" Coulson said, "so there really isn't that much for folks to see.
"I mean, when we had the Philippine there everybody could tour the aircraft and
walk around it, and people really enjoyed that."
All of the memorabilia inside the bomber base will remain in the Coulsons' possession, as there might be a day when the Hawaii Mars (the operational one) is on display,
much like the Philippine has been.
The deal to send the Philippine Mars to Pensacola is still in the works - the timing of the deal and what Coulson Flying Tankers will get in return are being negotiated -
but Coulson expects it to be completed before the summer.
"We painted it last year and started to put the motors on in the spring, and we'll
probably be test flying it in June," Coulson said. "I would think it will be ready for delivery some time in later July."This past summer, tours of the Philippine were shut down as
crew members gave the bomber a new paint job , it is now blue and white, and installed
the new motors. A send-off celebration is also in the works for the Philippine so that
fans of the
bomber can see it one last time before it is put in the museum.
The Hawaii Mars, however, will remain operational and has had its contract with the
provincial government renewed.
Coulson Flying Bombers is also working on a deal with the Mexican federal government
to utilize the Hawaii Mars earlier in the year than usual.
The contract with British Columbia is on a year-to-year basis, and the government has
the ability to contract out the bomber any time it is needed, for any period of time.
Coulson plans on continuing to fly the Hawaii Mars for the foreseeable future.
Coulson Aircrane purchased the two water bombers in 2007 to expand its fire fighting
capabilities. The Philippine Mars has not been used in five years. Mars Bomber base will no longer be open to visitors
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