Draft Posts
The articles, photos and stories posted below are drafts and are not fully published and are not available for public viewing until finalized and approved.
November 2026 draft posts
(desktop view formatted / mobile view maybe scrambled until published)
Cruz Bay, St John
photo credit Frtiz Henle
photo from Tom Anusewicz Collection
Back in the day... Antilles Air Boats Gooses and Mallards arrived and departed from the little clearing in the northeast corner of
Cruz Bay, St. John.
The National Park Service supplied land and the sign that welcomed the visitors.
St. John is a very special place but back in the day... it was just a little more special.
I hope to continue to find photos of this unique spot in paradise.
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photo credit Glenn Arveson
Capt. Blair takes friends on a picnic to St. John
When friends arrived in town, Charlie Blair would like to show them around. What better way to see the beauty of the Caribbean than from a Grumman Goose.
Paul Fagan, ___, Noel Holle, Charlie Blair, ____ and Bryon Moncton
"Southern Cross" and "Excalibur VIII"
arrive in the Virgin Islands in 1974
When friends arrived in town Charlie Blair would like to show them around. What better way to see the beauty of the Caribbean than from a Grumman Goose.
Continuing to document the background of each of the Grumman G-73 Mallards. Each of the 59 aircraft built had a unique history.
J-8
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Through the efforts of those aviation historians of the past, we know the various owners and the years they operated J-6.
This page will go a little further into the individuals that recognized the Grumman Mallard as their aircraft of choice.
When friends arrived in town Charlie Blair would like to show them around. What better way to see the beauty of the Caribbean than from a Grumman Goose.
Christiansted, St. Croix
Antilles Air Boats Seaplane Terminal
photo credit Tom Anusewicz 1978
Pan Am Pavilion
AAB 1st terminal
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
photo credit Tom Anusewicz 1980
a watercolor rendition of the above photo
Continuing to document the background of each of the Grumman G-73 Mallards. Each of the 59 aircraft built had a unique history.
J-7
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Through the efforts of those aviation historians of the past, we know the various owners and the years they operated J-6.
This page will go a little further into the individuals that recognized the Grumman Mallard as their aircraft of choice.
Continuing to document the background of each of the Grumman G-73 Mallards. Each of the 59 aircraft built had a unique history.
J-9
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Through the efforts of those aviation historians of the past, we know the various owners and the years they operated J-6.
This page will go a little further into the individuals that recognized the Grumman Mallard as their aircraft of choice.
Continuing to document the background of each of the Grumman G-73 Mallards. Each of the 59 aircraft built had a unique history.
J-11
Through the efforts of those aviation historians of the past, we know the various owners and the years they operated J-6.
This page will go a little further into the individuals that recognized the Grumman Mallard as their aircraft of choice.
Holding posts for coming months
The Antilles Air Boats Goose operated with one pilot, Unlike most airlines, the pilot arrived with extensive experience, thousands of hours of flight time. This was to be their last flying job, a semi-retirement gig that would supplement in most cases their military retirement. With the addition of the Grumman Mallard which required 2 pilots, a captain and co-captain. The co-captain's flight experience was far less than the captain. While the person in the left seat was ending their career, the right seat occupant was just starting theirs.
photo credit Tom Anusewicz
A little bit about
A Seaplane and a pilot
The Antilles Air Boats Mallard N51151 (J-42) was originally delivered to C.F .Kettering as N2975 in early 1949.. The aircraft had numerous owners over the years and was owned by Chalk's International Airlines and loaned to AAB for a little less than 3 years. In 1982, Chalk's had the aircraft sent to Frakes Aviation in Cleburne, Texas for conversion to PT-6A-34 turbine engines.
"Pappy" Chalk started Chalk's Flying Service in 1919 and over the years there was variant names as well as various owners. In December of 1999, the airline was relaunched as Chalk's Ocean Airways.
Scott Adams was fortunate to arrive at Chalk's to have experienced flying the Mallard , now registered as N142PA. Scott began his flying career.....
Scott Adams was fortunate to arrive at Chalk's to have experienced flying the Mallard , now registered as N142PA. Scott began his flying career.....
Scott Adams was fortunate to arrive at Chalk's to have experienced flying the Mallard , now registered as N142PA. Scott began his flying career.....
Scott Adams was fortunate to arrive at Chalk's to have experienced flying the Mallard , now registered as N142PA. Scott began his flying career.....
photo credit Steve Kemper
