The Philippine Mars is leaving鈥攁gain.

An engine oil pressure problem forced the historic Martin Mars waterbomber to turn around from what everyone thought was its final flight from Sproat Lake on Wednesday. Maintenance crews have resolved the issue, and plan to leave Sunday, Dec. 15 at 10 a.m. for San Francisco.

Coulson Aviation announced Saturday morning that the aircraft is scheduled to depart from Sproat Lake in Port Alberni on Sunday, weather permitting. As one of only two remaining Martin JRM Mars flying boats, the Philippine Mars is making its final journey to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, where it will be preserved for future generations.
The Philippine Mars will begin its trip with a flyby at Harbour Quay in Port Alberni before continuing to Victoria. If weather and schedules permit, it will conduct a symbolic flyby alongside its sister aircraft, the Hawaii Mars. The Hawaii Mars was recently donated to the BC Aviation Museum in Sidney, B.C.

鈥淗aving both of the Martin Mars historically preserved in these museums is our way of honouring the role these aircraft have played in both aviation and firefighting history,鈥� said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Group.

The aircraft鈥檚 route includes a stop in San Francisco, Calif., for customs clearance and to comply with the requirement to stop before sunset. The Martin JRM Mars aircraft, once based in nearby Alameda, Calif., will anchor for two days in the Alameda Lagoon, where it was originally operated by the U.S. Navy. From there, it will fly along the coast to San Diego, participating in scheduled events and video documentation. Its planned water landing will occur near the Coronado Bridge, with a touchdown close to the USS Midway Museum, where it will anchor in San Diego Bay overnight. The aircraft鈥檚 journey will conclude in Arizona, where it will be disassembled at its factory production joints and transported to the Pima Air and Space Museum.

The final flight of the Philippine Mars is being led by Captains Peter Killin and Todd Davis. Killin is an experienced Martin Mars pilot who was asked to come back to Coulson to fly the Hawaii and Philippine Mars to their final destinations. Davis is Coulson's chief pilot in the U.S. "I'll be there mainly to assist the whole process to get into the U.S. airspace system, and then our stops in San Francisco and San Diego, and finally in Arizona," Davis said Wednesday, before making a first attempt in the Philippine Mars.

"I'm really looking forward to getting the airplane off the water and heading south to a warmer climate," he added.

Killin spent 40 to 50 hours taxiing and flying the Hawaii Mars for its departure to the B.C. Aviation Museum in August, and has done to quite as many with the Philippine Mars. "It's been a busy road," he said. "A lot of speed bumps on it and glitches and engine changes and chasing snags. I think we've got the airplane as good as it gets."

Killin took the plane for an unexpected flight a week ago, flying low over Sproat Lake before touching down almost as fast as he was up.

"It felt great. It was the first time I'd flown it in 19 years and 17 since it actually got off the ground. It's had a long sleep."

When asked on Wednesday what it will feel like to finally walk away from the Philippine Mars once it reaches its final destination, Killin paused, chuckled, and said "standby."

Skytrac Systems Ltd. is providing a tracking link for anyone wishing to follow the Philippine Mars' flight path. Catch the journey online at . Username: Merry and Password: XMAS.