Dstc47 From Ireland, joined Sep 1999, 1358 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 4247 times:
A very comprehensive book on the DC2/DC3 recently emerged from Air Britain.
My copy is at home but if I recall correctly, there were somewhere up to 1,000 DC3's still active, or potentially active, mostly flying freight in less developed parts, with heritage groups, with military units (mostly re-engined as turboprops) and a handful of small passenger operators in Canada and Latin America offering passenger service.
If you want a passenger service Yellowknife in Canada might be a good start.
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4125 posts, RR: 37 Reply 2, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 4178 times:
Indeed the new book of Ms Gradidge from Air Britain must be the ultimate DC-3 book, I can't wait to see it, browse thru it and buy it.
The estimate of 1000 flying DC-3s is somewhat high. The Tukish, Thai, South African and Greek Airforces together had hundreds of active DC-3s til about 10 years ago but these fleets have been decimated or parked since then.
My estimate would be that there are about 300 DC-3s which have been flying in the last 12 months. Still more then there are flying Fokker 100s or Embraer Brasilia's!
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
AirSpare From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 589 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 4077 times:
I taxied through Villavecencia, Colombia and passed a dozen of the most beautiful DC-3s you could imagine. This was in 1994 or theres abouts, there was not a spec of dirt or grease on the undercarriage, the skins were all hightly polished aluminum, you could shave in the reflection.
Unfortuantely, if I pulled out a camera, my life would not have been worth much. They were mostly flying ferry flights, bottled water, food and chemicals to jungle strips. I'm sure some of these are still in excellent condition and flying. An incredible sight to see, 12 of these magnificint birds lined up, spotless.
B52murph From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 234 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 3957 times:
Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 2): Still more then there are flying Fokker 100s or Embraer Brasilia's!
Or L1011s....
Related...does anybody know what year PBA (Provicetown-Boston Airlines) parked thier DC-3s? I remember seeing those on the ramp at Logan and @ ACK back in the mid-80s.
L1011dal From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 134 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 3912 times:
Delta still has thier ship 41 restored that is frequently seen flying at airshows around the USA. There's a good website with a lot of photos of the aircraft and inside the aircraft from a ferry flight at
TransIsland From Bahamas, joined Mar 2004, 2032 posts, RR: 11 Reply 7, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 3882 times:
There's got to be lots of them out there... apart from the showpieces mentioned, there are many doing cargo runs. These 4 fly almost daily between Florida and the Bahamas (though I am aware that no. 4 is not a DC-3).
Captaink From Mexico, joined May 2001, 5095 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 3868 times:
When I worked at the aiport I had the oppotunity to meet a couple DC3 cargo flights that came in from SJU. I don't remember the operator though. This wasn't more than 2 years ago.
ClipperNo1 From Germany, joined May 1999, 671 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 3777 times:
Regarding South Floridian DC3's, just check out OPF. IMO the Disneyworld for spotters.
Active Carriers (as far as I can remember):
Florida Air Cargo
Rohades Aviation (sp??)
Four Star Aircargo (recently bought Tol Air)
TMF (Super DC3's with increased mtow....supercool staff)
Florida Air Transport (1x DC4, 1x DC6, 1x DC7....You have to know Cpt. Blanco. One of the greatest aviators I've ever met)
"I really don't know one plane from the other. To me they are just marginal costs with wings."� Alfred Kahn, 1977
DC3CV3407AC727 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 314 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 3751 times:
Yankee Air Force, KYIP, C-47 N8704, flies May-October, airshows, and junkets for museum members. (60$ to join)
the rumble of round engines is like music to me,likewise the thunder of thr JT8D
Greasespot From Canada, joined Apr 2004, 3054 posts, RR: 22 Reply 15, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 3651 times:
Buffalo Airways in Yellowknife still has a scheduled passenger flight between there and Hayriver. I think it is the last sched PAX DC3 flight in the world.
GS
Sometimes all you can do is look them in the eye and ask " how much did your mom drink when she was pregnant with you?"
ImperialEagle From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 1243 posts, RR: 14 Reply 16, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 3645 times:
Quoting L1011dal (Reply 6): Delta still has thier ship 41 restored
Yeah, and they need to put it back into scheduled service! I'd much rather fly on it than one of those *&@#* CRJ's!
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough!"
Bluewave 707 From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 3139 posts, RR: 7 Reply 17, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3614 times:
Kamaka Air (HNL) has a Super DC-3, N9796N, hauling cargo inter-island, and was the subject of an article in the Dec 06 issue of Airways. Sister-ship and C-47, N99131 is currently on hiatus.
Flyboyseven From Canada, joined Feb 2007, 903 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 3468 times:
Quoting Greasespot (Reply 15): Buffalo Airways in Yellowknife still has a scheduled passenger flight between there and Hayriver. I think it is the last sched PAX DC3 flight in the world.
They also fly a wide range of other classics
Douglas DC-4's
Douglas DC-4 Tankers
Curtiss C-46's
Canadair CL-215's
Canso's
Norseman
Those are not their only aircraft, they fly some more modern ones too.
San747 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 4936 posts, RR: 13 Reply 20, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3364 times:
There's one at my local GA airport, HMT (Hemet-Ryan) and it's active. It flies every once in a while and is sometimes used for movies or shows (it's been spotted at Edwards AFB)...
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