Any former DC-3 freightdogs out there?

[727C47]

Gents and Ladies, Just curious if anybody wanted to share tales of freight flying in the Douglas masterpiece?

 

[pilotyip]

There are still ads for DC-3 pilots on the job sites. I can not imagine the state of those birds. I still get to fly one in the summer on the airshow circuit, and in less than 400 hours of flying I have had 3 engine failures. Good overhauls now run around 50K, and that is what put the bird in the bone yard.

 

[727C47]

that and the advent of the falcon 20,and the caravan....

 

[pilotyip]

DA-20's may be going the way of the DC-3 also due to engines.

 

[icefr8dawg]

50K aint bad compared to 300K for a hi-po PT-6

Wish I could get my hands on a paying DC-3 gig, what a great plane.

 

[RedGuy]

50K aint bad compared to 300K for a hi-po PT-6

Wish I could get my hands on a paying DC-3 gig, what a great plane.

Not when you consider that PT-6 will last at least 6 times longer and keep running every second of it. But the PT-6 just doesn't sound as cool!

 

[metrodriver]

go to Puerto Rico. Two operaters, each with several planes

 

[727C47]

yeah, she is a classic, a great ship,but perennially underpowered,especially at gross wt,and single engine you had to be up on your energy management, but with everything in the green,she was a round engine/tailwheel dream, happy on turf, and hard surface, a grass strip or JFK.

 

[pilotyip]

But you need about 2M to get into the PT-6 three.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

By far the best A/C that I have ever flown, It was a lot of fun to make NDB approaches with the heading indicator laid horizontally on the instrument panel, you had to do the turn and guess the amount of degrees that you needed while the thing turned the opposite way and then roll out of the turn and wait until it caught up, then adjust it with the mag. compass and turn to your final corrected heading while doing all of this with a transistor tub powered "DF" that you could see glow in the dark in between the cracks of the instrument panel. Those where the days of a bottle of Johnny Walker being part of your flight bag, and the days of nothing ever braking in any other leg than the one returning to the base. I have to stop now, I'm getting teary eyed

 

[727C47]

i remember the ndb circle to land approach,at oshawa,ontario,lots of fun in blowing snow,the runway was 3471 ft long,great training

 

[NavajoKing]

anyone know where, and how much a type would cost these days?

 

[filejw]

A buddy of mine just told me his boss/owner (Citation) called last week and said we are getting typed in a DC3 just for fun. I think its in Ga. at a place called Airline Academy or something similar.Plus you could try Google.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

anyone know where, and how much a type would cost these days?

I don't know how much he would charge these days, but you can call TOLAIR in San Juan, and talk to Toledo himself, He is an APD (Or used to be anyway) for his company. As I understand, he used to take folks on actual revenue flights and do training. Who knows, chances are that the emergency won't be simulated

 

[scarface]

I'm envious of anyone who flew the DC-3. The Marine Corps had a few C-117s,modified DC-3s, left when I was in but I never got a chance to fly one.

 

[727C47]

yeah,i saw the last one at Quantico, it was based at Iwakuni till '80. Last 3 in the Corps, a Super 3.

 

[727C47]

anyone know where, and how much a type would cost these days?

probably less than 5 grand, try Dan Gryder,out of Atlanta, Academy Airlines, google him for details.

 

[IFollowRoads]

I love the ol' gal. Nothing like calling for gear down on an ILS and getting full flaps instead hehe

 

[LR25]

Expander tube brakes, fantastic!

Also the barrel DG's.

 

[Snakum]

DC-3 freight dogging. Now THAT would be the job for me.

 

[727C47]

I think the last time I saw a piston freight dog 3 in the lower '48 was '05 at KYIP, awonderful saga,is ending in the states,but Alaska,and the Caribbean still rock with the sound of the 1830 !

 

[pilotyip]

How about stabilizing your ILS by setting 20"s and then moving the flaps up and down to maintain speed. How many newbes have pulled the unlock release into the cocked position and then are not able to understand how come they can not put the gear down. One of the great feats I saw at YIP a few years ago was a Canadian DC-3 where the pilot used the stepladder to climb up on the wing to check the oil. Then to get back into the cabin, he steeped on the ladder and cocked it up on one leg, then he twisted his body so the ladder rotated and now lined up with the main cabin door. It was a beautifully executed move.

 

[DC3Flyer]

One of the best airplanes I've ever flown. I ended up with about 1000 hours in it. Great experience. I do miss flying it.

 

[AC560]

Whatever became of those guys up at Osh Kosh that were doing turbine conversions?

 

[pilotyip]

Bazler (sp?) is still at OSK doing the conversions, about 4 per year

 

[727C47]

how many round engine shutdowns has everybody had ? in 10 years ,18 for me in 7800 hrs of freight flying. Some were precautionary shutdowns, some were completely blown engines (copious smoke, and oil leaking,and streaming),some were in Wx down to minimums. never a dull moment. God's grace for all.

 

[Publishers]

There are two working Super 3's at KOPF along with 5 other regular 3's.

 

[IFollowRoads]

I've flown the Basler BT-67 conversion also. When you have all your horsepower from those PT6-67R's the performance is remarkable.

I love the sound of the round engines, and I have a hideous three inch long scar in my scalp (plus concussion, knocked me out for a couple seconds) from something in the wheel well that was never identified. I wish I could still love on that ol' Goon every day. We'll be flying jets forever, but the sound of radials becomes more rare each day

 

[freightdogfred]

I think the last time I saw a piston freight dog 3 in the lower '48 was '05 at KYIP, awonderful saga,is ending in the states,but Alaska,and the Caribbean still rock with the sound of the 1830 !

Real DC-3's "Rock to the sound of an 1820!" C-47 A/C are powered by the 1830...

P&W=1830
Wright=1820

 

[727C47]

our DC-3C's were all PW 1830 powered,so were United's initial batch,American went with the Wright 1820 with the DST (Douglas Sleeper Transport). I have a buddy who owned a Wright powered 3,and he preferred it to the 1830 ships,said it was faster.