Do you like DC3s?

[Donsa320]

What was the reason for that????

If that was for me....simply guys would learn quickly how to avoid ice and get out of it if you did not. If you paid attention during your co-pilot years the learning curve was steep!

~DC

 

[TurboS7]

I remember North Central the DC-3's and Convairs. It is amazing how much aviation has changed in the last 25 years. In a jet the only ice that really is a factor is the ice that is on a runway. If you don't like how much ice you have just go faster. Coming from a piston background I will never forget a jet jock telling me that, I found that hard to comprehend. Sounds like you have had a very rich and full life in aviation. Everything is so policitical and complicated now it seems hard to keep the head above water sometimes.

 

[Donsa320]

I remember North Central the DC-3's and Convairs. It is amazing how much aviation has changed in the last 25 years. In a jet the only ice that really is a factor is the ice that is on a runway. If you don't like how much ice you have just go faster. Coming from a piston background I will never forget a jet jock telling me that, I found that hard to comprehend. Sounds like you have had a very rich and full life in aviation. Everything is so policitical and complicated now it seems hard to keep the head above water sometimes.

Yep, I remember on my DC-9 type ride I got a wing anti-ice failure on a simulated ORD to MKE flight in icing. I accelerated to 350 KIAS and got the nice 15 C heat rise and kept the speed up to the last. The DE liked that.

~DC

 

[TurboS7]

Now days they will tell you that is unsafe, back for more training.

 

[DC3Flyer]

Ice

When I was flying the 3 I was also flying Lear 25's and my concerns about ice were completely opposite. In the 3 you were concerned about ice enroute. It would carry a ton as long as both engines kept running! In the Lear you were concerned about it on the runways.

I have to agree that it was some of the most fun I've had in an airplane. When I was flying it I would look at a Gulfstream and think boy that would be a blast to fly. Now that I have, I look at the DC3 and think, boy that would be a blast to fly again. Funny how that works isn't it!!

 

[Donsa320]

When I was flying the 3 I was also flying Lear 25's and my concerns about ice were completely opposite. In the 3 you were concerned about ice enroute. It would carry a ton as long as both engines kept running! In the Lear you were concerned about it on the runways.

I have to agree that it was some of the most fun I've had in an airplane. When I was flying it I would look at a Gulfstream and think boy that would be a blast to fly. Now that I have, I look at the DC3 and think, boy that would be a blast to fly again. Funny how that works isn't it!!

Ah, so true...that's why I'll be at OSH, I'll forget the unbearably hot or cold cockpits, the rain coming in, the smell of puke coming forward in the summer, the ice in the winter, the circling approaches off the ADF with 1/2 mile viz using the reverse sliding scale to a runway with 15watt bulb edge lighting...oh yeah. <bg>

~DC

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

There's nothing more orgasmic than the sound of a piston driven engine!

I'd hate to see your spasmic reaction to a Briggs and Stratton in your neighborhood.

Didn't you mean a radial aircraft engine?


Flew the three for about 8 months for a classic frieght operation. The romance and lure of the 3 went right out the window, when the disrepsect and hatred kicked in. This operation would turn the most hard core anti union southern boy into a Jimmy Hoffa student.

Flew into FWA one night to deliver....something...... The FO (me) had to check the oil after each flight. We carried five 5 gal. cans of oil. The trick was to lift the container onto the wing at the leading edge. Go to the trailing edge and climb up...check oil.
It was snowing pretty good, and no matter how I tried, I kept sliding off the wing. It was too slippery to check the oil. The Capt said....well, we're going any way.

Another time, we went to GSP to pick up roof liners for an auto factory in Michigan. When the freight showed up, it was so bulky there was no way it was going to fit....

And that was the beauty of the Three. An incredible machine, somehow, someway, it was never too bulky or heavy......

 

[Kingairrick]

I heard there was a guy in Stuart, Fl or someplace that you could get a DC-3 type for around 4 grand. I keep telling myself it would be fun to do.
On the other hand, there was a bare aluminum one sitting on the ramp last week next to us in Chihuahua, Mexico. It was 42DegreesC. It looked like it might be a little warm in there.

 

[TurboS7]

You would love my neighbor who loves to start cutting his grass at 0600 every Sunday morning. Guess the wife would like it.

Originally Posted by dispatcher121
There's nothing more orgasmic than the sound of a piston driven engine!