DC3 plane: Spotted over York

[Hunter1973]

Afternoon,

While walking through York I've just spotted an old Dakota DC3 flying around the city. To my knowledge these planes were grounded a couple of years ago.

Does anyone know of any pleasure or memorial flights that still take place?

[Zen]

The Battle of Britain Memorial flight operate a DC3 from Conningsby,see it quite regular over where I live(N Lincs )

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/

[boxtops]

Is it to do with Remembrance Sunday today? perhaps there's a fly-past somewhere.

[ABerrant]

EU regulations of mid-2008 tightened up safety requirements of 19+ seat passenger aircraft. The cost of modification of passenger carrying DC-3s was prohibitive and the CAA appeared uninterested in granting exemptions allowable under the regs, thus such flights were grounded.

DC-3s can still conduct private flights, aerial work and cargo services with relatively few modifications.

[AlBags]

Yes .. They're still flying.

[Andyvon]

There are hunders still flying around the world Hunter. Many belong to museums but there are many still in service as freighters and for passenger flights. Many DC-3s/C-47s are in Central and South America, but there are still many working in North America. It was DC-3s that sprayed the detergent on the Gulf oil spill recently for example. The South African Air Force operates Turbo Dakotas which have just gone into service with turboprops replacing the old piston engines. Not bad for an aircraft that first went into service in 1935. It's nice to see them droning about but not that unusual, especially in the US.

[Andyvon]

That first sentence was supposed to say there are hundreds still flying around the world. It's this new keyboard.

DC-3s/C-47s were not only used as the main Allied transport during WWII, but they were used by all the major combatants. Japan operated over 600 during the war, and the Luftwaffe operated a large number they had captured from countries that became part of the Third Reich. Probably the most successful aircraft ever made.

[stewey]

In 1957, I was quite young so don't remember it really, we flew from the UK to Canada in a Dakota. We took of from Paisley, refuled in Shannon, flew across the Atlantic to refuel in Gander, and landed at in Toronto. I think that the Dakota was termed "the workhorse of the (US) army.

[Answerprancer]

The Dakota was a classic. I love planes and the Dak is on my list of favourites.

[mike11111]

LOL Stewey's a closet Brit. You can always fly back, you know, forgive & forget &c.

[Answerprancer]

..along with the Sopwith Camel, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine S6B, Messerschmitt BF 109, Junkers Ju87B, Gloster Whittle, Avro Vulcan, Bristol Blenheim, Avro Lancaster, Mitsubishi Zero, De Havilland (wooden wonder) Mosquito, Boeing 747, HS Trident, HS Harrier, Concorde, Saab Viggen, Dassault Mirage ..Antonov AN225 Mria ..off the top of me head (scuse the uninvited aviation-gasm !)

[Andyvon]

My father was an airline flight and ground engineer until he retired in 1985 as head of maintenance for Britannia Airline's fleet of 200+ planes. He started in the industry in 1948 at the age of 16 keeping Dakotas flying during the Berlin Airlift. He still tells me about how to alter the oil pressures with the engines running (yawn) and how to start up and flight test Dakotas after maintenance. I've heard it umpteen times but he is 80 now so I do try to keep him happy.

My father later flew as flight engineer on DC-6s, Britannias, 1-11s, 707s and Viscounts. However, he loved the Dakota and he knows every nut, bolt and valve. He does with the other aircraft too. He loves the fact Dakotas are still in service around the world and it's wonderful that he can still see and hear Daks when they occasionally fly over this part of the UK.

[nonomaybe]

My first flight was in a DC3, it took 3 days to get to Mombasa from Lydd airport in Kent. We flew mostly at about 3,000 feet and could feel every bump on the way especially over the deserts. A lovely aircraft which still gives me a frisson when sighted.