I wish I had the experience to ride in a Douglas DC 3. My mother rode in one back in the early 1970s on a trip to Washington DC for a school field trip. Lucky her lol
My first flight was on a PSA DC-3 from Sacramento to LA in 1959. The stewardess passed around a basket of gem announcing ""Chicklets anyone?" Top pop our ears during cabin pressure changes at different altitudes and passed out mini packs of 5 cigarettes whether you wanted them or not!
Thanks for your comment regarding a flight experience on a DC-3 back in the day. I understand that the major airlines back in the 1950s and 60s would often include a small pack of cigarettes with your complementary meal even if you were too young to smoke.
Same seat on the line Marseille / Paris circa 1967/69 then the corespondance in Caravelle ... I was a very little kid and the air hostess had taken me to visit the small cockpit. I was treated to a coloring book with beautiful wooden colored pencils for this baptism of the first time. The magic of youtube. Great thanks
I was one of the last pilots to fly the DC-3 in scheduled passenger operations 1976-1978. I flew for a commuter airline that served St. Louis, Kansas City, Lake of the Ozarks, Rollaways, and Fort Leonard Wood. I have 1,000 hours as captain in this amazing airplane. I saw the final Ozark Airlines DC-3 flight when it landed in Springfield, Missouri in October, 1968.
Nice to hear from someone who worked on passenger DC-3s in the planes' waning days here in the U.S. not to mention witnessing the last Ozark Air Lines DC-3 flight in 1968.
Thanks Dan!! I went on to fly the B-727,B-737,B-757 and B-767 for United Airlines for 29 years retiring in 2015 at age 65. I currently fly a very high tech Pilatus PC-12NG single engine turboprop for a corporation in Pennsylvania. This difference in technology from the DC-3 to the Pilatus is just astounding! If you want to know more about what it was like to fly the DC-3, don't be afraid to ask me.
@@MrSuzuki1187 Wow! You had an exciting airline pilot career considering all the jetliners you flew for United. Glad to hear you were also able to retire at age 65 instead of the old 60 age. I retired at age 60 as a locomotive engineer with the Soo Line Railroad Co. I won't bore you with all the engines I ran! Yeah, I bet there is a world of difference between the Pilatus PC-12NG and a DC-3. Interesting to see you flew a DC-3 with uprated engines. I have a pilot's license (single engine land), but haven't been pilot in command since January, 1989. I'll keep you in mind if I have any "what was it like to fly a DC-3" questions.
@@WAL_DC-6B I would love to hear what it was like to pilot a diesel locomotive! Where did you go and were were you based? if you want, I have written some stories about flying the DC-3 and the Beech 18, which I also flew for the same commuter airline, that I will send you. Email me at jturpin782@aol.com and I will send the stories to you free of charge.
While still in grade school and living in Decatur, Illinois my favorite weekly summer treat was to be driven to the Decatur Airport (KDEC) and then for me to stand by the fence separating me from the "apron" in order to enable me to watch the midday Sunday arrival and departure of the DC-3 Ozark Air Lines commuter aircraft, similar to the one featured in this video. That was many years ago but the experience sparked in me a lasting fascination with everything to do with general aviation. Indeed the video brings back a lot of memories!
I was on a Provincetown-Boston Airways DC-3 a couple of times. It was both fun and was a comparison to the many other types I was on. The DC-3 was the best and in 80 years no other aircraft could surpass it in terms of it's reliability and ruggedness.
My first flight was on a Capital Airlines DC-3 flight from Muskegon Mi to Milwaukee Wis. in 1960 - A true workhorse and a few still operating. A real gem from the the Douglas Aircraft Co.
My first flight was on a DC-3 when the Navy flew me from the east coast to Burbank Cal. In 1962. I forgot how many fuel stops we made. Thanks for the great video of a wonderful legendary airplane.
Hey, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed my Ozark DC-3 video. Thanks for relating your experience of flying such a long distance apparently on board a U.S. Navy R4D (designation for a Navy DC-3). Perhaps the last time your could fly on a DC-3 commercially from coast to coast in the U.S. was some time in the early 1950's.
Thanks for the memories. 1957 I was 10 and my first plane flight was a DC 3 from Seattle to Victoria Canada. We hit lots of turbulence the next day coming back and I really liked the roller coaster ride I got. Today's air travel is awfull.
Glad you liked my DC-3 video and thanks for relating your flight in one back in 1957. Yes, I'll admit flying these days lacks much of the "glitz" from years past. But, this is the price we pay for much lower airfares and we don't have to inhale cigarette smoke anymore.
Back in the 1980s Ozark Air would offer 20 minute flights over St Louis for just $20 a seat. They had daytime and nighttime flights. They would take off, fly in a big circle and land. I took my grandmother, who had never been on an airplane, on a daytime flight and she had a ball. We actually flew over her home in Belleville Illinois by chance. Ozark Air was awesome.
Thanks for your comment about Ozark's 20 minute sightseeing flight over St. Louis. Back in the early to mid 1960s, American Airlines use to offer 30 minute flights over Chicago on their Lockheed Electra II's. This was to help interest people in flying and to convince people that the Electra was once again safe to fly on.
while in Marathon, Florida in 2018, my son and I went to the airport during an airshow and there she was, sitting on the apron, all silver and green lettering with the words "OZARK AIRLINES" on the side...will look for the photo and get back to you...most reliable passenger/cargo plane ever built, bar none....
Thanks for relating your having witnessed this DC-3 in Florida back in 2018. It's apparently now up in Anchorage, Alaska and is owned by Norse Flight Inc. They're advertising on their website DC-3 flights for 2020 and I bet N763A will have the privilege of doing the job. So, very shortly, you should be able to once again take a flight on this historic aircraft if you don't mind the trip to the 49th state!
My first airplane flight, as a 9yo boy, was on a Southern Airways DC3 from Birmingham, AL to Panama City, FL. I still remember that flight to this day and I'm 67 now.
I was lucky enough to take a flight a Ozark Air DC-3 while at the Dayton Air Show. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER IT! I have always had the goal to own a DC-3. So far, I have only owned a C-172 but the goal is still there. Wonderful memory & wonderful aircraft!
2003Harleyguy There's supposed to a man that goes all over the world looking for DC-3 aircraft or DC-3 aircraft parts to restore and then he sells them to people like you and me that would live to purchase and own one of these magnificent aircraft. I just can't think of who it is or where he's at; sorry.
It's hard to imagine taxi-ing from that position. I learned to fly on a Mahl taildragger which was one steep learning curve. I took some lessons in a Piper Cub, I could fly it in my sleep it was so easy. It was sad to lose so many quality carriers Ozark, North Central, Western, PSA, National, PanAm, TWA and many more. I was living in Denver taking 3-4 flights a week and I remember Ozark's DC-9's parked on the south side of Concourse C. That shade of white and green combined with the exhaust to make the aircraft look like the entire fuselage had been dusted for fingerprints. They were dirty birds.. The airline had some very pretty flight attendants, and we're very nice people. For those who worked for Ozark, you people were first class. There was a small town openness and decently that was special about of of you, maybe I was way off and everyone was from St Louis and other large Missouri Valley cities.
I’m about 100% sure my father flew that same plane in his career with Ozark,, Richard Sharp,,,, he flew me in one of those when I was very young,,, great job to everyone.
Fresh off the farm and on my first job in the city, after six months I decided to take a flight home in a DC-3. My Uncle owned a Piper Cub so I'd been up in a plane before but what I remember most of that flight was the power and vibration of the engines. Second was the cute stewardess. Hey, I was only nineteen and the world was before me.Third was the fact that my mother wasn't too happy to see me as she had to drive an hour to pick me up at the airport. Never did that again. The DC-3 brings back mixed memories for me but above all I probably flew in one the most famous aircraft in aviation history.
I remember flying in a military C-47 around 1967 or 1968 for a trip from Fort Riley Kansas to Wright Patterson Air Force Base when I was in Air Force ROTC.
Thanks for your comment! I too flew in a military Douglas C-47. It was back in June of 1976. I was a volunteer with in the organization "Amigos de las Americas." We were doing vaccinating of the local population (tetanus, DPT, polio and measles) in the country of Nicaragua. We were flown from Managua to Blue Fields aboard a Nicaraguan Air Force C-47. The women volunteers got the side wall bench seats. We guys literally sat on the floor. It was about a hour long, noisy flight.
I 'd challenge many young boys to have an experience to fly on this type of aircraft DC 3. I think that of them had same afraid. But they don't know that I shoud want to pilot this aircraft! That is a very good machine!!
MARAVILLOSO! No recuerdo mucho, pero creo haber visto estos avienes en el aeropuerto de mi ciudad Puerto Montt, Chile, en el año 1963.65. Hermosísimo documento este. Muchas gracias! Gracias, gracias, gracias. Abrazo de Luz!
Hi Dan...thanks for your great video...brought back memories...In the good old days of 1968/69 I was shown round a lovely Air Ulster DC3 at Glasgow Int Airport it is the only time I have ever been on one of these great birds and it was a wonderful experience...The bird was spotless and it had new real red leather seats, I will never forget it...I was shown round lots of aircraft in those days when I was a boy especially at Glasgow and Glasgow Prestwick...Air Ulster done a shuttle service between Belfast and Glasgow with the Douglas DC3s....I can also say I was fortunate enough to be on a PanAm Boeing 707-300 in my lifetime. Once again Dan thanks for the video...I look forward for more...God bless.
Hello Steve, Thanks for the kind words regarding my Ozark Airlines DC-3 flight video. Wow!, red leather seats in a DC-3. That was some plush aircraft. As about a six year old kid, I recall being aboard a Continental Airlines Boeing 707 at Chicago's O'Hare Field on a day when all commercial flights were banned due to nationwide military aircraft special operations. This was some time in the early to mid 1960's. Anyway, the airlines took advantage of this day or days and allowed people to come on board their airliners apparently at many U.S. major airports. While on that 707, I remember my Dad pointing out the golden toilet in one of the lavatories. At that time CAL use to have a TV spot that ended with, "The proud bird with the golden tail." One of my regrets in life is never having flown on a Boeing 707.
My goodness,...I've actually flown on Ozark Airlines in one of their DC -3's. Once from Jefferson City, Missouri to Chicago and also from St. Louis to Jefferson City one winter night going home for Christmas. This was sometime in the early 60's The flight from Jeff City to Chicago was a night flight and I was the only passenger for most or all of the flight. I spent a lot of time standing at the cockpit door watching the pilot and co pilot fly at not too high an altitude. You could do that in those pre "security" days. The STL to Jeff City flight was in December after stepping off a nice warm TWA 707 jet flight from NYC and connecting on the DC3 that had frost on the inside of the cabin windows. I'll never forget that.
Ah, the glory days of when flying was fun! Like that about your being able to stand within the doorway of the DC-3 cockpit during the flight and the frost on the INSIDE of the cabin windows. Thanks for sharing some highlights of what it was like back in the day traveling on an actual Ozark Air Lines DC-3.
Retired number 11 in the company. I retired 737 CA SWA 24500 hrs tt. My dad beat me with over 26400 hours! Even though I flew 31 years They flew more, worked harder!!!!
'Spen`t My childhood around this '"Great Bird" On the Ramp. In the Hanger, and in the Air, At Lambert StL with My "Pop Glen clancy Hales" and My Mother "Gwen Halrs" Thanks so much for the vidio post. Mike Hales
OMG! Ozark was still flying DC-3 in the 1990s! Amazing. When I was a boy living in Rockford, Illinois, they used to fly over my house toward Chicago. My first flight was in a DC-3 from the Moline airport to Greater Rockford Airport. My favorite plane.
Thanks for your comment regarding your first flight was in an Ozark DC-3. Ozark Air Lines last operated a DC-3 in 1968. The Ozark DC-3 in this video was owned and operated by the Prairie Aviation Museum (since sold) of Bloomington, IL. It was painted in Ozark's early livery circa 1950.
I used to attend the University of Missouri at Columbia, the main campus. I would fly from my home in L.A., usually via TWA to Kansas City, and sometimes to St. Louis. This via a 707. From there, in the 60s, Ozark was a 1 hour DC-3 flight to Columbia, which is in the nearly dead center of the state. I doubt the runway was more than 3,000' and it was right at the edge of town in those days. The DC-3 had no trouble landing on that field, and it was a comfortable, roomy seat and lovely ride at lower altitudes. Likely under 10K, or even under 5. When I was a boy, I used to fly DC-3s solon on United from Burbank to Fresno where a relative lived.
+Robert Chandler Robert, thanks for sharing some of your recollections of flying on Ozark DC-3's back when they were part of that airline's fleet. Yeah, I bet cruising around 5 to 10 thousand feet over the Missouri countryside had to make for a very pleasant flight (assuming no bad weather to fly through!).
I gather the word, "upchucked," means you "lost your cookies." That being the case, it was not that unusual for passengers to "heave their guts" into the air sickness bag back in the days when airliners, like the DC-3, were unpressurized and consequently flew at lower altitudes where the air was more turbulent. Also, flying as a means of transportation was still very much new for many when the DC-3 was first flying and the apprehension of those initial flights probably contributed to some passengers "upchucking!"
WITH INDIAN AIRLINES CORPORATION, N RNAC, THIS PLANE CARRIED US KATHMANDU VIA PATNA TO CALCUTTA, FROM CALCUTTATO BENARES AND BAGDOGRA... PAINFUL BUT NOSTALGICALLY HAPPY DAYS NO FIRST OR BUSINESS CLASS SEGREGATIONWE FLEW WITH KINGS... 😇😇😇😄🙃😄
Isn't it crazy to realize that in 1996 somebody was still flying passengers in a Dakota? I would have loved the experience, my deal was to get to as many airports on as many different aircraft as possible. I routinely flew Northwest from Phoenix to Philly on a D.C.-10, we made a stop in Denver then onto MSP, plane change then a 727 to PHL. Earlier I flew from DEN to LAX on their D.C.-10's, sometimes coming back on a United 747 that was their afternoon flight. Oh to return to the big aircraft and get off the damn 319, 320's everyone but Southwest and Alaska fly.
reverse thrust I think that's what I tried to write anyway that the only airlines that did not fly the 320 AirBus family was Alaska and Southwest. There is a caveat with Alaska however now that they own Virgin America and a boatload of 320's, as well as firm orders for more. The intention is to operate on a single certificate, I don't know how long it will take to fully merge and what happens to the AirBus' in house or the firm orders which certainly can be sold
Many years ago I flew on one from Cape Cod to Boston. It had piston engines (Wright?) and the starboard one dripped oil onto the tarmac.The pilot looked like he was about 25 yo. For some reason, passengers were not allowed to occupy the seats nearest the tail. Fun experience.
That's a CG thing. Passengers near the tail make some of not all more difficult to fly and avoid stalls under certain conditions. Safety says keep 'em near as possible to the CG
They certainly must have improved the heating system and insulation blankets because I flew on a Mohawk 3 in early 59 on a cold winter night and we were perfectly comfortable
COTTON WOOL IN BOTH EARS(AS NOISY OUTSIDE AS IN THE CABIN) WRIGLEYS SPEARMINT GUM IN THE TEETH OR AT LEAST FENNEL SEEDS, TRIP TO THE COCKPIT.. THOSE WERE THE DAYS... 🙃🙃🧡😇😇😇
I didn't know that this airline was even still flying. I heard that they had shut down. My mother and I flew on a 737 owned by Ozark Airlines once back in 1982 from Brownsville, Texas to Indianapolis, Indiana and then back to Brownsville, Texas to see my grandfather who was dying from cancer.
The radial piston prop engines start up differently than the turboprop engines of the DeHaviland Dash 8. On the turboprop engines, the props start slow and gradually gain speed, as the engine whines. Turboprop engines are jet engines with propellers attatched. But on the old piston prop engines, the props only turn slowly when the starter is turning the engine over. When the engine actually fires up, the prop rapidly goes into a spin. A lot of smoke comes out of the exhaust stacks when it first fires up. The radial piston engines themselves make a putting sound, similar to that of a Briggs & Stratton. The props make your basic "box fan" sound in taxiing, and buzz like the wings of a bumblebee in takeoff and inflight. The maximum RPM of the props is aproximantley 1,500 RPM. On a computer or TV screen, the 60 cycle flicker produces optical illusions of the props going slow or backwards. You also get that same effect on motion picture film.
Think of this; these were built in the mid 1940s, and there are still hundreds, if not thousands, of them still flying. But, there are airplane graveyards FULL of dead jets; 747, L-1011, 777, MD-10, and so on that are 30 years old, or less.
I don't think people realize that the military version of the DC-3 (the AC-47 and the EC-47) were major "work horses" of the Vietnam War...as well as WWII.
I can remember when these were still in service. Ozark flew from Jefferson City to St.Louis ,Mo. in 45 minutes was their advertisements. Those radials were just humming along nicely. Any one know if this craft is still flying?
Wow, this is so different from flying a commercial jet airliner. There's a much more relaxed attitude on-board, the piolets don't mind you filming them as they fly or even talking to them, the flight attendant didn't mind the passengers contining to get up, move around, and switch seats to look out of different windows, different sides of the plane. There was apparently no stringent seat belt rules (I'm sure everyone had to remain in their seats right during takeoff and landing, but that's it). These propeller planes definitely don't fly close to as high or as fast as a jet airliner. They seemed to be flying only about a half mile (5,000 ft) high off the ground, and at what looked like maybe 100mph - 120mph (compared to jet airliners flying 35,000 ft at 560mph (200mph takeoff and landings)). To sum it up, I would really like to travel on one of these propeller planes. I'm trying to think of a smaller town I'd like to travel to that doesn't have a major commercial airport where I can fly on a plane like this to. Examples I believe may be towns such as Joplin, Missouri, Liberal, Kansas, Great bend, Kansas, Scotts bluff, Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, Cedar rapids, Iowa, Sioux city, South Dakota, Grand forks, North Dakota. And of course, Lake of the Ozarks
Thanks for your comment! Had this been a real commercial flight instead of a museum tour flight, everybody would have had to remain in their seats except for a bathroom visit. We also would have been much higher in altitude flying to our destination. This was simply a take off and landing from the same airport to give the passengers a sample of what flight was like aboard a DC-3.
Thanks for sharing that rather unpleasant experience. The reason the stewardesses often handed out chewing gum (usually Chiclets) back in those DC-3/4 days was so passengers could "pop their ears" easier as the plane descended.
May be closer to two thousand. According to Wikipedia, approximately 2,000 DC-3's and their military derivative (C-47, C-53, etc.,.) are still flying as of 2013. Hope they have their numbers correct!
One of the original D Day DC 3 Gooney Birds has recently been found and is in the process of returning to the air for the 75th anniversary of that historic day here: th-cam.com/video/n5clU9Z-z4c/w-d-xo.html
That's a good question. I believe there are DC-3s still out there commercially hauling cargo. Especially places like Canada and South America. As for scheduled passenger service, perhaps someone else can elaborate on that.
@@WAL_DC-6B Hi Dan someone in comments mentioned that this particular DC 3 was sold to Norse Flight Inc. I checked out their website and they advertise as coming in 2020..sightseeing flights in DC 3 to be available as well as charter-able flights. Anchorage Alaska
Apparantly according to flightaware, It's been on the ground since 2016. Apparantly it's new owners are Norse Flight INC. they run an Alaskan flight tour company. On their websight which is sparse and very boring, they offer only one flight on a tiny helicopter
One of the original D Day DC 3 Gooney Birds has recently been found and is in the process of returning to the air for the 75th anniversary of that historic day here: th-cam.com/video/n5clU9Z-z4c/w-d-xo.html
Que c'est magnifique , un avion increvable , et toujours debout de nos jours ! C'est le plus beau bimoteurs de Douglas et j'adore cette melodie lors de la mise en route des Pratts , j'ais volé plusieurs fois sur DC3 , j'en ais gardé un souvenir fabuleux , tout etait ancien , c'etait un avion rustique ! J'ais volé sur un DC 3 d'epandage qui faisait les larguages de DDT sur Yoff , là c'etait un peu les montagnes russes, fallait pas avoir peur , j'etais assis entre le pilote et copilote , donc je voyais le sol venir vers nous , c'etait impressionnant , puis remise de gaz et manche vers l'arriere toute , puis virage , ça c'etait un putain de radada, jte dis pas, quand ont s'est posé à yoff , j'etais en sueur mais heureux , puis ensuite j'ais volé sur un DC 3 hollandais le Ph-DDA pour un 360 au dessus de Colmar lors d'un meeting aerien et en sortant j'ais pleuré toutes les larmes de mon corps car cela m'a rappelé bien des souvenirs d'enfance . Pas de doutes le DC 3 est bien un avion de legende !
I wish I had the experience to ride in a Douglas DC 3. My mother rode in one back in the early 1970s on a trip to Washington DC for a school field trip. Lucky her lol
Taxiing for 1/2 hour in a small airport, how frustrating.
Love how the tail comes alive.
The co-pilot's DC-3 type rating instruction from the pilot is what led to the additional time on the ground.
My first flight was on a PSA DC-3 from Sacramento to LA in 1959. The stewardess passed around a basket of gem announcing ""Chicklets anyone?" Top pop our ears during cabin pressure changes at different altitudes and passed out mini packs of 5 cigarettes whether you wanted them or not!
That was gum not gem!
Thanks for your comment regarding a flight experience on a DC-3 back in the day. I understand that the major airlines back in the 1950s and 60s would often include a small pack of cigarettes with your complementary meal even if you were too young to smoke.
Same seat on the line Marseille / Paris circa 1967/69 then the corespondance in Caravelle ... I was a very little kid and the air hostess had taken me to visit the small cockpit. I was treated to a coloring book with beautiful wooden colored pencils for this baptism of the first time. The magic of youtube. Great thanks
I was one of the last pilots to fly the DC-3 in scheduled passenger operations 1976-1978. I flew for a commuter airline that served St. Louis, Kansas City, Lake of the Ozarks, Rollaways, and Fort Leonard Wood. I have 1,000 hours as captain in this amazing airplane. I saw the final Ozark Airlines DC-3 flight when it landed in Springfield, Missouri in October, 1968.
Nice to hear from someone who worked on passenger DC-3s in the planes' waning days here in the U.S. not to mention witnessing the last Ozark Air Lines DC-3 flight in 1968.
Thanks Dan!! I went on to fly the B-727,B-737,B-757 and B-767 for United Airlines for 29 years retiring in 2015 at age 65. I currently fly a very high tech Pilatus PC-12NG single engine turboprop for a corporation in Pennsylvania. This difference in technology from the DC-3 to the Pilatus is just astounding! If you want to know more about what it was like to fly the DC-3, don't be afraid to ask me.
@@MrSuzuki1187 Wow! You had an exciting airline pilot career considering all the jetliners you flew for United. Glad to hear you were also able to retire at age 65 instead of the old 60 age. I retired at age 60 as a locomotive engineer with the Soo Line Railroad Co. I won't bore you with all the engines I ran! Yeah, I bet there is a world of difference between the Pilatus PC-12NG and a DC-3. Interesting to see you flew a DC-3 with uprated engines. I have a pilot's license (single engine land), but haven't been pilot in command since January, 1989. I'll keep you in mind if I have any "what was it like to fly a DC-3" questions.
@@WAL_DC-6B I would love to hear what it was like to pilot a diesel locomotive! Where did you go and were were you based? if you want, I have written some stories about flying the DC-3 and the Beech 18, which I also flew for the same commuter airline, that I will send you. Email me at jturpin782@aol.com and I will send the stories to you free of charge.
I flew on a DC-03 to Alameda from Salt Lake City in 1970. I was with a NJROTC unit from Kearns High School.
Thanks for your comment! Was that aboard a commercial airline DC-3 or possibly one used by the USAF?
@@WAL_DC-6B It was owned by the Navy Reserves I think. It might have been the Air National Guard. They were all Space A.
@@elijahhodges4405 Thanks for your response! If it was a Naval Reserve aircraft, then it would be designated an R4D.
While still in grade school and living in Decatur, Illinois my favorite weekly summer treat was to be driven to the Decatur Airport (KDEC) and then for me to stand by the fence separating me from the "apron" in order to enable me to watch the midday Sunday arrival and departure of the DC-3 Ozark Air Lines commuter aircraft, similar to the one featured in this video. That was many years ago but the experience sparked in me a lasting fascination with everything to do with general aviation. Indeed the video brings back a lot of memories!
I was on a Provincetown-Boston Airways DC-3 a couple of times. It was both fun and was a comparison to the many other types I was on. The DC-3 was the best and in 80 years no other aircraft could surpass it in terms of it's reliability and ruggedness.
Some have said "the best replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3." Thanks for your comment on a PBA DC-3 flight.
My first flight was on a Capital Airlines DC-3 flight from Muskegon Mi to Milwaukee Wis. in 1960 - A true workhorse and a few still operating. A real gem from the the Douglas Aircraft Co.
Mine too. Capital Airlines DC-3 from PIT to DCA. My last DC-3 flight was in the 80's from SJU to STT.
My first flight was on a DC-3 when the Navy flew me from the east coast to Burbank Cal. In 1962. I forgot how many fuel stops we made. Thanks for the great video of a wonderful legendary airplane.
Hey, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed my Ozark DC-3 video. Thanks for relating your experience of flying such a long distance apparently on board a U.S. Navy R4D (designation for a Navy DC-3). Perhaps the last time your could fly on a DC-3 commercially from coast to coast in the U.S. was some time in the early 1950's.
L Land th-cam.com/video/VIzwER8oflQ/w-d-xo.html
Dan Uscian th-cam.com/video/VIzwER8oflQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the memories. 1957 I was 10 and my first plane flight was a DC 3 from Seattle to Victoria Canada. We hit lots of turbulence the next day coming back and I really liked the roller coaster ride I got. Today's air travel is awfull.
Glad you liked my DC-3 video and thanks for relating your flight in one back in 1957. Yes, I'll admit flying these days lacks much of the "glitz" from years past. But, this is the price we pay for much lower airfares and we don't have to inhale cigarette smoke anymore.
Nice to see a Dakota with not only Pratt & Whitneys but also an original nose cone!
Thanks for pointing out the original nose cone on this DC-3!
Back in the 1980s Ozark Air would offer 20 minute flights over St Louis for just $20 a seat. They had daytime and nighttime flights. They would take off, fly in a big circle and land. I took my grandmother, who had never been on an airplane, on a daytime flight and she had a ball. We actually flew over her home in Belleville Illinois by chance.
Ozark Air was awesome.
Thanks for your comment about Ozark's 20 minute sightseeing flight over St. Louis. Back in the early to mid 1960s, American Airlines use to offer 30 minute flights over Chicago on their Lockheed Electra II's. This was to help interest people in flying and to convince people that the Electra was once again safe to fly on.
HOW DID THEY ELIMINATE THE EARACHES AND THE 3-4DAY PERSISTENT GIDDINESS N NUMBNESS INTHE FEET??
I had the pleasure of flying on this plane with my friend Trev Morson somewhere around the year 2000 or so. Enjoyed every second of it! :)
while in Marathon, Florida in 2018, my son and I went to the airport during an airshow and there she was, sitting on the apron, all silver and green lettering with the words "OZARK AIRLINES" on the side...will look for the photo and get back to you...most reliable passenger/cargo plane ever built, bar none....
Thanks for relating your having witnessed this DC-3 in Florida back in 2018. It's apparently now up in Anchorage, Alaska and is owned by Norse Flight Inc. They're advertising on their website DC-3 flights for 2020 and I bet N763A will have the privilege of doing the job. So, very shortly, you should be able to once again take a flight on this historic aircraft if you don't mind the trip to the 49th state!
My first airplane flight, as a 9yo boy, was on a Southern Airways DC3 from Birmingham, AL to Panama City, FL. I still remember that flight to this day and I'm 67 now.
Who knows, it could be the DC-3 seen in this video when it flew with Southern Airways as N70SA!
I was lucky enough to take a flight a Ozark Air DC-3 while at the Dayton Air Show. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER IT! I have always had the goal to own a DC-3. So far, I have only owned a C-172 but the goal is still there. Wonderful memory & wonderful aircraft!
2003Harleyguy There's supposed to a man that goes all over the world looking for DC-3 aircraft or DC-3 aircraft parts to restore and then he sells them to people like you and me that would live to purchase and own one of these magnificent aircraft. I just can't think of who it is or where he's at; sorry.
It's hard to imagine taxi-ing from that position. I learned to fly on a Mahl taildragger which was one steep learning curve. I took some lessons in a Piper Cub, I could fly it in my sleep it was so easy. It was sad to lose so many quality carriers Ozark, North Central, Western, PSA, National, PanAm, TWA and many more. I was living in Denver taking 3-4 flights a week and I remember Ozark's DC-9's parked on the south side of Concourse C. That shade of white and green combined with the exhaust to make the aircraft look like the entire fuselage had been dusted for fingerprints. They were dirty birds.. The airline had some very pretty flight attendants, and we're very nice people. For those who worked for Ozark, you people were first class. There was a small town openness and decently that was special about of of you, maybe I was way off and everyone was from St Louis and other large Missouri Valley cities.
Old is gold now,keep it up.
Great video! Thank you! To fly this bird is on my bucket list! Greetings from Norway!
Glad you liked my video and hope you get the chance to fly on a DC-3 in the near future.
I’m about 100% sure my father flew that same plane in his career with Ozark,, Richard Sharp,,,, he flew me in one of those when I was very young,,, great job to everyone.
The large square windows and window curtains make the cabin look so nice!
Fresh off the farm and on my first job in the city, after six months I decided to take a flight home in a DC-3. My Uncle owned a Piper Cub so I'd been up in a plane before but what I remember most of that flight was the power and vibration of the engines. Second was the cute stewardess. Hey, I was only nineteen and the world was before me.Third was the fact that my mother wasn't too happy to see me as she had to drive an hour to pick me up at the airport. Never did that again. The DC-3 brings back mixed memories for me but above all I probably flew in one the most famous aircraft in aviation history.
stwrthnn i
I remember flying in a military C-47 around 1967 or 1968 for a trip from Fort Riley Kansas to Wright Patterson Air Force Base when I was in Air Force ROTC.
Thanks for your comment! I too flew in a military Douglas C-47. It was back in June of 1976. I was a volunteer with in the organization "Amigos de las Americas." We were doing vaccinating of the local population (tetanus, DPT, polio and measles) in the country of Nicaragua. We were flown from Managua to Blue Fields aboard a Nicaraguan Air Force C-47. The women volunteers got the side wall bench seats. We guys literally sat on the floor. It was about a hour long, noisy flight.
I 'd challenge many young boys to have an experience to fly on this
type of aircraft DC 3. I think that
of them had same afraid. But they
don't know that I shoud want to
pilot this aircraft! That is a very good machine!!
MARAVILLOSO! No recuerdo mucho, pero creo haber visto estos avienes en el aeropuerto de mi ciudad Puerto Montt, Chile, en el año 1963.65. Hermosísimo documento este. Muchas gracias! Gracias, gracias, gracias. Abrazo de Luz!
De nada!
I flew on Ozark several times. First time was in college from St. Louis to Ottumwa, Ia. Always enjoyed flying with them.
Hermoso. Un sueño realizado por medio de este lindo video.
Gracias por compartirlo.
Hi Dan...thanks for your great video...brought back memories...In the good old days of 1968/69 I was shown round a lovely Air Ulster DC3 at Glasgow Int Airport it is the only time I have ever been on one of these great birds and it was a wonderful experience...The bird was spotless and it had new real red leather seats, I will never forget it...I was shown round lots of aircraft in those days when I was a boy especially at Glasgow and Glasgow Prestwick...Air Ulster done a shuttle service between Belfast and Glasgow with the Douglas DC3s....I can also say I was fortunate enough to be on a PanAm Boeing 707-300 in my lifetime. Once again Dan thanks for the video...I look forward for more...God bless.
Hello Steve, Thanks for the kind words regarding my Ozark Airlines DC-3 flight video. Wow!, red leather seats in a DC-3. That was some plush aircraft. As about a six year old kid, I recall being aboard a Continental Airlines Boeing 707 at Chicago's O'Hare Field on a day when all commercial flights were banned due to nationwide military aircraft special operations. This was some time in the early to mid 1960's. Anyway, the airlines took advantage of this day or days and allowed people to come on board their airliners apparently at many U.S. major airports. While on that 707, I remember my Dad pointing out the golden toilet in one of the lavatories. At that time CAL use to have a TV spot that ended with, "The proud bird with the golden tail." One of my regrets in life is never having flown on a Boeing 707.
The DC-3 I used to fly was also a former C-53 and, as you mentioned, we flew it as a DC-3A except ours had 1350 hp Pratt&Whitney R-1830-94 engines.
adorei!! DC-3, um dos aviões mais seguros, pois na época já fis voos de São Paulo a Rio de Janeiro
Obrigado Dan Uscian
My goodness,...I've actually flown on Ozark Airlines in one of their DC -3's. Once from Jefferson City, Missouri to Chicago and also from St. Louis to Jefferson City one winter night going home for Christmas. This was sometime in the early 60's
The flight from Jeff City to Chicago was a night flight and I was the only passenger for most or all of the flight. I spent a lot of time standing at the cockpit door watching the pilot and co pilot fly at not too high an altitude. You could do that in those pre "security" days.
The STL to Jeff City flight was in December after stepping off a nice warm TWA 707 jet flight from NYC and connecting on the DC3 that had frost on the inside of the cabin windows. I'll never forget that.
Ah, the glory days of when flying was fun! Like that about your being able to stand within the doorway of the DC-3 cockpit during the flight and the frost on the INSIDE of the cabin windows. Thanks for sharing some highlights of what it was like back in the day traveling on an actual Ozark Air Lines DC-3.
nice flight; am glad I got checked out on that old bird wonderful flying machine
Retired number 11 in the company. I retired 737 CA SWA 24500 hrs tt. My dad beat me with over 26400 hours! Even though I flew 31 years
They flew more, worked harder!!!!
Great video! It brought back fond memories of my early days as a pilot.
I remember these planes flying out of Peoria airport years ago.
That was was indeed years ago. Ozark retired its last DC-3s in 1968.
When I was a.little girl my entire family flew on this. It was very modern for it's time.
Depending on where you boarded I'm guess you really had to pump your legs walking up that isle, is hold back so as not to slide down
'Spen`t My childhood around this '"Great Bird" On the Ramp. In the Hanger, and in the Air, At Lambert StL with My "Pop Glen clancy Hales" and My Mother "Gwen Halrs" Thanks so much for the vidio post. Mike Hales
OMG! Ozark was still flying DC-3 in the 1990s! Amazing. When I was a boy living in Rockford, Illinois, they used to fly over my house toward Chicago. My first flight was in a DC-3 from the Moline airport to Greater Rockford Airport. My favorite plane.
Thanks for your comment regarding your first flight was in an Ozark DC-3. Ozark Air Lines last operated a DC-3 in 1968. The Ozark DC-3 in this video was owned and operated by the Prairie Aviation Museum (since sold) of Bloomington, IL. It was painted in Ozark's early livery circa 1950.
I used to watch Ozark planes at the Quad City airport as a kid. Loved it.
That was wonderful! It is the plane mu dad flew,and loved in ww2.To get to fly on one is on mu bucket.list.Just not sure where to go!
Occasionally at some major airshows a DC-3/C-47 will show up that provides rides.
I used to attend the University of Missouri at Columbia, the main campus. I would fly from my home in L.A., usually via TWA to Kansas City, and sometimes to St. Louis. This via a 707.
From there, in the 60s, Ozark was a 1 hour DC-3 flight to Columbia, which is in the nearly dead center of the state.
I doubt the runway was more than 3,000' and it was right at the edge of town in those days. The DC-3 had no trouble landing on that field, and it was a comfortable, roomy seat and lovely ride at lower altitudes. Likely under 10K, or even under 5.
When I was a boy, I used to fly DC-3s solon on United from Burbank to Fresno where a relative lived.
+Robert Chandler Robert, thanks for sharing some of your recollections of flying on Ozark DC-3's back when they were part of that airline's fleet. Yeah, I bet cruising around 5 to 10 thousand feet over the Missouri countryside had to make for a very pleasant flight (assuming no bad weather to fly through!).
As a boy, I flew on a plane like that, from Kentucky to LaGuardia. I upchucked at least once.
I gather the word, "upchucked," means you "lost your cookies." That being the case, it was not that unusual for passengers to "heave their guts" into the air sickness bag back in the days when airliners, like the DC-3, were unpressurized and consequently flew at lower altitudes where the air was more turbulent. Also, flying as a means of transportation was still very much new for many when the DC-3 was first flying and the apprehension of those initial flights probably contributed to some passengers "upchucking!"
P
WITH INDIAN AIRLINES CORPORATION, N RNAC, THIS PLANE CARRIED US KATHMANDU VIA PATNA TO CALCUTTA, FROM CALCUTTATO BENARES AND BAGDOGRA... PAINFUL BUT NOSTALGICALLY HAPPY DAYS NO FIRST OR BUSINESS CLASS SEGREGATIONWE FLEW WITH KINGS... 😇😇😇😄🙃😄
Thanks for sharing what the flight journey was like back in the day!
This video is a masterpiece 🤩
Isn't it crazy to realize that in 1996 somebody was still flying passengers in a Dakota? I would have loved the experience, my deal was to get to as many airports on as many different aircraft as possible. I routinely flew Northwest from Phoenix to Philly on a D.C.-10, we made a stop in Denver then onto MSP, plane change then a 727 to PHL. Earlier I flew from DEN to LAX on their D.C.-10's, sometimes coming back on a United 747 that was their afternoon flight. Oh to return to the big aircraft and get off the damn 319, 320's everyone but Southwest and Alaska fly.
Flew out from Fort Polk on a Trans Texas DC3 in February 1966. Brings back good memories. Regards.
reverse thrust I think that's what I tried to write anyway that the only airlines that did not fly the 320 AirBus family was Alaska and Southwest. There is a caveat with Alaska however now that they own Virgin America and a boatload of 320's, as well as firm orders for more. The intention is to operate on a single certificate, I don't know how long it will take to fully merge and what happens to the AirBus' in house or the firm orders which certainly can be sold
They are a Beautiful Plane ❤.
Many years ago I flew on one from Cape Cod to Boston. It had piston engines (Wright?) and the starboard one dripped oil onto the tarmac.The pilot looked like he was about 25 yo. For some reason, passengers were not allowed to occupy the seats nearest the tail. Fun experience.
I gather that was a PBA, Provincetown, Boston Airlines, DC-3. Thanks for recalling your flight experience!
@@WAL_DC-6B Yes, PBA. I think someone at the counter said that it was the oldest or second oldest DC-3 in passenger service in North America.
That's a CG thing. Passengers near the tail make some of not all more difficult to fly and avoid stalls under certain conditions. Safety says keep 'em near as possible to the CG
Bestiful airplane. My favorite
They certainly must have improved the heating system and insulation blankets because I flew on a Mohawk 3 in early 59 on a cold winter night and we were perfectly comfortable
This plane is good for rough airports. I have seen plane landing takeoff 55 years ago.
COTTON WOOL IN BOTH EARS(AS NOISY OUTSIDE AS IN THE CABIN) WRIGLEYS SPEARMINT GUM IN THE TEETH OR AT LEAST FENNEL SEEDS, TRIP TO THE COCKPIT.. THOSE WERE THE DAYS... 🙃🙃🧡😇😇😇
I didn't know that this airline was even still flying. I heard that they had shut down. My mother and I flew on a 737 owned by Ozark Airlines once back in 1982 from Brownsville, Texas to Indianapolis, Indiana and then back to Brownsville, Texas to see my grandfather who was dying from cancer.
DC 3.one of the Best airplane built.the work horas of normady invasión.june 6 1944.his Maiden flight was decenber 1935.
Fantastic!!! 🙂😎🙃🙂
The radial piston prop engines start up differently than the turboprop engines of the DeHaviland Dash 8. On the turboprop engines, the props start slow and gradually gain speed, as the engine whines. Turboprop engines are jet engines with propellers attatched. But on the old piston prop engines, the props only turn slowly when the starter is turning the engine over. When the engine actually fires up, the prop rapidly goes into a spin. A lot of smoke comes out of the exhaust stacks when it first fires up. The radial piston engines themselves make a putting sound, similar to that of a Briggs & Stratton. The props make your basic "box fan" sound in taxiing, and buzz like the wings of a bumblebee in takeoff and inflight. The maximum RPM of the props is aproximantley 1,500 RPM. On a computer or TV screen, the 60 cycle flicker produces optical illusions of the props going slow or backwards. You also get that same effect on motion picture film.
It can go to 2,700 rpm on takeoff
Think of this; these were built in the mid 1940s, and there are still hundreds, if not thousands, of them still flying. But, there are airplane graveyards FULL of dead jets; 747, L-1011, 777, MD-10, and so on that are 30 years old, or less.
I was curious as to how many DC-3s of all types are still operating and Wikipedia claims that in 1998 there were still around 400 in commercial use.
I don't think people realize that the military version of the DC-3 (the AC-47 and the EC-47) were major "work horses" of the Vietnam War...as well as WWII.
I can remember when these were still in service. Ozark flew from Jefferson City to St.Louis ,Mo. in 45 minutes was their advertisements. Those radials were just humming along nicely. Any one know if this craft is still flying?
I can't believe it. Crazy!!!.
Wow, this is so different from flying a commercial jet airliner. There's a much more relaxed attitude on-board, the piolets don't mind you filming them as they fly or even talking to them, the flight attendant didn't mind the passengers contining to get up, move around, and switch seats to look out of different windows, different sides of the plane. There was apparently no stringent seat belt rules (I'm sure everyone had to remain in their seats right during takeoff and landing, but that's it). These propeller planes definitely don't fly close to as high or as fast as a jet airliner. They seemed to be flying only about a half mile (5,000 ft) high off the ground, and at what looked like maybe 100mph - 120mph (compared to jet airliners flying 35,000 ft at 560mph (200mph takeoff and landings)). To sum it up, I would really like to travel on one of these propeller planes. I'm trying to think of a smaller town I'd like to travel to that doesn't have a major commercial airport where I can fly on a plane like this to. Examples I believe may be towns such as Joplin, Missouri, Liberal, Kansas, Great bend, Kansas, Scotts bluff, Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, Cedar rapids, Iowa, Sioux city, South Dakota, Grand forks, North Dakota. And of course, Lake of the Ozarks
Thanks for your comment! Had this been a real commercial flight instead of a museum tour flight, everybody would have had to remain in their seats except for a bathroom visit. We also would have been much higher in altitude flying to our destination. This was simply a take off and landing from the same airport to give the passengers a sample of what flight was like aboard a DC-3.
N. L. Lupinek had 6000 hours in DC-3’s
So this DC-3, at the time of this recorded flight, had seating for 28 passengers(?).
Yes.
NAC newzealand had thirty of these flew them until 1970
I've had plenty of passenger time in these, worse is the DC-4 which if they came down rather quickly resulted in terrible ear pain!
Thanks for sharing that rather unpleasant experience. The reason the stewardesses often handed out chewing gum (usually Chiclets) back in those DC-3/4 days was so passengers could "pop their ears" easier as the plane descended.
Ozark Airlines. Based in St Louis.
My parents flew on DC 3 from London To Delhi
How long ago was that? Bet that was a long flight!
Still over a thousand of these babies flying.
May be closer to two thousand. According to Wikipedia, approximately 2,000 DC-3's and their military derivative (C-47, C-53, etc.,.) are still flying as of 2013. Hope they have their numbers correct!
One of the original D Day DC 3 Gooney Birds has recently been found and is in the process of returning to the air for the 75th anniversary of that historic day here: th-cam.com/video/n5clU9Z-z4c/w-d-xo.html
My dad flew that. N.L. Lupinek
10:26 pure music
Are any still flying commercially?
That's a good question. I believe there are DC-3s still out there commercially hauling cargo. Especially places like Canada and South America. As for scheduled passenger service, perhaps someone else can elaborate on that.
@@WAL_DC-6B Hi Dan someone in comments mentioned that this particular DC 3 was sold to Norse Flight Inc. I checked out their website and they advertise as coming in 2020..sightseeing flights in DC 3 to be available as well as charter-able flights. Anchorage Alaska
@@donnaberube5480 Well, there you have it. Thanks for the reminder!
how i would love to recondition one of these planes
Why are the zillions of rivets not as visually prominent on this bird as they are on most of the other vintage aircraft?
Guess Douglas Aircraft did a better job of making the rivets flush with the surface of the DC-3's they built.
this plane still fly ?
Someone mentioned here that this DC-3 has been on the ground in Alaska since 2016. Its owner is Norse Flight Inc.
I flew from MSP to CID on this plane August 1962...
👍🇺🇸
wait how did you get to go on that awesome plane
I was a member of the Prairie Aviation Museum when they offered flights aboard their DC-3 seen here.
Cockpit door open, a DC3, last of the good times.1996 was just before American air travel turned to crap.
Apparantly according to flightaware, It's been on the ground since 2016. Apparantly it's new owners are Norse Flight INC. they run an Alaskan flight tour company. On their websight which is sparse and very boring, they offer only one flight on a tiny helicopter
Probably can't afford a pilot with enough balls to pilot this thing on the same trip...
that is beyond sad
@@mrtyreus0 you're probably right on that. Seriously.
@@pupplementarypupplements5804 oh, no doubt.
One of the original D Day DC 3 Gooney Birds has recently been found and is in the process of returning to the air for the 75th anniversary of that historic day here:
th-cam.com/video/n5clU9Z-z4c/w-d-xo.html
Very nice! Shame about the woman and kid clattering away and spoiling takeoff!
Think that's bad, check out one of my Connie flights th-cam.com/video/rnEVeD5zKKQ/w-d-xo.html
Mnn
Que c'est magnifique , un avion increvable , et toujours debout de nos jours !
C'est le plus beau bimoteurs de Douglas et j'adore cette melodie lors de la mise en route des Pratts , j'ais volé plusieurs fois sur DC3 , j'en ais gardé un souvenir fabuleux , tout etait ancien , c'etait un avion rustique !
J'ais volé sur un DC 3 d'epandage qui faisait les larguages de DDT sur Yoff , là c'etait un peu les montagnes russes, fallait pas avoir peur , j'etais assis entre le pilote et copilote , donc je voyais le sol venir vers nous , c'etait impressionnant , puis remise de gaz et manche vers l'arriere toute , puis virage , ça c'etait un putain de radada, jte dis pas, quand ont s'est posé à yoff , j'etais en sueur mais heureux , puis ensuite j'ais volé sur un DC 3 hollandais le Ph-DDA pour un 360 au dessus de Colmar lors d'un meeting aerien et en sortant j'ais pleuré toutes les larmes de mon corps car cela m'a rappelé bien des souvenirs d'enfance .
Pas de doutes le DC 3 est bien un avion de legende !