DC 4 Buffalo Airways 'Dambuster'

I’ve just had a walk outside to look at the three Coventry Dakotas.

G-AMPY is equipped for spraying but also has passenger seats. I haven’t seen it fly for a while but it appears complete.

G-AMRA I have seen flying several times in the ten months I have been working at Coventry. It is currently in the hanger with the outer wings off for a periodic structural inspection. I think its cabin is pretty empty.

G-ANAF has recently had the radar trials kit removed. It is currently without propellors, rudder (which has been moved to G-AMPY) and one engine.

I was in Cologne a few weeks ago and Lufthansa seem to manage quite happily to operate a Ju52 on fare paying joy-rides every day so given the will, and presumably budget, it seems that it is possible.

PS I was very impressed when a security guard at Cologne airport asked me to move to a different spot for a while. As we were walking away, I mentioned that I was watching the aeroplanes while waiting for my flight, “Ah the Tante Ju.” he said, “You can fly in it you know”. A human security guard that speaks excellent English and is interested in the job. They have them in Germany so why not the UK? 🙂

It depends on what the commercial use of the aircraft is I suppose? I would imagine the ones involved with pollution control are still profitable or they would have been retired years ago. As far as I know they’re still earning their keep.

South Coast Airways had their own problems before the rules regarding passenger flights changed, and ceased trading in 2002.

http://www.ruudleeuw.com/scoastaws.htm

I don’t think anything that involves the CAA is quite as easy as filing an application; but with exemptions being granted in Europe, and the e-petition results, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a return of passenger flights in UK in the future.

Dak pleasure flights

I find the above really difficult to believe, what with Classis Flight, Aces High, and that South Coast Airways operation all running Daks on a Commercial basis, ie No bungs from the MOD and certainly no heritage lottery money being bestowed upon them. why didnt they put up the necessary applications, or is there just not enough profit to be made from taking a coach load of enthusiasts on a twenty minute figure of eight these days? I feel there must be more to this than we think, despite my disappointment with Mr Collett and his band of merry men of late he does have a good head for business and if it had just been down to filing an application it would surely have been done? If memory serves me correct wasnt it something to do with the weight of the Daks bringing them under the same regs as say a 350 seater long haul?

There was an e-petition done about this years ago.

The reply –

“New harmonised EU rules covering aircraft operations, known as “EU-Ops”, require aircraft to hold a standard European Certificate of Airworthiness, but operators of historic aircraft are still able to undertake commercial passenger flights if they receive an exemption from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) from the requirement. To date no DC3 exemption application has been received by the CAA.”

Think if the will had been there the rules could have been overcome – European operators seem to manage to continue to offer flights in the DC-3.
I may be wrong but by reducing the number of passengers by a two or three the requirement for all the alterations would be avoided…

Pleasure flight Daks

If im correct you will struggle like hell to gain permission to carry fare paying passengers in a Dak in the uk, classic flight at coventry had to call it a day to such things because it was unviable to install the necessary equipment that the CAA insisted on to be carried out, Bulletproof cockpit bulkheads and Emergency escape chutes were to be fitted if im correct?

Guys, I’m in the process of setting up a new Dc-3 passenger service. Curevtky looking for financial backers. Hope to be operating late 2013 or 2014. I want to take a plane load of Normandy vets back in ’14 free of charge…

There was a DC-6 refurbished and operated in Namibia by the late Chris Schutte. If you google him you will find the story. I’m not sure where it is now. I had a look in it about 14 years ago, it was immaculate.

Still quite a few DC-3s operating in South/Southern Africa.

Speaking of Buffalo…has anyone here gone to Canada to get a ride in their DC-3s?
Or are DC-3 rides still common enough in the UK that it’s not worth the effort?

I don’t know if they use the DC-4s for passenger flights, but it would be fun to add that to my “done that” list.

(Also, I need a DC-7 flight…)

Don’t think any operator in the UK is doing DC-3 pleasure flights – maybe a tail-up taxi run is as close as you’ll get.
I managed to get one of the last flights on G-AMPY at Coventry before Classic Flight pulled the plug on them due to “EU red tape” – you can still fly in a DC-3 in Europe though. Obviously the red tape that grounded the Coventry DC-3 doesn’t apply on t’other side of the Channel…

www.dutchdakota.eu

www.dc3vennerne.dk/

just looked at your album

very good

No Beech 18’s tho

philip

www.beechrestorations.com

Not at all – didn’t mean it that way – I’m sure it will be well received.

Sorry Bob

Just reread my previous post

I missed out the word ‘I’

Should have read “I dont think what I’m doing is in poor taste.”

-not meant in a bad way, was thinking out loud.

Baz

Speaking of Buffalo…has anyone here gone to Canada to get a ride in their DC-3s?
Or are DC-3 rides still common enough in the UK that it’s not worth the effort?

I don’t know if they use the DC-4s for passenger flights, but it would be fun to add that to my “done that” list.

(Also, I need a DC-7 flight…)

Yes, sadly saw Arnie had passed away:( dont think what I’m doing is in poor taste.

Baz

Not at all – didn’t mean it that way – I’m sure it will be well received.

I think the card is very good

have you done others

philip

Many!

I’ve put some in my picture gallery thingy.

Baz

Sorry, been away the last few days with my Spitfire…..:rolleyes:

Thanks for your replies, I have just done what you suggested Bob and emailed Mike at Buffalo Airways.

Yes, sadly saw Arnie had passed away:( dont think what I’m doing is in poor taste.

Baz

Quote:The last time a dam was blown up by a bouncing bomb was in May 1943. Well, not true.:Quote

Is true! It stated in the documentary that they were not allowed to carry a live charge and the dam was blown up by preset charges on the ground. Ok, I know it’s a bit pedantic.

The last time a dam was blown up by a bouncing bomb was in May 1943. Well, not true. In October 2010, Dr Hugh Hunt was asked to act as Lead Engineer in a Channel 4 documentary remake of the raid. Together with Windfall Films his team designed a rig to suspend a spinning bomb under a DC4, and built a 10m-high dam especially for the purpose of blowing it up.

Suggest an email to Windfall Films for the production dates (http://www.windfallfilms.com/contactus.aspx) or Dr Hugh Hunt (http://www.hughhunt.co.uk/)?

Maybe contact Buffalo Airways for more info with the offer of a framed copy of the card for them? (Mikey McBryan
[email]mikeymcbryan@gmail.com[/email])

I think the card is very good

have you done others

philip

Closest I can come up with so far is this…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8478469/The-day-the-Dam-Busters-returned…-in-Canada.html