The DC-3 is one of the most iconic and successful aircraft of all time. As versatile as a Swiss Army Knife and as durable as Sherman tank, these are machines that still have a place in the modern world. It may be a small place, but DC-3s are still working airplanes, especially in remote areas where simplicity, durability, toughness, and reliability are the key factors to success. One of those places is western Canada and one of the operations that still use the DC-3 is Buffalo Airways, a charter passenger, cargo, fuel, firefighting, and former passenger service airline that is based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada,
The airline has a total of 57 planes with six of them being DC-3s. The whole aircraft lineup is something straight out of the movies with legendary names and equipment the likes of which no one has in this concentration anymore. It’s astonishing and totally awesome. Hell, one of the DC-3s that Buffalo has actually flew on D-day and delivered paratroopers to the beaches of Normandy! How about that?!
In this video we are with “Buffalo Joe” McBryan who was a pilot tat eventually bought the airline from its founder many moons ago. McBryan has more seat time in a DC-3 than any other person on the planet and he is still racking it up on a regular basis.
This video takes us through the starting procedure for this plane, which is is awesome shape. The neatest thing about this rig is that it’s all analog and mechanical. The gauges, the throttles, the everything. This is not about sensors and warning lights this is about knowing the equipment, what things are supposed to sound and feel like, and acting accordingly. We love every second of this video. Watch.
As seen on the Weather Channel’s Ice Pilots, a “reality show” that seems to generate enough real tension to keep the amped up drama to a minimum, the occasional disgruntled employee notwithstanding.
Very much in the same vein as TWC’s Heavy Rescue.
My point in commenting on this story is to say that there doesn’t seem to be much manipulation of events on either of these shows, beyond the narrative, which is refreshing in light of all the made up bullshit that has infested cable television to the point that what used to be the History Channel and Discovery Channel is now mostly nonsense.
Not very BangShifty, I know, but the original premise is based on airplanes and semis so we’re gonna call it good.
Love those radial’s you stink like oil and high octane after flight and working on them
Not sure if any DC-3’s are regularly hauling skydivers any more but I remember one guy had a pure white jumpsuit until the moment he went out the door and thru the prop blast. I guess gallons per hour can also be applied to the lubrication system.
I was back end crew on 128 E C-47/DC-3 intelligence missions in Vietnam. Among my duties was to keep an eye on #2 engine and report any “excessive” oil leakage. I recall each plane was different on what classified as “excessive”.