DC 3 farewell tour 2008

[Martin H]

Towards the end of july The DC 3 and other classic airliners will be forbidden under an EU directive to carry fare paying passengers.
As a result Air Atlantic the Uk's sole commercial DC-3 operator is mounting a tour of british airports for those who want to sample a flight in a Dak for the last time.
My parents got me a seat on one flight out of Coventry for my birthday. So today (18th may 2008) we arrived at the appointed place and checked in.............the photos say the rest

heading for the door

every one getting settled in

the view from my seat









My other home, MAM from an angle that im not used to LOL

The Gaydon Jaguar/Landrover/Ford test track..on the former V bomber base

The mugshot just to show I was on board LOL

Kennilworth castle on the way back into Coventry

loaded up ready for the next flight

The companys own Pembrook

Tail dragging Cessna 150

one of their two canberra's. the other was on the flight line and out of reach

DH Venom

Retired DC 6, acting as a sort of gate gaurd out side the companies ops building

Their other joy riding Dak, acting as a static "get your cockpit pics here" booth

One of their small fleet of chippies

another chippie

Radar test bed Dak.

Their Shackelton MR 2 (deconverted from an AEW 2.

clipped wing twin pin....under going deep maintainance

[kitnut617]

Wicked 

Where is Air Atlantic located Martin?  It would seem to be worth a visit should I be in the country anytime soon.

[Thorvic]

Wicked 

Where is Air Atlantic located Martin?  It would seem to be worth a visit should I be in the country anytime soon.

Coventry Airport in the East Midlands.

Midland Air Musuem is next door where Martins IPMS branch meets and the Whif SIG have a cabinet there

Geoff

[B777LR]

A Danish DC-3 club still offers flights. You have to pay a small fee to become a member though. Still legal for flying clubs to sell flights to its members

[AeroplaneDriver]

So what is the rationale behind this brilliant Edict From On High?   

Looks likea great day for the flight though Martin.  Glad you managed to get a ride in!

[Martin H]

the whole thing stems from messures brought in in the wake of 9/11.

The EU was basicly bringing its own commercial aviation security and saftey rules  (secure cockpit doors ect) inline with the those currently inplace in the US. the mistake was they forgot to add an exsemption for classic airliners like the Dak, Lufthansa has also been hit with its Ju-52. Apparently it was intended to have the exemption in the first place just some faceless pen pusher forgot to put in in the documents that went on to be ratified by the powers that be.

[Mossie]

Great shots Martin!  Looks like a fantastic day out.

There have also been some mutters in the aviation press that it wasn't an oversight.  There was some concern that if the vintage market grew, there would be a geniune threat to security.  Also, there was likely a push from some of the major airlines, who pushed for the legislation to include vintage airliners in the name of security, but where more worried about the threat to their businesses.

[K5054NZ]

Now that sucks. That really, really is one of the silliest ideas I've ever heard of. My god. To spite them we should hijack a DC-3 and fly it into *COMMENT DELETED FOR POLITICAL INCORRECTNESS AND POLITICAL CONTENT AND JUST DUE TO THE FACT IT INCLUDED POLITICS*

Goodness me. Well, we have two Daks in NZ for joyflights, just move here!

Nice shots btw 




So I guess my idea of having a Mosquito for joyrides at Duxford will be a no-go then, huh?

[B777LR]

So I guess my idea of having a Mosquito for joyrides at Duxford will be a no-go then, huh?

Depends. You could clasify it as a flying club, and the passengers would get a 1 day membership in the price of a ticket

The reason behind this law is good. It is to avoid antique badly maintained aircraft from the third and second world from coming up here and crashing. See the monthly crashes of DC-9s, 737s, Antonovs, Ilyushins, Carravelles (oh no, last of those has already gone down), etc. in Africa, parts of the Middle East, Far Eastern Europe and South East Asia. It was afterall people dying...

[Mossie]

The reason behind this law is good. It is to avoid antique badly maintained aircraft from the third and second world from coming up here and crashing. See the monthly crashes of DC-9s, 737s, Antonovs, Ilyushins, Carravelles (oh no, last of those has already gone down), etc. in Africa, parts of the Middle East, Far Eastern Europe and South East Asia. It was afterall people dying...

Nope, this part of the law is almost entirely about security.  The vintage sector in Europe is already very heavily regulated in terms of maintainence, you'd have hell of a job to get an African jallopy in the air here, without satisfying the powers that be that you've done everything you can to make sure it's airworthy.  At best the authorities have been complacent about the vintage market, at worst complicet.  I'd like to say I was wrong, but I've grown very cynical about the Ailines over the years.  Theirs is a very competetive industry & backs get stabbed regularly.

[Martin H]

i wouldnt be surprised at that mossie. The shame of it all is that Atlantic's operation is almost purly freight (with its Electra fleet) or specialist contract (the Enviroment agency pollution control work they have ect), the joy rides were a merely a side line, albeit a very profitable sideline. mixed in with the small airshow fleet. You would be hard pressed to make them out to be a commercial threat to the likes of BA. But I wouldnt put anything past the top brass at BA.

[Mossie]

i wouldnt be surprised at that mossie. The shame of it all is that Atlantic's operation is almost purly freight (with its Electra fleet) or specialist contract (the Enviroment agency pollution control work they have ect), the joy rides were a merely a side line, albeit a very profitable sideline. mixed in with the small airshow fleet. You would be hard pressed to make them out to be a commercial threat to the likes of BA. But I wouldnt put anything past the top brass at BA.

I'm only guessing Martin, but the way I see it is that Air Atlantic had found niche & a possible loop hole that would allow them & other operators to fly cheap services.  The major airlines (yep, BA especially) would want that door very firmly shut, to prevent others from exploiting it.  These old birds are not that efficient & maintainence heavy, but like you say, wouldn't put it past them.

[Captain Canada]

What a shame, but congrats on a great ride ! Must be nice to have parents that actuallt care. All I ever get is a fuel card !

Love the shots from the air....the test track, and the Voodoo, F-4 and Lightning in the park. Amazing how big those old fighters were, eh ? Lovely !

Also dig the shots of the old airliners, the eengineless birds ( love that twin-pin...that's one plane Airfix need to do in both 144th and 72nd ! ) and that Dak test-bed. Way cool.

Thanks for posting...and glad to hear you had such a great time !