Flying the DC-3
Each
year we provide lodging for the show plane pilots and their crew-members, as
a donation to SERTOMA. Keeping a big, old airliner flying is not
cheap, and anything we can do to help "keep 'em flying" is our top priority!
One way pilots are always willing to "pay" is
with rides -- and you can bet that, as pilots ourselves, we jumped at the
chance to "fly" one of these beautiful old birds. This year, Bob
Davies, chief pilot of the Prairie Aviation Museum's Douglas DC-3, kindly
allowed Mary and Jay to ride in the jump seat of the old airliner -- truly
the best seat in the house, right between the pilots!
From World War II through the early 70s, DC-3s
were an every-day sight over Iowa City. Now, all eyes were drawn
skyward to view the beautiful, art-deco lines of that gorgeous Douglas
airliner, and old-timers across the area must have felt the years fall away
to a time when all of us were able to enjoy the convenience of local airline
service.
Soaring majestically over Iowa City shortly after
sunrise, in an airliner painted in Ozark Air Lines livery -- the same
airline that provided commercial service from 1959 through 1972 -- was truly
a remarkable experience. Here are a bunch of pictures from
that day:
On the
Ramp
In the
Cockpit
Aerial
Photos |