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"The only replacement for a DC-3 is another
DC-3."
~ author unknown
The Adventure
Fly a legendary airliner over Atlanta. The Douglas DC-3 is
the plane that made air travel popular. This isn't just a ride.
It's a chance for you to take off, fly and land a piece of aviation
history. You'll be the one in the pilot's seat.
This incredible "left seat" adventure
is available only to pilots and takes place at the country's premier
DC-3 flight training facility. No special flight experience is
needed. All you need is a pilot's license, a love of the DC-3
and a desire to learn what it's like to fly one*.
*Important Adventure Change
Now available to non-pilots too! Call or email
for details. |
Our introductory flight experience begins with a
short briefing. Your instructor will cover starting, taxi, takeoffs,
landings, checklists, and emergency procedures. Before you know
it, you'll be ready to taxi an incredibly large multi-engine tailwheel
airplane.
How large is large? The DC-3's wingspan is almost
100 ft. The plane can carry over 820 gallons of fuel and each
engine oil tank holds almost 30 gallons of oil. On takeoff, she
can produce over 2400 Horsepower. The big girl is capable of carrying
almost 5000 pounds of anything that will fit through the door
and yet she needs just 3000 feet of runway. We should warn you.
Taking off is not as easy as it looks. (Don't worry. Our instructor
will be sitting in the co-pilot seat to talk you through it.)
Once airborne, where you go and what you do is pretty much up
to you. Practice approaches, take-offs or landings or simply enjoy
the view from a DC-3.
The Plane
Our DC-3 rolled off the production line in late 1938 and started
her career with Swiss Air. She then made her way back to the US
to fly for Ozark Airlines. After ending her career with Ozark,
she was converted to a freighter. Today, she's known as "Darla
Dee" and owned and operated by commercial airline pilot Dan
Gryder. (Note: Naming your airplane after your wife is a pretty
smart thing to do.) "Darla Dee" has all new engines,
props, tires, brakes, control surfaces and a new state of the
art avionics suite.
Dan and his team of DC-3 experts operate one of
the world's few DC-3 flight training schools, based near Atlanta.
If you're looking for more than just an introductory lesson or
two, Dan and his team provide complete pilot in command and second
in command training. You may bump into Dan and his crew at your
local air show. They help to promote aviation history and heritage
by offering tours of "Darla Dee" at special events around
the country.
Your Instructor
When Dan Gryder isn't flying passengers around the world in 757s
and 767s for a major airline, he can be found providing DC-3 flight
instruction at his training center or shaking hands and offering
DC-3 tours at air shows. He has over 11,000 flight hours and type
ratings in numerous large aircraft. He's been a flight instructor
for more than 25 years and holds the FAA designations of CFI,
CFII, MEI , ATP GOLD SEAL CFI and AGI. He's also a really nice
guy. After a major hurricane, he donated his time and use of his
DC-3 to fly humane society animals from Florida to Atlanta where
they could receive care.
Location
Our DC-3 flight training and operations center is located at Griffin
Spalding Airport, just south of Atlanta. Assuming traffic (there's
always traffic in Atlanta), we're about an hour's drive from Atlanta's
Hartsfield Airport.
The Packages
If you're a DC-3 fan, you'll love our introductory flight program,
which includes a pre-flight briefing, about an hour of flying
and lots of time for photos. If you're a DC-3 fanatic, you'll
want our deluxe program, which includes twice the flying time
and a stop at a nearby airport for lunch. (Can't you just picture
the looks you'll get when you land a DC-3 outside a restaurant
and walk inside for a bite to eat?)
For complete package details and pricing, call 800-644-7382
or email
us today.
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A Plane By Any
Other Name...
World War II veterans and historians will remember the
DC-3 as the C-47 "Skytrain". The military version of this
incredible aircraft was used by Allied Forces to transport
troops and supplies around the world. The plane nicknamed
"the Gooney Bird" quickly earned a reputation as a reliable
workhorse, capable of flying anywhere in any weather. The
US Navy referred to the plane as the R4D and the British
called her the Dakota. Still others called her the Skytrooper.
By any name, she's an incredible plane.
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