What piston airliners flying these days?

[Mechta]

I nearly spat my tea across the room when I heard a government minister just say they were, 'investigating what piston engined airliners were available to help get stranded passengers back to the UK'.

Apart from a handful of Trilanders (are they still flying?), and Air Atlantique's fleet, what could be rustled up?

Could we see Wroughton's Connie in the air? It might take a few XC99s to make a difference though...

[Herod]

I always knew this so-called "jet" would be a flash in the pan.

[PEI_3721]

Via last years series of ‘Ice Pilots’ (Discovery Channel), Buffalo Airways in Yellowknife (NWT), still operates a passenger service with a DC-3 (C-47), and C-46 and DC-4 aircraft as freighters.

[Stationair8]

Good thing that the EU grounded those remaining DC-3/C-47's a few years back!

[tail wheel]

Apart from a handful of Trilanders ....

Even Paris to London you'd need a tent, cut lunches and a Shell road map!

[VX275]

The Lancaster was designed as a 'Bomber Transport' so maybe some lucky barstewards will get a trip in PA474

[Mechta]

A quick wikipedia search revealed that BA looked at buying some new build Trilanders a couple of years ago. Did they have a vulcanologist on the staff?

The owners of that AN-2 at Popham must be rubbing their hands with glee!

[tail wheel]

There was a Twin Pioneer for sale in Australia.......

I'm sure the turbine fleet could be pressed into short haul service as European sectors are relatively short. But who would meet the operating cost difference? Not Government, I'll bet.

[EDMJ]

[QUOTE]Good thing that the EU grounded those remaining DC-3/C-47's a few years back!/QUOTE]

It was only in the UK that new regulations were (mis)interpreted to mean "grounding". DC-3/C-47's continue to fly passengers in Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland (well, probably not just now..) and in Germany (D-CXXX; fully certified for commercial operations).

Then of course there are also five passenger carrying Ju 52/3m and Red Bull's DC-6 in Europe...

[yoganmahew]

Ju52s landing in Kent, eh?

[JEM60]

JU 52s been landing at Duxford for years, every July.

[obnoxious]

try this

2 DC4s at North Weald!

[pigboat]

Even Paris to London you'd need a tent, cut lunches and a Shell road map!

And a calendar for the time enroute.

[Runaround Valve]

The Last Built DC-6B Still Flying.

The last Douglas DC-6B ever built is still flying in Namibia in Southern Africa. It is in a passenger configuration and does tours. It will be coming to Australia next year for a tour. Have a Google to find out more.

[JEM60]

North Weald C54s definately non-fliers.

[Batchy]

Lets put the DC3 back into production, they always said it was irreplaceable.

Alternatively there are two Connies in Europe that could be flown.

http://www.superconstellation.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q9LDAVDy0w


Batchy.

[Brit312]

Sadly, both these aircraft are at this time unable to fly. Nice video though

[skyfish2]

skyfish2

OH for the sound of real aeroplanes in the sky, might well happen, we can only go further back with this shower in power!!

[Proplinerman]

Ash cloud leads KLM to return the DC6B to service.

In a dramatic response to the ash cloud crisis, KLM returned a DC6B to the skies to ferry stranded passengers around Europe. Here we see the aircraft arriving over Hamburg, cruising serenely through the ash cloud which has grounded jetliners.

Flickr Photo Download: 668overHamburg140907DC6ae

[much2much]

A think a tent may be a little over the top perhaps a good stock of ships biscuits and plenty of fresh lime to prevent the onset of scurvy in case of stonger than forcast head winds