Colombian DC-3 bush pilots.
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Colombian DC-3 bush pilots.
Wonderful little clip about the pilots that brave great dangers in the Amazon jungle flying 70 year old gear. And nice to see so many DC-3 still working hard!
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Cool video, thanks for posting. It takes me back to my days in Villavicencio... the rain, jungle, people, food 
A couple notes, a lot of DC-3s down there are getting the turboprop conversion, so it was nice to see one with radials featured in the video. Also, they mentioned that several aircraft have been lost due to accidents and mechanical failure, and they showed some pictures. One was a green and white DC-3 which was broken in the middle of the fuselage. I was there when that happened and that aircraft belonged to the national police, and one of the soldiers on board mishandled a grenade and it went off. Oops.
The Colombian Air Force also operates DC-3s, designated AC-47 and they are turned into gunships, not unlike the AC-130, and operated out of the nearby airbase.
A couple notes, a lot of DC-3s down there are getting the turboprop conversion, so it was nice to see one with radials featured in the video. Also, they mentioned that several aircraft have been lost due to accidents and mechanical failure, and they showed some pictures. One was a green and white DC-3 which was broken in the middle of the fuselage. I was there when that happened and that aircraft belonged to the national police, and one of the soldiers on board mishandled a grenade and it went off. Oops.
The Colombian Air Force also operates DC-3s, designated AC-47 and they are turned into gunships, not unlike the AC-130, and operated out of the nearby airbase.
Daredevil flying! Hmmm, I thought it was a load of over-blown bolleaux, to be honest. The pilots seem to put an amazing amount of trust in El Dio and inept mechanics, along with over-dramatising the 'dangers' that wouldn't exist if the aircraft were maintained properly in the first place.
It's servicing and operating errors that crash DC3s, not the geographical location and airframe age.
But then again, that wouldn't make an exciting documentary...
It's servicing and operating errors that crash DC3s, not the geographical location and airframe age.
But then again, that wouldn't make an exciting documentary...
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Definitely over dramatized... Going down in jungle trees isn't that much different than going down in a wooded forest (haven't experienced either and hope to keep it that way). My biggest concern over Colombia was that if we were to go down, who would reach us first? The good guys, or the FARC/ELN/former AUC?
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The pilots seem to put an amazing amount of trust in El Dio and inept mechanics, along with over-dramatising the 'dangers' that wouldn't exist if the aircraft were maintained properly in the first place.
You must believe in better!
DK
Last edited by drag king; 5th Jun 2012 at 20:57.
After watching and listening to those mechanics, it would have to be a pretty dire situation for me to fly in anything they'd had a hand in. 
The 'documentary' won't fool anyone that knows the aircraft. DC3s and R1830s have got plenty of patience but they'll only take so much abuse.
It'll end in tears eventually.
'If it's not the pump, it must be something else...'
The 'documentary' won't fool anyone that knows the aircraft. DC3s and R1830s have got plenty of patience but they'll only take so much abuse.
It'll end in tears eventually.
'If it's not the pump, it must be something else...'
