Feb 13, 2008, 4:12 PM
Post #1 of 16
(1662 views)
Shortcut
Southern Cross DC3. Status?
Can't Post
Loved this plane when it was at WFFC 2005. Fastest climbing DC3 I have ever been in. Where is it now? Is it active? I have heard it has a long history in skydiving.
Yeah, the guys up front didnt seem to know how to use their GPS to get good spots. I once landed sooo far from the DZ that the ride I hitched back seemed to drive for ten minutes before we got to the airport. It got so bad that Dean, the air boss, came aboard on the next load and rode up front as a third pilot to show the guys how to do it. That spot was PERFECT. Still amazed at how fast a DC 3 full of jumpers could get to 15K. Most DC3s climb really slowly once they get into double digit altitudes. Must have been those uprated engines, the kind of Wright 1820s that are used in the Grumman Albatross.
(This post was edited by 377 on Feb 13, 2008, 6:06 PM)
there was one WFFC takeoff where they apparently forgot to lock the tailwheel... drifted off the runway edge, looked like it clipped a few lights and thankfully got airborne. Anyone else remember that one?
(This post was edited by 377 on Mar 2, 2008, 10:30 PM)
I am not a pilot, but I thought we came pretty close to a bad outcome on that one. It felt like the plane was almost out of control directionally. Maybe it wasn't really as bad as we thought in back. Perhaps a DC 3 driver can tell us how dangerous an unlocked tail wheel takeoff really is. I am pretty sure we took out some lights before getting airborne. I think those folks on Fat Annie's first WFFC flight came closer to meeting God than we did. The guys on the air boss platform told me that the Carvair cleared the trees by no more than ten feet and probably less. Hot air temp can be a real bitch when you at max gross. Less lift and less engine power.
I am not a pilot, but I thought we came pretty close to a bad outcome on that one. It felt like the plane was almost out of control directionally. Maybe it wasn't really as bad as we thought in back. Perhaps a DC 3 driver can tell us how dangerous an unlocked tail wheel takeoff really is. I am pretty sure we took out some lights before getting airborne. I think those folks on Fat Annie's first WFFC flight came closer to meeting God than we did. The guys on the air boss platform told me that the Carvair cleared the trees by no more than ten feet and probably less. Hot air temp can be a real bitch when you at max gross. Less lift and less engine power.
Wasnt just Phat Annies first load that was scary, the one i was on, we lost the plexy glass bubble about 400 feet into the rollout. Hear a bang!, then smack and saw sumething tumbling down the runway as we tried to lift. Got to 250', then down to 200' and was there for about 5 minutes. Im near the door, told myself if we drop below 200 Im out of here!. Ive thrown dummies out at 130 knots and 50's was enough for the reserve, I would have taken the chance. Not going down with 80 people in that bird. But thats just me. Im sure that would have created other issues but I was ready.
If my memory is correct Southern Cross is the first DC3 and oldest for Skydiving use. Rick from Sun Path has some great stories, he was the mechanic for many years.
I was sitting not far from the door and I know when the take off went to hell I could see runway, warning track(?), grass, and then the corn. From what I was told, the plane took out more than a few lights also.
