DC-3 ILS

[squawkvfr 0]

Hi,I flew IFR from KSYR to KSCH in the default DC-3, with panel, sound, and FDE mods by douglasdc3.com. I made an autopilot-assisted ILS approach into rwy 4. That got me thinking. Did the old Gooney Birds ever use ILS? Or was it VOR approaches only? And are VOR approaches the same as localizer-only approaches?

[KevinAu 441]

Hi,I flew IFR from KSYR to KSCH in the default DC-3, with panel, sound, and FDE mods by douglasdc3.com. I made an autopilot-assisted ILS approach into rwy 4. That got me thinking. Did the old Gooney Birds ever use ILS? Or was it VOR approaches only? And are VOR approaches the same as localizer-only approaches?

Back in the day when fate was the hunter, the form of instrument approach that they would have used would have been the four course range and the NDB approach. But DC-3s would have been equipped for whatever was available at the time, which for the DC-3 emcompasses a time period spanning from the four course range to GPS. So of course you can do an ILS with the DC-3 if you lived in a time where that equipment was available.VOR approaches are similar to localizer-only approaches.

[squawkvfr 0]

Have you seen a real life DC-3 do a ILS appraoch?Also, why don't many DC-3s have autopilots? To save weight?

Back in the day when fate was the hunter, the form of instrument approach that they would have used would have been the four course range and the NDB approach. But DC-3s would have been equipped for whatever was available at the time, which for the DC-3 emcompasses a time period spanning from the four course range to GPS. So of course you can do an ILS with the DC-3 if you lived in a time where that equipment was available.VOR approaches are similar to localizer-only approaches.

[Guest jahman]

Have you seen a real life DC-3 do a ILS appraoch?

No, but theres no reason why a DC-3 fitted with LOC and GS receivers would not be able to execute one.In fact, here's the cockpit from the DC-3 (FSX) replica of the DC-3 at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM) showing its ILS gauge in the lower left corner:

Also, why don't many DC-3s have autopilots? To save weight?

You don't just slap an AP onto an aircraft: If you have flown several dfferent aircraft (in sim but especially in real life) you will notice the aircraft behave very differetly. This means an AP must be designed for the particulars of the aircraft (the electronics, for the "feel" and the mechanics for attachment to controls) and this is just too expensive to warrant development and then certification costs for a plane like the DC-3, (unfortunately) on its way out.Cheers,- jahman.

[ZachLW 37]

Have you seen a real life DC-3 do a ILS appraoch?Also, why don't many DC-3s have autopilots? To save weight?

-Certainly. N44V-Money. It cost money.

[KevinAu 441]

Have you seen a real life DC-3 do a ILS appraoch?

Me? Nope, never.

Also, why don't many DC-3s have autopilots? To save weight?

Because DC-3s were only flown by men. And maybe a few menly women.

[Guest jahman]

...Because DC-3s were only flown by men. And maybe a few menly women.

ROTFLMAO!Cheers,- jahman.

[squawkvfr 0]

Really? How exactly does autopilot/radio installation work in real life? Do you have to tear out the whole radio stack to do this? Or can the autopilot be in a separate popup panel? (joke)But seriously, my DC-3 mod came with a custom HSI--I replaced it with the Baron HSI for ease of use. Are there any HSI-equipped DC-3s flying in real life?

No, but theres no reason why a DC-3 fitted with LOC and GS receivers would not be able to execute one.In fact, here's the cockpit from the DC-3 (FSX) replica of the DC-3 at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM) showing its ILS gauge in the lower left corner:You don't just slap an AP onto an aircraft: If you have flown several dfferent aircraft (in sim but especially in real life) you will notice the aircraft behave very differetly. This means an AP must be designed for the particulars of the aircraft (the electronics, for the "feel" and the mechanics for attachment to controls) and this is just too expensive to warrant development and then certification costs for a plane like the DC-3, (unfortunately) on its way out.Cheers,- jahman.

[Guest jahman]

Really? How exactly does autopilot/radio installation work in real life? Do you have to tear out the whole radio stack to do this? Or can the autopilot be in a separate popup panel? (joke)But seriously, my DC-3 mod came with a custom HSI--I replaced it with the Baron HSI for ease of use. Are there any HSI-equipped DC-3s flying in real life?

No idea, but I would bet the drug lords in Colombia fly their DC-3's into jungle strips in the middle of a moonless nitght with Garmin 503's...Cheers,- jahman.

[ZachLW 37]

Are there any HSI-equipped DC-3s flying in real life?

YES! Like I said.http://www2.airliners.net/photo/Piedmont-Airlines/Douglas-C-47-Skytrain/0937343/&sid=ee4925365b91731a989d1dfa0fb5994bNot to mention the countless cargo DC-3s with there modern avionics.

[Cessnaflyer 56]

It is amazing to see the amount of DC-3's still flying in the Caribbean and Mexico. Some of them have very nice panels. Basically, if you have the money you can outfit your aircraft with whatever you want.

[Guest jahman]

If any one of you want to donate $20K so I can get my DC-3 type rating for Xmas, I'd be more than grateful!Cheers,- jahman.

[ZachLW 37]

If any one of you want to donate $20K so I can get my DC-3 type rating for Xmas, I'd be more than grateful!Cheers,- jahman.

$20k?! There's an outfit in Florida doing DC-3 type ratings for $3,500. My friend and I are going this summer after graduation, or so is the plan. He has all of the links and showed them to me a few weeks ago. We'll be going with 3 other instructors from a near by flight school to share rooming cost for the week. Yeehaw! :(

[Cessnaflyer 56]

$20k?! There's an outfit in Florida doing DC-3 type ratings for $3,500. My friend and I are going this summer after graduation, or so is the plan. He has all of the links and showed them to me a few weeks ago. We'll be going with 3 other instructors from a near by flight school to share rooming cost for the week. Yeehaw! :(

How do you get a type in anything for $3,500? I would be interested to see how they do it? The cheapest I could find was $18,000 for an initial. Recurrents are $7200 but that doesn't get you anything.

[ZachLW 37]

How do you get a type in anything for $3,500? I would be interested to see how they do it? The cheapest I could find was $18,000 for an initial. Recurrents are $7200 but that doesn't get you anything.

I'll PM you some links tomorrow.