I Went to the Amazon to Fly in a 1942 Workhorse of Aviation

The New York Times ^ | July 31, 2026Updated 12:29 p.m. ET | Max Bearak

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The Douglas DC-3 was mass-produced during World War II. Today, one of the few still remaining transports passengers in Colombia’s jungle.

We were cruising at eight thousand feet, low enough to make out individual trees in the rainforest below, when a towering wall of midafternoon cumulus arose before us.

There was no way around it — it was many miles wide — and no way over it because we were in an 84-year-old Douglas DC-3, arguably the most legendary plane ever mass-produced yet one without a pressurized cabin, which limited how high we could fly.

As the plane and the storm closed in on each other, Captain Joaquín Mosquera slid his window shut. When traversing clear skies, he hangs his elbow out of it as if he were driving an old pickup truck down a dirt road. That’s how riding in a DC-3 feels, too: like being pulled by a tractor through the sky.

A heavy downpour over Cumaribo, Colombia, a remote outpost where the plane took on more passengers.

“I cannot be brusque with this plane. It requires you to treat it softly,” Captain Joaquín Mosquera said.

This exact plane — one of only 16,000-or-so that were made — was the last operating a scheduled passenger service. As soon as I heard about it while on assignment in Colombia, I knew that I’d do whatever it took to get on board — both as a journalist and as an aviation geek.

The remaining few DC-3s mostly operate...

[cymbeline]

“ flew in RC47s in Việt Nam”

Heck of a story!

[Bookshelf]

In 1983 flew from Loikaw, Burma to Rangoon. Aboard was a clutch of Terry and the Pirates Shan with tatoos abouding. My seat passenger was carrying an orchid with a bellflower as large as I have ever seen. Accoridng to data attached to the door the plane was produced in 1935. Something tells me it is still active.

[Paal Gulli]

The one at the bottom appears to be a Basler BT-67. It’s got P&W PT6 turbines instead of P&W Twin Wasp radials (but almost the same SHP).

[E. Pluribus Unum]

They even retrofit these with turboprop engines!

I had to check it out.

Video Transcript Summary

Detailed Summary: Basler BT-67 (Douglas DC-3 Turbine Conversion)

The video provides an overview of the Basler BT-67, a heavily modernized turboprop conversion of the legendary Douglas DC-3/C-47. Often called the “Douglas DC-3 Turbine,” it extends the life of one of aviation’s most iconic and durable aircraft into the modern era.

Historical Context

The DC-3 revolutionized commercial air travel and military transport in the 1930s and 1940s. While larger, faster airliners eventually replaced it on mainline routes, many DC-3s continued flying with smaller operators worldwide due to their ruggedness and short-field performance. By the 1980s, Warren Basler recognized the potential for a thorough upgrade, leading to the founding of Basler Turbo Conversions Inc. in 1990 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The Conversion Process

Basler takes original DC-3/C-47 airframes and essentially rebuilds them from the ground up over thousands of man-hours. Key modifications include:

• Wings: New wingtips and modified leading-edge sections for improved aerodynamics (replacing the classic curved DC-3 wingtips).
• Fuselage: A stretch forward of the wings, increasing interior volume significantly — from 905 cubic feet on a standard DC-3 to 1,225 cubic feet on the BT-67.
• Engines: Replacement of the original piston radial engines with two modern Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines. These are five-bladed powerplants similar to those used on the Beechcraft 1900 and Shorts 360.
• Systems: Complete overhaul of electrical and hydraulic systems, plus a fully updated flight deck with modern avionics.
• Structural: The airframe is strategically strengthened and engineered to achieve zero accumulated fatigue damage. After conversion, the aircraft is essentially a brand-new, zero-time airframe.

Result: The BT-67 is actually lighter than the original piston DC-3 — with an operating weight of 16,000 lbs versus 17,815 lbs.

Performance and Capabilities

The BT-67 excels in demanding environments:

• Payload: Maximum payload of 14,000 lbs — an increase of nearly 5,000 lbs over the standard DC-3.
• Runway performance: Retains excellent short-field capability, operating from unprepared runways only a few thousand feet long.
• Operations on snow/ice: Can be equipped with wheel skis.
• Range: The PT6A engines burn more fuel than the originals, but optional long-range fuel tanks can double capacity from 772 gallons to 1,542 gallons.

These traits make it ideal for remote and extreme operations, particularly in polar regions.

Notable Operator

Ken Borek Air (based in Calgary) operates a fleet of nine BT-67s. The aircraft fly to remote locations in the Arctic and Antarctic, where their combination of ruggedness, payload, short-field performance, and ski capability is unmatched.

Overall Assessment

The video emphasizes that the BT-67 successfully modernizes the DC-3 while preserving its legendary strengths. As the saying goes, “the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3” — and Basler has delivered exactly that, but better. The result is a rugged, reliable, turbine-powered aircraft expected to keep the DC-3 design flying well past its 100th birthday.

The presenter notes the BT-67’s popularity among viewers and positions it as a niche but highly capable aircraft that continues to prove its worth in challenging environments where newer designs often fall short.

[rlmorel]

"... Aboard was a clutch of Terry and the Pirates Shan with tatoos abouding..."

The flavor that line added to your anecdote was just delicious! What a great experience...:)

[rlmorel]

Thank you-I am absolutely watching that later tonight!

[rlmorel]

That is a hot looking steam-punkish plane, isn’t it???

[wardaddy]

I used to own one
And a D18

Great birds

Long ago

Back early 80s you could get a nice one fresh annuals for 65-100k

[wardaddy]

That pilot sounds like my dad

[Boiler Plate]

I flew on one with parents and siblings in 1965 from Sydney to Darwin Australia. 10 hours.

Loved every second of it. It was like an all day amusement park ride.