April 2024
Metatek’s flagship aerial survey aircraft is a purpose-built Douglas DC3T. Although based on the DC3 ‘Dakota’, which may be familiar to WWII films, this is a very different beast.
With 8 hours of operational endurance and STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) capability for use at remote airstrips, our aerial survey aircraft has a 100ft wingspan for stability, five-bladed propellers for smooth operation powered by modern twin turboprop engines and over-wing exhaust systems for low acoustic output (< 88Db). The aircraft airframe and key components benefit from extensive modification, including demagnetisation for geophysical surveying purposes. Needless to say, it also has modern flight, navigation and safety systems.
The DC-3 aircraft was first developed and produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company in the 1930s. The design has been extensively modified and improved over the decades, resulting in an extremely safe and robust aircraft that has had many uses, including aerial surveying. It is still widely regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft in aviation history and played a crucial role in revolutionising modern air travel.
The DC-3 aircraft is responsible for popularising air travel, particularly in the United States. Early eastbound transcontinental flights could cross the U.S. in about 15 hours with three refuelling stops, while westbound trips against the wind took 17+ hours. A few years earlier, such a trip entailed short hops in slower and shorter-range aircraft during the day, coupled with rail travel overnight.
The DC-3’s legacy and iconic status continue to be celebrated, and a considerable number of them are still in service around the world. Its timeless design and historical significance have made it an enduring symbol of aviation history.
The DC-3 is a twin-engine, low-wing monoplane with a metal airframe. It was designed by a team led by Arthur Raymond, who later worked on the Gemini and Apollo space missions for NASA. From the start, it was clear that the DC-3 was a truly forward-looking design in an age of box-like passenger biplanes.
The airframe was extremely robust, and because its cabin was unpressurised, the DC-3 has never been prone to the kind of metal fatigue caused by the ‘pressurisation cycles’ experienced by more modern aircraft, whereby fuselages are continually forced to expand and contract.
It can accommodate 21 to 32 passengers in ‘airline’ mode, although different variants were developed for various purposes, including aerial surveying, military transport, cargo, and executive use. In its early versions, it had a cruising speed of around 210 mph (333 km/h) and a range of approximately 1,500 miles (2,414 km).
The evolution of DC3 cockpit and instrumentation.
During World War II, the DC-3 was widely used by Allied military forces around the world. It served as a transport aircraft, paratrooper carrier, and medical evacuation plane. Its ruggedness, versatility, and ability to operate from unpaved airstrips made it highly valuable for military operations.
One of the DC-3’s most remarkable characteristics is its exceptional endurance and reliability. Its sturdy construction and powerful engines allow it to operate in adverse weather conditions and challenging environments. The aircraft’s dependability earned it the reputation of being able to “fly through anything.” The DC-3 has been used in all environments, from the extreme temperatures of deserts to the freezing conditions of the Arctic Circle. A jet-assisted DC-3 has even been launched from an aircraft carrier. Its ability to perform in all weathers and environments makes it the perfect candidate for aerial surveying, where exploration projects take place all over the world.
Despite being developed over eight decades ago, the DC-3 continues to be used today in various capacities worldwide. Many DC-3 aircraft, such as our own, have been extensively converted and modified for specialised roles in aero surveying, but they are also still being used for cargo transport, firefighting, skydiving operations, and tourism.
The DC3 may be one of the very few aircraft to still be in regular commercial use after 100 years – time will tell!
Our DC3 is just one of our aerial survey aircrafts, find out more about our other aircraft options here.
If you have a project requiring an aerial survey aircraft, then contact the team at Metatek today
