The Douglas DC3 (Better known in the UK as the Dakota) is one of the great aircraft of all time. It first flew in 1935 and have seen extensive military and sicilian service since (my father served briefly on Dakotas during WWII during a stand down in Iraq - between active service in Italyand later action in Burma)
Sadly the Dakota will carry its last passengers in Britain later this year, after EU air safety regulations made it too costly to keep the last two British survivors going. Mike Collett, chairman of Air Atlantique Classic Flight in Coventry,said he was saddened but fitting requirements such as weather radar was not viable financially. Over the next five months the Dakotas will embark upon a final tour of 18 British airports.
The sad thing is that these aircraft are sill perfectly airworthy and will probably be able to soldier on for years yet.
