Finland's Famous Veteran DC-3 Aircraft Grounded This Summer Due to Technical Issues

The familiar roar of radial engines is absent from Finnish skies this summer, as the country's most celebrated veteran aircraft, a DC-3, remains grounded. Persistent technical problems have kept the iconic plane, operated by the DC-3 Association, from taking flight.

The primary issue stems from a lengthy overhaul of one of the aircraft's engines in the United States. Sent for specialized work last fall, the engine's repair by Anderson Aeromotive took three months longer than initially promised. "Since then, there have been other setbacks, such as the condition of the batteries being found poor – and now there's a small propeller problem, which will take time to fix," explained Hannu Heilala, vice-chairman of the DC-3 Association.

Heilala emphasized that maintaining vintage aircraft inevitably brings surprises, a challenge also faced by similar DC-3 operators in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Compounding the delays, some of the mechanics involved have taken leave for the summer. "We decided to take a time-out, so no flying this month. We will fly again in August and September," Heilala stated.

This DC-3, originally built in California in 1942, has a storied past, having served with the U.S. military, Finnair (then Aero), and the Finnish Air Force. Its engines require mandatory overhaul every 1,300 flight hours, a complex and costly procedure, with only a few companies worldwide capable of refurbishing the old Pratt & Whitney engines. The DC-3 Association handles most maintenance in-house but relies on external specialists for engine and propeller work, which can cost up to €150,000.

Consequently, the association has canceled its participation in the Seinäjoki airshow at the end of July. Despite the setbacks, the goal is to resume flight operations in early August, with the aircraft potentially visible during test flights before then. The plane typically logs 80-100 flight hours annually, operating from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in the summer and stored in Vaasa during winter.

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Sen jälkeen on ollut muitakin vastoinkäymisiä, kuten se, että esimerkiksi akkujen kunto havaittiin huonoksi – ja nyt on pieni potkuriongelma, jonka kuntoon laittaminen kestää oman aikansa.