The DC-3 is considered one of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history. [Credit: Adobe Stock]
Key Takeaways:
The author, an FAA inspector, recounts her experience earning a DC-3 type rating to become a specialist for a freight operator, coinciding with the aircraft's 90th anniversary.
Her training at Opa Locka Airport, Miami, with instructor Hector Villamar, involved a diverse group of students, practical challenges like an encounter with "narc agents," and cherished solo flights over scenic routes.
The article is a nostalgic reflection on the author's 25 years of flying the beloved "Gooney Bird" across the country, highlighting memorable flights and the enduring friendships made through these experiences.
Recently, there have been emails from groups all over the country who have rescued DC-3s and, after years of work, gotten them flying. My friend Barry Schiff was bragging about being asked to fly the newly restored corporate Wrigley DC-3 to Catalina Island in California.
No freighter, that one!
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Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.
![The DC-3 is considered one of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history. [Credit: Adobe Stock]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/FLY0326_3.3-Unusual-Attitudes-e1773840690827.jpeg)
