The DC-3 is considered one of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history. [Credit: Adobe Stock]
Key Takeaways:
The author, a female FAA inspector, recounts her detailed journey to obtain and utilize a DC-3 type rating, driven by a need for a specialist in her district.
She describes her training at Opa Locka Airport with instructor Hector Villamar, sharing anecdotes about diverse classmates, memorable flights, and an encounter with "narc agents."
The article conveys the author's deep nostalgia and affection for the iconic DC-3, reflecting on her experiences flying the aircraft across the country and the unique characters she encountered.
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)
