DC-3, A Real Man’s Airplane

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article commemorates the 75-year flying legacy of the Douglas DC-3 aircraft.
  • It features a woman named Martha who shares her experiences with the DC-3.
  • Martha was a determined pilot who gave DC-3 checkrides and earned her own type rating for the aircraft in 1984.
  • She navigated and challenged the traditionally "macho" perception of the DC-3 cockpit.
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One woman’s look back at how the Douglas has lived to fly for 75 years.

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Martha often flew her Cub to Ohio’s Middletown Regional (MWO) to give DC-3 checkrides.
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C-53D Skytrooper
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The “macho” DC-3 cockpit wasn’t enough to deter a determined woman.
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Duggy
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Martha during her type rating checkride with the iconic Hector Villamar at Miami’s Opa-locka Airport (OPF) in 1984.

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