What is the best all around airplane ever made?

[Chuck Ellsworth]

For me it is the DC3.

It can be operated almost anywhere and carry a decent payload, sort of a really big Super Cub with the advantage it is a better handling machine flying wise.

We operated them off an amazing array of surfaces from frozen eskers in the arctic to gravel truck roads in the bush, and occasionally we even used paved runways at airports.

Yup there is no doubt in my mind it is the most pilot friendly flying machine ever made

[Colonel]

Hard to believe that an aircraft that first flew in 1935 is still in commercial service.
All the people that designed and built them are gone, but they are certain to still
be flying in 2035 - 100 years!

The C-130 Hercules deserves an honourable mention. First flight in 1954, and they
will be in service for many more decades to come - likely also 100 years.

B-52 is similarly legendary. First flight 1955, again many more decades to come,
again likely 100 years. Many designs have come and gone over the decades.

Fighter? Objectively the F-15. Going on 50 years of incredible service, and many
more decades to come. That's amazing for a fighter.

In September 2015, Boeing unveiled its 2040C Eagle upgrade, designed to
keep the F-15 relevant through 2040. Seen as a necessity because of the low numbers
of F-22s procured

I don't want to talk about the F-22.

[TundraTire]

Chuck, you would've liked the DHC-5.

[Liquid_Charlie]

the DHC-5

I hate to say this but no, the Buffalo was lacking in so many ways. The piston with the R2000 was a time bomb, just like the DC4 and the turbine was also lacking in the engine department as well. Operationally they were slow and when the civilian version was up grossed then the logistics of loading and off loading were a pain.

I guess I just don't like DHC aircraft - lol - I must admit it was from from prospective and watching the dance while I was sitting there driving the Herc(dropping a full load on one Herc pallet) and hauling alongside the Buffalo. I truly never liked flying DHC aircraft but I have never strapped the turbine otter to my ass.

[TundraTire]

Well going by what Chuck appreciated about the DC3, that it could handle off-strip and was easy to fly, I'd have to disagree. The DHC5 was a big twin otter, nice fat wing, big flaps, and solid gear for rough landing surfaces. In fact, DeHavilland originally advertised "if you can drive a Jeep 30 mph on it, the Buffalo can land on it!"

As far as the engines go, only the DHC4 Caribou had the R2000's. The Buffalo had GE-CT64 engines, fine engines with a bad reputation that they didn't deserve. When the civvies first started running them, the TBO was something like 800 hours. Why? Because the military had been the only previous operator, and well they do things "differently" over there. An upgrade to Pratt's was long rumoured, and if the SAR contract had of gone that way, there could have been an updated version using those and 4 or 5 bladed props.

Commercially, there's no cost comparison between it and a herc. Unless you are running into a real short strip with a decent load. Didn't 7F have a 4500 foot minimum runway requirement? Anyway, the door was the only tricky part of loading/unloading that beast. A hydraulically operated door would've made all the difference. At least you aren't loading/unloading on an angle like the DC3.

But for fun flying? Hard to beat it for its size. Best all-around? Probably not, but I still bet that Chuck would've enjoyed flying it.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

But for fun flying? Hard to beat it for its size. Best all-around? Probably not, but I still bet that Chuck would've enjoyed flying it.

Never got even close to flying one, but would love to.

Like Liquid Charlie I was never all that impressed the the flight characteristics of the D. H. machines I flew which were the Twin Otter, Beaver and Otter.

[Slick Goodlin]

I think the Champ is tough to beat. Obviously it’s not going to haul the way a DC-3 will but they seem to hold their own for what they are and on just 65hp. You can stick one on wheels, skis, floats, they had tricycle gear variants and even a weird twin based on the thing. Beyond that it grew up into the Citabria and Decathlon. Easy to fly and cheap too. What’s not to love?

[Colonel]

Tube & fabric taildragger on grass. Can't go wrong.



That oughta be on the CPL flight test.

[Liquid_Charlie]

The buffalo was a military aircraft that really never transitioned well to civilian use here. I'm not sure about the rest of the world. While I never flew the aircraft I know many that have. One guy ended up in a farmer's field in central america because the an engine calfed and unable to maintain on one one, even after ejecting freight but I think that as connected to air america and who knows what kind of a load they had. Yes they did get out safely and the accident was the minor threat to life

I knew guys who flew it out of YK in the piston days and the list of emergencies experienced was eye opening, from break fires to engine and electrical failures. Fast forward to the turbine and as I said slow, and an operational nightmare for loading and unloading. Tail too low for equipment (loaders in the north) to approach the aircraft. They attempted a ramp system but that too just added to turn around times and watching people hand bomb the freight was a step back in time.

Austin airways looked at the turbine buffalo and even had one on demonstration but that was before of up grossing and they carried the same load as the hawker so no sale there.

Like I said, military type and the maintenance issues go alone with that. As far as flying characteristics they are likely like a cub but I didn't even like how a Twin Otter flew so I'm not the guy to judge the aircraft hands and feet wise.

Depending on over runs and clearways we operated the herc occasionally into 3500 ft strips and would haul into anything over 4000 feet depending on fuel stops. The most restrictive issue on short strips was VMCg so it was the takeoff weight that restricted the strip not necessarily the landing weight. We needed 10 kt headwind in a place like Igloolik to go non stop to YK with a Hay River alternate.

The most amazing thing about the herc, to me, was with such a big fat wing and rivets and deck tread those Allisons could drag it through the air at 320 to 350 kts cruise.

I might as well carry on with my ramblings.

I too think the DC3 needs a special mention but for me being a young buck at the time it became like the Norseman and that was "Am I ever going to fly a different type" and I was trying to continue moving my career. I must admit there are certain aircraft that one always seems to spend extended times on, for me it was the hawker 748 - I think all in toll I fly that aircraft half my career. It was suppose to be the replacement aircraft for the DC3, according to the original hawker sales pitch, No doubt it was a great aircraft but no DC3 - There was was a plan to re-engine the 748 with the PW1000, now that would have been a hell of an aircraft but it never happened.

The DC3 was a great aircraft to fly and the Bassler conversion was the ugly sister. Likely if they had stayed with original weights the BT67 might have been nicer to fly but that doesn't sell aircraft. Landing at all up kept your attention at about level 15 out of 10, the last accident here, my information, was the aircraft stalled on very short final. Because of volume to weight ratio you were almost always fighting aft c of g when hauling freight. So the turbine DC3 does not even come close in comparison to the original.

In the commercial jet world the 727 was my favourite, I much preferred that to the 737 classic -

The cub should be mentioned. My favourite for sure J3 PA11,12 and the super cub -- hard to beat. Likely if I were to buy one it would be a PA12 with the 150 HP and flap kit. with floats, tundra tyers and skis - that would be organismic --

[Eric Janson]

Out of everything I've flown the DC-3 would get my vote as well.

I would like to add an honourable mention for the A340-300. It may lack the fancy toys that the newer aircraft have - but it has "tried and true" technology with millions of operating hours behind it.

Gets me from A to B without any fuss. My company just performed the 500th flight for a client and I got a nice medal. I was fortunate to actually operate the 500th flight. Company website says we have a 98% on time performance record on this operation.

Everyone thought COVID-19 would be the end of the A340. Instead my company took the Economy seats out and we started hauling PPE from China to N America and Europe.

I did the second of these flights. I even managed to beat my previous non stop flight record on a subsequent flight. Guangzhou - Philadelphia 15+59 flight time. I didn't know the aircraft could even fly that far.

We flew the aircraft East around the World several times. Montreal - Shanghai - Montreal. We lived on board for 2 days - not as bad as it sounds.

Colleagues flew COVID-19 infected cruise ship passengers Montevideo - Melbourne. A 16+ hour flight.

An extremely versatile aircraft - handles nicely too.

Here's one of the fleet painted up in company colours complete with "Raccoon Mask" on the cockpit windows.