The World's Most Reliable Aircraft Teamed With the Most Reliable Engine
In 1976, Missionary Flights upgraded to our first Douglas DC-3, and it was a BIG step of faith. By the same faith we claimed our second DC-3, then a third and fourth. Finally, in January of 2003, Missionary Flights purchased our first turbine DC-3. After a few weeks of maintenance inspections and FAA approval, the turbine DC-3 was placed into regular service to Haiti and the Dominican Republic in June, 2003. Since then, the aircraft has proven to be an extremely reliable and valuable tool for MFI.  We have transported several thousand missionary passengers and literally tons of baggage, cargo, and mail to the mission field.  The turbine DC-3 is leading the force in the MFI service to missions. Our other standard DC-3 aircraft continue to back up the turbine DC-3 on its weekly flights to Haiti and the DR, but the turbine DC-3 has certainly picked up the pace in keeping missions supplied.
Turbo Power
The difference is obvious from this angle!
The original DC-3 airplane was designed to operate daily out of unimproved airfields with little maintenance support. For this reason, several companies have converted the original DC-3's by adding a 40" section to the cabin and installing two modern and proven Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turbo-prop engines. This effectively breathes new life into this workhorse. Fully loaded the turbine DC-3 climbs to cruise altitude within minutes and allows for faster groundspeeds, larger cargo capacity, and greatly reduces the maintenance required for each flight.
The turbo-prop engines are a vast maintenance and performance improvement over the original DC-3 radial engines. These airplanes can routinely carry up to 10,000 pounds of cargo, a 27% increase in load capacity while averaging close to 40 knots (46 MPH) faster while only burning 30% more fuel.
These airplanes are "zero" timed by completely overhauling the airframe while adding a 40" airframe "plug" or extension to the cabin area. Modern navigation and communication radios are installed, and of course the turbo-prop engines and associated systems are installed. As you can see from the chart below, there is quite a difference between the two airplanes!
