Flying Colombia’s DC-3s

Legendary Douglas DC-3 planes are still plying the jungle routes of Colombia. Here’s some photos . At the end of the post is information for travellers on how to ride these classic cargo planes.

See related posts on Colombia Corners:
– Colombia’s Amazon: La Pedrera
– Adventures in gorgeous Guaviare
– Has time run out for Colombia’s DC-3s?

An Air Colombia DC-3 with rotary engines in Inírida, Guainia, Colombia in 2013. I rode this in the cockpit to fly to San Felipe.
An Air Colombia DC-3 with original rotary piston engines in Inírida, Guainia, Colombia in 2013. I flew this to San Felipe.

The Douglas DC-3 first flew in 1935. Over 16,000 were built, and amazingly around 2,000 are still flying today. Ironically these rugged aircraft were initially designed as luxury airliners, but quickly evolved into the wartime workhorses carrying cargo and troops as the C-47 Skytrain. These are the only pre-WWII plane still operational, though very few being used for scheduled passenger flights (as in Colombia).

As well as being highly functional, the DC-3 is a design classic. In fact it is the archetypal airplane, and has 114 movie credits including numerous war jaunts (Air America, The Wild Geese, Dirty Dozen), every Indiana Jones movie, several James Bond films and (in its luxury airliner mode)  La Dolce Vita.

Unloading in San Felipe. These carguero DC-3 flights are a lifeline of goods and people to muddy jungle airstrips, often to places where there is no other transport apart from weeks-long river trips.
Unloading in San Felipe. These carguero DC-3 flights are a lifeline of goods and people to muddy jungle airstrips, often to places where there is no other transport apart from weeks-long river trips.

In 2013 I flew from Inírida, Guainia to San Felipe. on Colombia’s easter border. The plane I took, HK 3923, was made in Longbeach California in 1943, and went into service with RAF in the UK  until 1949, took part in the Berlin Airlift of 1948 then went back to the US for Northwest Airlines, went to France in the 1950s with the Canadian Air Force, then back to Germany with the RCAF through the 1960s, was back in Canada doing commercial work in the 1970s, ended up in the Florida Keys in the early 1980s and sometime around 1984 arrived in Colombia.

The (mostly) original controls of DC-3 HK 3923, I flew sitting on a fishing bucket, the pilot was a keen angler of peacock bass which live in the jungle rivers. There were no seats in the cargo area.
The (mostly) original controls of DC-3 HK 3923, I flew sitting on a fishing bucket, the pilot was a keen angler of peacock bass which live in the jungle rivers. There were no seats in the cargo area.
ming in to land at San Felipe. Today HK 3923 is very original form, from the Pratt and Whitney motors, to the cockpit layout and instruments. The only additions I can see are a very small weather radar and a hand-held GPS stuck to the dashboard. but even then it took time for the pilot to find the muddy runway.
Coming in to land at San Felipe. Today HK 3923 is very original form, from the  Pratt and Whitney motors, to the cockpit layout and instruments. The only additions I can see are a very small weather radar and a hand-held GPS stuck to the dashboard. but even then it took time for the pilot to find the muddy runway.

In 2019, I made flghts from Leticia to La Pedrera and back. There is just one flight a week so I had to spend 7 days in La Pedrera, see my story here: Colombia’s Amazon: La Pedrera

A DC-3 at La Pedrera airstrip in Amazonas. It's fitted with Pratt and Whitney turbo prop engines, much more advanced than than the old Twin Wasp radial piston motors. But the sound is just not the same...
A DC-3 at La Pedrera airstrip in Amazonas. It’s fitted with Pratt and Whitney turbo prop engines, much more advanced than than the old Twin Wasp radial piston motors. But the sound is just not the same…
hese are DC-3 cargo planes with steel passengers seats, can be quite uncomfortable for long flights. Ask for a seat in the cockpit - there is usually plenty of room up front.
These are DC-3 cargo planes with steel passengers seats, can be quite uncomfortable for long flights. Ask for a seat in the cockpit – there is usually plenty of room up front.
Flying over a sea of jungle. The DC-3’s broad wings make it very smooth landing, even on rutted jungle strips.
The DC-3's broad wings also make a good rain shelter for sudden jungle showers. Flights are constantly delayed by Amazon weather - usually for a few hours, though sometimes for days.
The DC-3’s broad wings also make a good rain shelter for sudden jungle showers. Flights are constantly delayed by Amazon weather – usually for a few hours, though sometimes for days.
Check out this video of a DC-3 cruising the Araracuara gorge in the jungles of Colombia

How to catch a Douglas DC-3 in Colombia

If you are in Colombia it’s possible to fly on one of these birds, you might even make it part of your travel plans if you are going to visit the Llanos (eastern plains) or Amazon area. These are not scheduled commercial flights that you can book on-line, rather ‘frequent planned cargo flights that carry passengers’ subject to weather, plane availability etc. Some travel agents resell tickets and there are some specific tourist flights to remote areas that use these planes.

FIRST – A WARNING. Flying in these old crates can be risky. While originally incredibly reliable machines, over eighty years they have worn out engines and crashes do occur. Check these links:

Colombia Corners: Has time run out for Colombia’s DC-3s? a story on this webside related to a fatal crash in early 2019 which killed all passengers and crew. There have been similar crashed over the years, such as in 1991.

A brilliant Al Jazeera documentary Risking It All: The daredevil Pilots of Colombia in the jungle DC-3s

Wreckage by the runway - possible DC-3 - at Tarapacá, Amazonas.
Wreckage by the runway – possibly from a DC-3 – at Tarapacá, Amazonas.

STILL WANT TO FLY? Good. The information below is from mid 2019 and subject to change: some operators are (literally) ‘fly by night’. NOTE: some foreigners have been turned away from the airline company claiming the flights are for ‘locals only’. Perhaps they don’t want the bad publicity, scrutiny and law suits following a crash with a ‘gringo’ on board. But I have made four flights with no problems, so try your luck. My guess it is easier to get regular flights in more remote airports ie San José de Guaviare or Leticia.

Some commercial tour companies offer DC-3 trips for foreign tourists online, though it is not clear if these are really going ahead. But check out:

  • Some tours to the famous Caño Cristales in use DC-3s to take package tourists to and from La Vangaurda airport in Villavicencio to La Macarena, where visits to the famous river are based. But be aware the choice of aircraft depends on groups size so there is no guarantee you will use the DC-3.
  • A tour overflying the amazing Chiribiquete National Park with Colombia Oculta has used DC-3s in the past (with the doors off and passengers harnessed in for safety). But recent videos show newer planes so do check. These very expensive trips (US$1,000 per person) but the only way to see Chiribiquete, a natural wonder of the world.
DC-3s are a lifeline for the communities in the Lanos and Amazonas.
DC-3s are a lifeline for the communities in the Llanos and Amazonas.

The cheaper option for experiencing a DC-3, which will cost around US$100 or less per leg (one hour flight) is to take a regular cargo/passenger flight between jungle destinations.The hub for jungle and Llanos plane operators is Villavicencio’s La Vanguardia Airport, four hours by bus or car down the mountain from Bogotá. This where DC-3s are based and maintained and start their routes. It is very hard to track down information of DC-3 flight operators as companies seem to change names, don’t usually have websites, and seem to rely on their small offices at La Vanguardia. Two that seem to be contactable in 2019 are:

Other minor hubs for DC-3s are Leticia, in Amazonas, and San José del Guaviare. Other stop-offs are Iniridá in Guainia, Pto Leguizamo in Putumayo, Mitú in Vaupes, and jungle villages such as Taraira, La Pedrera, Tarapacá, La Chorrera, Araracuara, and many more.

I flew twice with TAVA in 2019, from Leticia to Tarapacá and La Pedrera, and back. The route taken by the plane was Villavicencio – Saj José de Guaiviare – Taraira – La Pedrera- Tarapacá -Leticia then the plane spent the night in Leticia before returning next day Leticia- Taraira – La Pedrera -Tarapacá . Taraira – San José de Guaviare – Villavicencio.

TAVA details for DC-3 flights on their 'office' (an old shipping container) in Leticia
TAVA details for DC-3 flights on their ‘office’ (an old shipping container) in Leticia
TAVA offices in La Pedrera, left, and Leticia, right
TAVA offices in La Pedrera, left, and Leticia, right. Passengers are weighed with their luggage…!

One possible trip to experience a DC-3 would be to take the Villavicencio – San José de Guaviare leg. San José is a great tourist destination and you can easily spend a few days there, maybe returning to Villavicencio by bus (5 hours). If you head into remote areas in Amazonas, you might have to spend several days before you can get a flight out. But there are usually ‘air taxis’ (small Cessnas) that pop in and out of all these airfields and have spare seats they will give you at reasonable cost. But be aware you might be stuck in the jungle for a few days more than expected.

That’s part of the fun of Colombia’s remotest areas. Enjoy!

SOME LINKS

Colombia’s Amazon: La Pedrera
In 2019 I flew with a TAVA DC-3 from Leticia to La Pedrera, in Colombia’s Amazonas
Adventures in gorgeous Guaviare
In theory you could fly from Villavicencio to San Jose del Guaviare in a DC-3