Arall
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ARALL (Aerolineas Llaneras) is a cargo airline based at Vanguardia Airport in Villavicencio, Colombia.
Douglas DC-3 HK-2663 This beauty is a Douglas Commercial C-47A-DL was delivered by Douglas Aircraft Company in September 1943 to the RCAF. When her military career with the Canadian was over, she was sold via Scottish Aviation to the Muscat & Oman Air Force in 1969. From 1972 she entered the Norwegian civilian register and worked for company’s such as; Bergen Air Transport and Norwegian Overseas. In 1975 she was imported into Canada and served for Ontario Central. In 1981 she left Canada for Colombia and has spent a good part of its lifetime working as a sky-truck for the Lineas Aereas Eldorado Ltda. Arall purchased it some years ago and is operating her every day since. Douglas DC-3 HK-3286
HK-3286 Aerolineas Llaneras C-47-DL in C-check at Arall maintenance, April 2015. This frame flew for the USAAF with the 12th Air Force in North Africa and Italy. After the war she was tranferred to PanAm as NC22434. She also served faithfully with Copa Panama as HP-86 before being sold to Colombia in 1987. Douglas DC-3 HK-3037
Aerolineas Llaneras C-47-DL HK-3037 during D-check at the company base at Villavicencio, April 2015. This frame is ex USAAF. In 1962 she was converted to a DC-3C as N17779. Douglas DC-3 HK-3350
The Hulk of HK-3350 at Villavicencio. April 2015. This aircraft is an ‘oldie’, she left the Long Beach factory in 1937 for delivery to the Trans World Airlines, as NC17323. This DC-3-209 (209 is the Douglas client number for TWA) served TWA for more than 16 32 years. When the TWA DC-3’s were disposed of during the mid-1950s, she was sold. The new owner being United Steel Wrecking Corp. who used the DC-3 from 1953 until 1969. After this civil career she was sold to military in Ecuador and became part of the TAME fleet as HC-AUV. After her military career she was imported into Colombia for SAEP. With its new owners it continued to provide a full range of bush services, flying out of Villavicencio. DeHavilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver HK-2373
Beaver HK-2373, is owned by Arall of Villavicencio. Manufactured in 1950, HK-2373, came off the line at de Havilland and was delivered to Taxi Aero de Santander as HK-83. In 1997 she became part of the Arall fleet. So this Beaver has spent all her working life in Colombia but at seems her flying carreer is over as she is with drawn from use for some time at Arall’s maintenance base. DeHavilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver HK-1018 Sistership HK-1018 was also manufactured in 1950. HK-1018 has spent a good part of its lifetime working as a sky-truck for Colombian Abakan Avia as HK-240. Arall purchased her in 2008, but it seems her operating days are over as she looks firmly stored at the Arall maintenance base. |
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HK-2663 looking immaculate. Note; - Double cargo doors were fitted to C-47’s and retained by commercial users for cargo operation. The left hand door had a smaller door inset for passenger use or dropping paratroops. For easy access in the field, small portable steps were usually carried.
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On April 07, 2016, shortly after takeoff from Puerto Gaitán Airport, while on a cargo flight to Villavicencio, an engine failed of DC-3 HK-2663. The crew decided to return to Puerto Gaitán but as the captain realized this was not possible, he reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a prairie located few kilometers from the airport. The aircraft belly landed and slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All three crew members were injured and evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Photo credit: William Alvarez. |
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HK-3286 is manufactured in 1943 and as off 2015 still flying in the Colombian skies
Colombia may have more DC-3s hauling passengers and cargo than any other country, but at most there are fewer than 10 serviceable planes left
These specialists are a big reason these 70-year-old birds are still flying
The Twin Wasp was the first twin-row design. Displacing 1,830 cubic inches, it delivered up to 1,350 horsepower and featured a new multilayered master rod bearing to withstand stresses at higher ratings. It performed magnificently and was selected to power fighters, bombers and transports. Partly due to the urgency of World War II, 173,618 engines were produced
HK-2006 is coming back from somewhere in the Colombian jungle
The mechanics at the airport in this region’s only city, Villavicencio, who have made a fine art of overhauling DC-3 engines
And these days, modern jets offer regular service to provincial capitals — just not here in the Amazon, a region whose dirt landing strips seem tailor-made for the durable DC-3
Spending the day sunning itself with the Colombian rain forest in the background, this old Doug will no doubt soon be plying another mission to dirt strip somewhere very remote
Open cowl flaps permit maximum cooling while running up engines on the ground
HK-3286 in deep maintenance
Bulkhead overhaul
Oil cooler and muffler
Being overhauled to continue flying
For the foreseeable future at least, Colombia's ancient fleet of DC3s seem likely to keep flying
This DC-3's flying career seems to have ended
The trim tabs of the elevators are operated by means of a wheel on the left side of the pedestal and are still in place
Aerolineas Llaneras is not using their 1950's Beavers anymore. Hopefully they will find their way to Canada sometime! Villavicencio Colombia, April 19, 2015.
Basic Beaver as it was built by De Havilland 65 years ago.
The carburetor air scoop mounted high on the cowling, intended to minimize dust intake on dirt airstrips.
